Do left handed people really have a natural hook to their ball?

[Hammer]

Being left handed I don't know how many times I have heard people say that left handed bowlers have a natural hook to their ball. How do these folks figure that out? Does that mean that I don't have to work to curve my ball when I throw it? It will just hook without even thinking about it? Wow! How nice is that? I don't know if that is true or not. Has any other lefty folks here heard something like that since you have been bowling? The question is is this true or false? Or maybe it can be called an old wives tale. What do you think?

[UBowling]

Lol no, they don't have a natural hook, haha. The same mechanics apply, you still have to turn the ball.

The reason people rail on lefties is because they are less people throwing the ball left handed so the left side of the lane breaks down and transitions slower than the right side so people think it is "easier" on the left side. Take advantage! Be proud of it, I wish I was left handed! Celebrate your leftiness!

[Hammer]

It sure is nice to have the left side of the alley all to myself on league night.

[EboniteKid299]

Noo.. lol it's all the same there's also plenty of left handers out there with much less hook than righties so that disproves it kind of too

[75lockwood]

Lol no, they don't have a natural hook, haha. The same mechanics apply, you still have to turn the ball.

The reason people rail on lefties is because they are less people throwing the ball left handed so the left side of the lane breaks down and transitions slower than the right side so people think it is "easier" on the left side. Take advantage! Be proud of it, I wish I was left handed! Celebrate your leftiness!

This actually came up in discussion last month, while the general agreement was that lefties had it easier in most situations because they are alone over there, however it was also brought up that on certain sport patterns this can make things a lot tougher on lefties because right handed bowlers have the the opportunity to break down the pattern to their advantage where as the lone southpaw doesn't have enough time to do this. Just food for thought!

[AZBowla]

I throw with a hook now but that's just because I have done so for so many years that now it's hard for me to throw the ball straight. Having a snappier ball doesn't help any either lol.

[billf]

If it's a natural hook then how come there are more Strokers than Crankers on the left side? I prefer bowling left handed but my knee doesn't like it nearly as much.

[Ball99999]

How much does ball turn contribute to actual hook/revs, and not just side rotation, compared to fingers lifting the ball?

[The German Shepherd]

My brother and daughter are both lefties and only my daughter throws a hook. She throws a hook because her daddy does it and she thinks it looks cool. Since my daughter throws lefty I no longer consider all lefties to be devil-spawn like I used to .... ;)

Jay

[Zothen]

A left handed bowler has just as much natural hook as a right handed bowler,either way lefties still have to work on their game just like us righties.

@Billf-Their are more left handed strokers beacuse they have in my opinion more oil,so they don't need to have a lot of revs.

I agree with 75lockwood in that regular leagues lefties have the advantage. While we righties struggle to find oil or a line,lefties can play their line all night long unless their are multiple lefties on the lanes. Now in the Sport league lefties struggle just as much if not more then righties. I see it all the time! Their either to far out,to far in or their line is perfect. I would rather go up against a lefty in a sport league,then in a regular league any day of the week.

Zothen

[75lockwood]

I don't think anyone has a "natural" hook, it's something that is developed, left or right handed. sure anyone can spin there hand and make the ball hook, but a proper controlled hook is not "natural" :p

[dutchlefty]

Hei, I'm not of the opinion that we, lefthanders, have a natural hook. Never heard that theory her in Norway either. Must be the same for both, either left or right handed...

[martinezsam2495]

Leftiess :d

wooooooh
lefty power!

[J Anderson]

I think the most unnatural thing is to throw the ball dead straight. Unless its throwing a bowling ball period. From my short time coaching, most kids seem to put a little axis rotation on the ball. Some times its a little hook, sometimes a backup ball, sometimes a lot of hook, but its almost never consistently straight.

[MisterSinister]

I have not noticed a natural hook for left handers, but there's something else I've noticed. A lit of female bowlers seem to have a natutal backup hook. I know of at least 5 or 6. Anyone else notice this?

[blong4133]

My sister is a lefty and she's always had a little tail on the back end of her ball....even when she was using plastic balls.

Granted, she doesn't exactly throw darts, but I did always find it strange how she's always had that little snap at the back end.

[J Anderson]

I have not noticed a natural hook for left handers, but there's something else I've noticed. A lit of female bowlers seem to have a natutal backup hook. I know of at least 5 or 6. Anyone else notice this?

Yep, I would guess that women are twice as likely to throw a slight back-up ball. I don't know why but would guess that there is an anatomical reason for it.

[75lockwood]

Yep, I would guess that women are twice as likely to throw a slight back-up ball. I don't know why but would guess that there is an anatomical reason for it.

Apparently there is a difference in the female wrist structure that allows them to throw backup more "naturally" don't know if this is true (read on Wikipedia, has no citation)