Can I improve my score with this technique?

[wps61]

I'd really like to improve my bowling. However, I throw a bit weird I guess, and I usually end up somewhere between 100-150. (Not good, but I'd be happy if I would be a bit more steady and throw near 150 more often than near 100)

To be honest I do not know a lot about bowling (techniques). Problem I guess is the way I throw. Everybody I see throws the ball with their inner hand palm facing the pinns, I throw with the back of my hand facing the pinns. Somehow it feels more comfy throwing like this. Feels better for my wrist. Is this a known throwing technique?
Can I continue like this if I want to improve myself, or should I really be relearning how to throw? (not looking forward at the latter lol)

Any tips or advice are greatly apreciated. :)

Cheers,
Bill

[billf]

You can average 150 bowling that way. Consistently hitting your mark is crucial though. As I'm sure you've noticed the ball will literally stop spinning and end up rolling forward. This take away a lot of the balls energy, reduces the hitting power, hook and pin carry so averaging higher than that will be difficult. Those are the main reasons people bowl the other way, too increase the margin of error and get higher scores. I use to throw that way and averaged 168.
Once I learned the "correct" way my average dropped for awhile until I got use to all the differences it made to the ball's reaction then shot up well past that. It's a known technique just not preferred.

Welcome to the forum.

[75lockwood]

Welcome the the boards!

Question, are you using a house ball, or one fitted to your hand?

Like bill said, if your consistent and accurate, you can bowl well with whatever release. that being said, keeping your hand behind the ball allows use to put more force on the ball as well as making it easier to control.

[J Anderson]

If throwing like most everyone else bothers your wrist, you may be throwing a ball that is too heavy for you.

[noeymc]

spares and creating consistency get a coach?

=D

[billf]

Most coaches will only help if the release is changed. It seems that some that have been certified for quite some time are not as flexible as the current crop of bowlers need.

[wps61]

You can average 150 bowling that way. Consistently hitting your mark is crucial though. As I'm sure you've noticed the ball will literally stop spinning and end up rolling forward. This take away a lot of the balls energy, reduces the hitting power, hook and pin carry so averaging higher than that will be difficult. Those are the main reasons people bowl the other way, too increase the margin of error and get higher scores. I use to throw that way and averaged 168.
Once I learned the "correct" way my average dropped for awhile until I got use to all the differences it made to the ball's reaction then shot up well past that. It's a known technique just not preferred.

Welcome to the forum.


Thanks for all the replies. Somehow it feels good to know that "my" way of throwing is a known technique eventhough I will just be able to improve slightly.
I think I will give it a shot to throw in the normal way and see if I can get myself used to that. Not that I need 200+ scores, just want to be more stable.

As for the ball, I use the house balls. I live in the Netherlands (no active bowling forums there, hence I ended up here), so I am not sure if the ball numbers are the same as in the usa, but I usually use the 12 ball, but when I have trouble aiming with that ball, I end up with 15, as the heavier ball stays on track better. (that is with the way I throw).

[Tampabaybob]

WPS.....A heaver ball will definitely help you stabilize your swing, but if you are sincere about bowling better, you will have to change the way you release the ball. Throwing it back handed, as you are doing, goes against the physics of "rolling" the ball. As a new bowler you may not realize that you are throwing a 15 lb ball at 35+ lbs of pins. That said you need to understand that the momentum of the ball rolling, creates more power in knocking those 35+ lbs over.

Try practicing throwing the ball starting with your thumb facing the pins while you're swing the ball and then facing straight up when you let it go. That will create more roll on the ball. Next thing will be for you to learn to be accurate, that is, hitting the spot you are intending to hit, each and every time.

Welcome to the boards, try these suggestions our members are offering and let us know how you're progressing. We're here to help you get better.

Bob

[RoccoRock]

One of the hardest things I have ever done was teaching myself how to bowl again, after I had already been bowling for years. I was a thumbless bowler for years, and I did pretty good. I wanted to change to a more traditional, three finger style using my thumb. I went through so many issues, and I had so many problems, it drove me nuts. In the end, it's the best thing I've ever done. I'm still not were I want to be, but my average is very close to my no thumb average, and it's going up every week. It felt so odd with my thumb in. I had zero accuracy, it was like the ball went whever it wanted. I also couldn't get any revs on it, and I couldn't get it to rotate on the same axis. It's not the same as going from a backhanded delivery, but the idea is similar. I was forcing myslef to do something that did not feel "natural" and was not comfortable at all. It was even tougher for me because without my thumb in, if I was on, I wouldn't bowl a game below 180. With my thumb in, I couldn't get above 170. So many times I was tempted to just give up, and many times I did give up and go back to my old style. The one thing I did was every time I went bowling, I bowled the first few games with my thumb in. I knew a guy, years ago, who bowled backhanded. He was good, but nowhere near as good as he would have been if he bowled "normal" Now, I know a guy in my league who bowls Backhanded, but he somehow hooks the ball. No idea how he does it, all I know is it is rough to watch. I can't tell you how many times we thought he broke his hand, because he almost drags it on the ground. Every bowler I know say the same thing about this guy. "How does he do that" He has a good game here or there, but his average is among the lowest in the league.

[AZBowla]

WPS, is this what you're doing?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VpY0sgoEoQ

If so it can be a very effective technique but when it goes wrong it can go way wrong and leave the kinds of splits that even the pro's dread. The way I look at it, there's a reason why the pro's bowl the way they do - because it works. The method they use has the most room for mistakes, and usually doesn't leave nasty splits that are hard to pick up. So to answer your question, yes you can improve your average this way. You can improve it throwing the ball in any number of ways. It's just harder this way then other ways because you have to learn absolutely perfect accuracy. You have to be able to put that ball directly in the pocket every time you spin it down the lane because picking up the kinds of splits this style often leaves is very, very hard to do. But some bowlers, especially in Asia use this technique quite effectively.

[Zothen]

wsp16 I would strongly suggest getting your own ball that will be fitted for your fingers and thumb. Try throwing your ball,like a softball,but,without the loft! Also try to look at the 17/18 board and keep your arm straight and pointed at the 1-3 pins on release.

I have seen bowlers throw the ball with their hand on side of ball(palm touching leg)as well as underhand.

Zothen

[billf]

The pocket is at the 17 1/2 board. What good will going up 18 do?

[wps61]

WPS, is this what you're doing?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-VpY0sgoEoQ

If so it can be a very effective technique but when it goes wrong it can go way wrong and leave the kinds of splits that even the pro's dread. The way I look at it, there's a reason why the pro's bowl the way they do - because it works. The method they use has the most room for mistakes, and usually doesn't leave nasty splits that are hard to pick up. So to answer your question, yes you can improve your average this way. You can improve it throwing the ball in any number of ways. It's just harder this way then other ways because you have to learn absolutely perfect accuracy. You have to be able to put that ball directly in the pocket every time you spin it down the lane because picking up the kinds of splits this style often leaves is very, very hard to do. But some bowlers, especially in Asia use this technique quite effectively.

It is a bit hard to see, but yeah, I think he is throwing in a similar way, be it a bit more gracious than me lol
I must say that I do not have splits that often. Last week when I bowled I only had 1. (the two outer pins)

[scottymoney]

I have a guy on my team who throws straight, not backhanded and he is very good with it. I think he would eventually improve if he went to just a little bit of hook, but I am not about to try changing him. I would think backhanded would take a lot of speed off the ball. That extra speed just bowling straight without the backhand i bet would help a lot with pin action and carry. I would recommend going to the lanes and throwing nothing but straight to get used to the feel. Then go get yourself your own ball drilled and set up just for you. Having your own ball will add at least 10-20 pins by itself and adjusting your delivery I bet will add at least 10. Just going to a more aggressive ball has me bowling 20 pins over my average.