Aslan
01-14-2014, 01:45 PM
Kind've an open question, but especially for you bowlers in you 60s and 70s.
I touched on this briefly in another thread, but it came up again on Friday...and it's really hurting our team.
Short backstory: Our team leader is a woman in her early 70s. Like many people in that age range, she had physical limitations. She throws an old urethane Rhino Pro..that she probably has had since 1993. Helicoptor release, lefty, plays the far outside line.
The problem is...her ball speed is tremendously low. I'm talking in the 9mph range. SO even though it's a urethane ball (I don't know the weight)...she CANNOT keep it left of the headpin. And given the lack of carry....this often leads to either leaving a split (her record this season is 6 in one game) OR a WHOLE LOT of single 7-pins. And last Friday...she was 0 for about 9 on single 7-pins. Her ball track...is hooking so much...that she physically cannot pick up a 7-pin.
Now...I KNOW...first answer...GO SEE A COACH. I get that. But if she isn't going to do that...I'd still like to have some idea what to tell her and from a selfish standpoint...her average could increase by 30 pins easy if she could pick up 7-pins or not leave them to begin with...and that would really help our team.
My initial thoughts were:
1) Get a different ball with less hook...but that won't work...she's already throwing urethane.
2) Move right...but that didn't help...the hook track is too drastic.
3) Adjust your line and throw harder...but she can't because she has arm and shoulder issues.
4) Use a heavier ball....but again...she has arm and shoulder issues.
5) Try to eliminate the helicoptor release...so she's just throwing it straight across at the 7-pin....???
I feel bad for the team...but especially her in general. She doesn't complain or whine much...but you can tell she's bothered by it. We find ourselves hoping that she leaves a 4-7 because she can pick up 4-7s because her ball can hit the 4. She bought a new ball...she had her's polished...and sometimes she'll ask, "what can I do?" But it's hard to get someone like her to go to a coach...because she's realistically in the last 2 or so years of league bowling. It's much easier to get a young fella to seek out help...because they plan to spend many years bowling.
So...short story long...any advice for a older bowler to pick up a 7-pin??
I touched on this briefly in another thread, but it came up again on Friday...and it's really hurting our team.
Short backstory: Our team leader is a woman in her early 70s. Like many people in that age range, she had physical limitations. She throws an old urethane Rhino Pro..that she probably has had since 1993. Helicoptor release, lefty, plays the far outside line.
The problem is...her ball speed is tremendously low. I'm talking in the 9mph range. SO even though it's a urethane ball (I don't know the weight)...she CANNOT keep it left of the headpin. And given the lack of carry....this often leads to either leaving a split (her record this season is 6 in one game) OR a WHOLE LOT of single 7-pins. And last Friday...she was 0 for about 9 on single 7-pins. Her ball track...is hooking so much...that she physically cannot pick up a 7-pin.
Now...I KNOW...first answer...GO SEE A COACH. I get that. But if she isn't going to do that...I'd still like to have some idea what to tell her and from a selfish standpoint...her average could increase by 30 pins easy if she could pick up 7-pins or not leave them to begin with...and that would really help our team.
My initial thoughts were:
1) Get a different ball with less hook...but that won't work...she's already throwing urethane.
2) Move right...but that didn't help...the hook track is too drastic.
3) Adjust your line and throw harder...but she can't because she has arm and shoulder issues.
4) Use a heavier ball....but again...she has arm and shoulder issues.
5) Try to eliminate the helicoptor release...so she's just throwing it straight across at the 7-pin....???
I feel bad for the team...but especially her in general. She doesn't complain or whine much...but you can tell she's bothered by it. We find ourselves hoping that she leaves a 4-7 because she can pick up 4-7s because her ball can hit the 4. She bought a new ball...she had her's polished...and sometimes she'll ask, "what can I do?" But it's hard to get someone like her to go to a coach...because she's realistically in the last 2 or so years of league bowling. It's much easier to get a young fella to seek out help...because they plan to spend many years bowling.
So...short story long...any advice for a older bowler to pick up a 7-pin??