Its All in the Approach

[Ludeth]

So I have been doing a lot of research of approaches. I have watched tons of videos and a lot of PBA matches. Really trying to get a good approach in my head. So yesterday I went out to the lanes and grabbed 1.5 hours of lane time. Starting out I was unsure if I liked a 4 or 5 step approach better. So, thinking that the 4 step would be simpler I started there. My first game I bowled a little over 100 which is about where I normally bowl. I had a hard time dialing into the pocket. I tried a few lateral adjustments to no avail. Well, I looked up at the monitor and discovered I was wailing the ball down the lane at about 20mph. I am not a big guy at 5.7'. I slowed the ball down and that helped a ton. Finally I moved to a 5 step approach and my scores and consistency/aim went up again. Finally I ensured that I was holding the ball more in my left hand while setting up and held my hands closer together to get better weight transfer. This brought my elbows in and the ball closer to my center. Well after practicing that I started averaging over 150 and my last two games were 178 and 183 respectively for a new highest ever game score of 183!!!! So things are looking better. Any thoughts from some of you good bowlers out there? I still need to get my own ball and shoes. Also I cannot seem to shoot over a 10lbs ball comfortably. It hurts my wrist on the release. Is this bad. I know they dont make a lot of guys balls lighter than a 12lbs.

Thanks,
Ed

[scottymoney]

Ed, not having your own ball will definitely effect how the weight feels. I am pretty sure if you got a 12lb ball that fits you, it will be fine. That being said having your own ball and shoes will only add to your consistency. I am guessing you are using house balls, and probably never the same one each time? The consistency of having the same ball each time you go to the lanes helps, but also being drilled for you makes so much of a difference. You never did say anything about style, do you throw a straight ball or hook? Having an entry level ball that hooks will make a huge difference if you are currently using a plastic house ball.

It sounds like you have the approach down and are ready for your own ball. This being said go get fitted and drilled by someone who will watch you bowl.

If you can do a video of yourself bowling we have a lot of guys who can pick apart your approach and give you things to work on.

[75lockwood]

First off, do you have a history of wrist problems? if not, using a house ball may be the reason for the wrist pain, do you keep your wrist in a stable position? "flicking" your wrist is an easy way to cause wrist pain.

regardless, when you get your own ball explain your concerns to the pro shop, given that you can easily throw a 10lb ball at above 20mph, i don't see the ball being to heavy. a wrist support might be a good option if you do have wrist problems.

I would say get a ball around 14lb and a wrist brace (if needed)

as for everything else, the best way for us to understand what you are doing right/wrong and what to work on would be to see a video of you bowling, if possible this would be great. Until you get your own fitted ball there isn't much to do, the main thing holding you back is the equipment you are using at this stage.

[Ludeth]

Scottymoney and 75lockwood, you are correct I am using house equipment and never the same ball. In fact I tend to use different house balls during the same game, this way I dont have to wait for the ball return. I can probably afford to buy a ball whenever, but I just dont have anywhere I trust. I do not know my local AMF that well, so I do not know how knowledgeable they are. I have never had any major wrist issues, though I do a lot of typing for work and sometimes my wrist can be sore. I think a wrist brace could be a good idea just to be safe. I worry about being able to control a 14 lbs ball...

As for my style, I am a stroker and I bowl straight, but only because I cannot get any hook on the ball at all. I would love to be able to bowl with a small hook. As long as I am relaxed and my arm is not tired I can aim very well straight, I can pick out a specific board and hit that straight down MOST of the time. I think that being able to curve the ball into the pocket would really help me turn some of those 9 / spares in to strikes.

Any thoughts on finding a good place to get a ball and get them to watch me etc? Should I make an appointment with my local AMF, they always seem so busy and understaffed. I will try and get a video up here this week or next. I am sure the GF will tape me with my phone.. its does 1080p so I assume this should work?

Thanks for in advance for the advice,
Ed

[scottymoney]

Ed,
An entry level ball would fit you well then. Something like a Brunswick slingshot, DV8 Misfit, Ebonite Cyclone.

I am not sure if we have any people on the forums that are form your area that can recommend some place for you. Is there a proshop in your alley you go to? If so start there, if not ask the front desk or even bowlers in the alley where they go. You would be surprised on how much bowlers are willing to help each other. I bet someone in the alley would be able to point you to a decent place to get what you need.

[Ludeth]

Well there is a 'Pro' shop in the alley, but no one was in it. Do you normally have to ask the manager etc to have them open it up?

--Ed

[scottymoney]

Depends on the pro shop. I would ask the front desk what the deal is. Some pro shops have weird hours and others are appointment only. Also buy yourself some bowling shoes online for $30-$50 and start reaping the benefits of not having to pay $2-$3 a trip to the alley's.

[Ludeth]

I will have to ask. I guess I have just been a little intimidated. There are so many variables. In looking at the balls the DV8 Misfit seems like a ball I could grow with and would be good for many conditions. I assume I should get it drilled local as opposed to from bowlingballs.com since I dont really know what sort of drill pattern I need etc? Also shoes always seem to be included in the price of bowling when I go.. they are never separate, but yes shoes are on the short list also. The house ones have no slide..

--Ed

[SouthpawTRK]

Some pro shops that are located within a bowling center are at times privately owned and keep their own hours. A couple of the pro shops that I've been to, usually don't open until noon and close in the latter part of the evening.

The DV8 Misfit would be a great ball to start with, while still giving your room to grow with it. I bought a Misfit a little over a month ago (I've been bowling for a bit more than a month) and could not be happier with my purchase.

Best of luck with the ball purchase and the future shoe purchase.

[billf]

The Misfit would be a good ball. I would suggest calling the pro shop and if need be, leave a message. Let then know you want a ball, need to locate your PAP and would like them to lay it all out for you. I've found that using the right words lets them know that you want real service and not a generic drill. The will (or should) have you do several things with your hand to check for dexterity. Also, I would go with fingertip grip. If you plan on using a brace, buy/wear that when they measure your hand as some can change the angles of your fingers, etc.

[Ludeth]

billf,

So my girlfriend is going to get me this ball: http://www.bowlerx.com/DV8-Misfit-Bowling-Ball-Orange-Blue-DV8MISFITORGBLU.htm. I am not sure what weight to get. I normally bowl with a 10lbs ball and that is fairly comfortable. But this seems light. Should I be worried about that? I find if I throw a heavier ball I don't have as much control. Also do I need to do anything with the pin placement or top weight or should I leave those unchecked?

--Ed

[Big Nick]

You'll be surprised by how a properly fitted ball will feel in your hand. My wife and I joined our first league earlier this year, and we both got our own balls a few months before league started so that we could get some good practice in before our league started. Like you, I'd been using house equipment and I was scared to move up in weight since I always threw 12 pound balls. I could tell that the pro I was talking with really wanted to put me in a 14 pound ball, but he could sense my hesitation and ordered a 13 pounder for me. It was more than apparent in the first game that I threw that I could have gone with a heavier ball right off the bat. I've since moved up to a 15 pound ball, but I recently picked up a 14 pound spare ball and I really like that weight. I'm seriously considering getting a 14 pound ball when I make my next hook-ball purchase.

My recommendation, given that I feel I've just traveled the road your about to travel, would be to go ahead and get a 14 pound ball and have it drilled for fingertip grips. If you're serious about your bowling, you'll eventually want to move to fingertips anyway and the transition is an easy one. Also, like you, I work with computers a lot at my job, and I experience some wrist pain due to the early stages of carpal tunnel syndrome. I highly recommend a wrist brace of some type. I have three: a Storm Gadget XF, a Robby's Revs II, and a Robby's Cool-Max. Out of the three, my favorite is the Cool-Max. The other two change my span too much and I have trouble holding the ball with them on sometimes. The Cool-Max is also the cheapest and most proshops will have them in stock.

[AZBowla]

Yep, the Cool Max is what I have and after I raved about mine my GF got one too the same day we drilled her spare ball for fingertips. The brace will REALLY help you stay consistent - my average has gone up 20 pins easy just from being able to consistently release the ball down the same line rather than spraying it all over the place. It was cheap too, only $25.

Next thing to consider - shoes. House shoes suck. My GF actually fell on her hip last weekend because the house shoes were so bad. She's getting new bowling shoes this weekend as an early Christmas present from me. You can get a decent pair of bowling shoes for $40 at most pro shops (or you can go all out and get the ones with interchangeable soles and all that for a couple hundred) but if you're just starting out you don't need that - a basic pair will do, and they pay for themselves by not having to rent house shoes for $3 or more each time you bowl.

[sprocket]

The ball fitting your hand is absolutely A+ #1 important. Stay home if you don't have that. Find a pro shop that can really drill you something that fits. It might feel wrong at first, but trust the pro shop more than yourself because it might feel much tighter than you are used to. Next are shoes. They are your link to the approach. You need decent bowling shoes.

Another tip is to understand the meaning of the word "focus". It means exactly that. Your target should always be in perfect focus in your field of vision. That can only happen with a steady approach. The target can only stay in perfect focus with perfect balance at the line. Make yourself keep that target in FOCUS. NEVER take your eyes off it until that ball is well down the lane. ALWAYS see the ball cross your target. I'm serious, you need to get it in your head that you would rather have someone kick you in the nads than to lose FOCUS on your target.

[billf]

billf,

So my girlfriend is going to get me this ball: http://www.bowlerx.com/DV8-Misfit-Bowling-Ball-Orange-Blue-DV8MISFITORGBLU.htm. I am not sure what weight to get. I normally bowl with a 10lbs ball and that is fairly comfortable. But this seems light. Should I be worried about that? I find if I throw a heavier ball I don't have as much control. Also do I need to do anything with the pin placement or top weight or should I leave those unchecked?

--Ed

Ed, I would suggest visiting a reputable pro shop. There are things they can do to determine your proper ball weight. I wouldn't go any higher than 14 lbs if you've only been using 10 lbs though. With the correct fit and finger tip grips, you will be able to handle more weight than with a house ball. If you want or need a wrist brace to help stabilize yourself or work with a carpal tunnel effect job, then definitely use a brace.
The pro shop, hopefully, will watch you bowl, take the measurements and drill the ball to compliment your delivery. By the time you purchase a ball on-line and then take it to the shop to be drilled, it's about the same price. Although on-line shopping is easy, for a first fitting, I wouldn't suggest it. Ask for a copy of your measurements and then you will have them for your next ball. www.bowlingball.com as well as www.bowlerX.com are both reputable on-line bowling retailers. Pin placement and top weight are beyond what you will need for the time being.

[GeoLes]

Depends on the pro shop. I would ask the front desk what the deal is. Some pro shops have weird hours and others are appointment only. Also buy yourself some bowling shoes online for $30-$50 and start reaping the benefits of not having to pay $2-$3 a trip to the alley's.

Do a little bit of internets search for a lane near you that does have an available pro shop. Make a trip, even if you have to drive a distance and talk to the pro shop guy about options.

[Tampabaybob]

Start with a 14# ball as Bill suggests. Keep in mind you're rolling a 10# ball at 35 pounds of wood and you're getting a lot of deflection because the ball is too light. With a minimum 14# ball you will be amazed at the difference. While you're at it have them drill the ball as a fingertip.....it's much more comfortable, easy to get used to, and will give you more roll on the ball. Good luck, let us know how you make out.