sprocket
02-16-2014, 07:58 PM
I have been working pretty hard on my game lately. I practice 12 games every Sunday and sometimes once during the week. It's funny how things can just suddenly come around because I had been in a rather long slump. My average was right around 200 and not really going anywhere after averaging as high as 217 in the past.
I bowl thumbless and recently tried going back to using my thumb. That didn't work out so the next thing I tried was incorporating a full cup in my grip where the ball is rolled all the way back on my wrist right from the start. In the past I didn't seem to have the flexibility to do that. Now why would I suddenly be able to do it when I am almost 50 yrs old? I don't know, but I can, and suddenly my release is MUCH more consistent and my speed and RPM have both increased. So has my accuracy.
It's only really been coming all together for the last two months or so. Anyway, about that compliment...
Today my usual group was joined by a local proshop owner and bowler who is a bit of a legend in this area. He is a top notch bower and has been for a long time. He has drilled balls for the majority of the top bowlers in the area. He is also a Dick Ritger certified coach and has been coaching for over 30 yrs.
So, he bowled about six games with us and then I talked to him about maybe getting some used ball from him. He said he had over 100 plugged balls so for sure I should see him. Then he said.....
He was totally impressed with my game and I was one of the top two thumbless bowlers he had EVER seen in person. He told me not to change ANYTHING about my release. He said usually thumbless guys lack speed but I had very good speed. This comes from a guy who has been picking apart games for 30 yrs.
I talked to him about how on at least one of my balls my track tends to clip the thumb. He basically told me not to worry about it. He said we should never sacrifice reaction just to use a layout that moves the track further from the thumb. Plus he said I only catch the edge of it so it's not like I'm rolling right over the center of it. It only hits it the first couple of revs anyway.
Anyway. now I've got a lot of confidence! Us thumbless guys really take a beating to our ego quite a bit because we never really know if we are good or not. I mean I have NO backswing so I assume my game is not that pretty to watch. What I do have is a great release and terrific ball roll. Again, I am different than most thumbless bowlers because my track is not inverted and I project the ball out very well. Today, like last Sunday, I was able to move right when the others were moving LEFT and play the right ditch the last several games. I had very little room to miss either direction and I did ditch one ball. But if I could hit the one to three board at the break point I had a great reaction. How many thumbless guys can play up the ditch? OK, now I'm bragging but I really do feel better about my game and I am ready to shoot a big number tomorrow on league!
Of course my left hip is killing me.....
I bowl thumbless and recently tried going back to using my thumb. That didn't work out so the next thing I tried was incorporating a full cup in my grip where the ball is rolled all the way back on my wrist right from the start. In the past I didn't seem to have the flexibility to do that. Now why would I suddenly be able to do it when I am almost 50 yrs old? I don't know, but I can, and suddenly my release is MUCH more consistent and my speed and RPM have both increased. So has my accuracy.
It's only really been coming all together for the last two months or so. Anyway, about that compliment...
Today my usual group was joined by a local proshop owner and bowler who is a bit of a legend in this area. He is a top notch bower and has been for a long time. He has drilled balls for the majority of the top bowlers in the area. He is also a Dick Ritger certified coach and has been coaching for over 30 yrs.
So, he bowled about six games with us and then I talked to him about maybe getting some used ball from him. He said he had over 100 plugged balls so for sure I should see him. Then he said.....
He was totally impressed with my game and I was one of the top two thumbless bowlers he had EVER seen in person. He told me not to change ANYTHING about my release. He said usually thumbless guys lack speed but I had very good speed. This comes from a guy who has been picking apart games for 30 yrs.
I talked to him about how on at least one of my balls my track tends to clip the thumb. He basically told me not to worry about it. He said we should never sacrifice reaction just to use a layout that moves the track further from the thumb. Plus he said I only catch the edge of it so it's not like I'm rolling right over the center of it. It only hits it the first couple of revs anyway.
Anyway. now I've got a lot of confidence! Us thumbless guys really take a beating to our ego quite a bit because we never really know if we are good or not. I mean I have NO backswing so I assume my game is not that pretty to watch. What I do have is a great release and terrific ball roll. Again, I am different than most thumbless bowlers because my track is not inverted and I project the ball out very well. Today, like last Sunday, I was able to move right when the others were moving LEFT and play the right ditch the last several games. I had very little room to miss either direction and I did ditch one ball. But if I could hit the one to three board at the break point I had a great reaction. How many thumbless guys can play up the ditch? OK, now I'm bragging but I really do feel better about my game and I am ready to shoot a big number tomorrow on league!
Of course my left hip is killing me.....