Video: Your advice on my bowling is welcomed!

[Briantime]

Hi there,



New user here and have been reading the boards for a while now and enjoying the content. I have just gotten back into bowling after a long layoff and would like to tune up my game before signing up for leagues.

I have had 5 practice sessions in the last two weeks. I am averaging 151. According to the screen at the alley I bowl at, my ball speed is about 16.5. I get very little break on the ball and feel like I am struggling with my release a bit. I shot 3 short vids of me throwing yesterday. Please excuse the quality as I had to prop my phone up against a towel :-) Hopefully they will give a look and enough information to offer some observations.

Thank you in advance!

Fyi...

I am bowling with a Columbia Freeze, 15lb. Finger tip drilled. I do use a wrist support.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4EaNwPDjrk

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8yvhq9ls0Q

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luS_VEDqpqs

[Tony]

I do not profess to be a coach in any way so my comments will be limited.
Just a comment on the video's themselves, it was good to take a few videos, for future video's it might be helpful if in addition to the upper body that the footwork is visible. It would also be advantageous to have more than one angle, one directly behind the bowler as well as one from the side view, this will provide more information to the coaches on the site.
It does appear you end up releasing the ball a little ways back from the foul, but that could be an illusion based on the view.

[Blacksox1]

Welcome to the boards, enjoy yourself:).

[JasonNJ]

Welcome to the boards. From the video we can't see your feet but it looks like your feet are pretty square with one another. I would suggest you setup with your left foot a little further in front of your right foot, this will open your hip more to help the ball clear your hip on your back swing. Also you have a 4 step approach and your timing is very late. You don't start your push away until your 2nd step. Your push away should start at the same time you start taking a step with your right foot. Everything else I think looks ok, your back swing looks pretty straight, you are coming around a little bit on the release but I think that is caused by your late timing.

Hope that helps.

[Briantime]

Thank you. That does make sense to what I have been feeling. I always feel like I am getting to the line and having to pull the ball through, which tires me out after a couple of games...

[Amyers]

I'm not a coach either but if your wanting the ball to hook with your limited rev rate and less agressive ball your going to need to play farther right. You are throwing the ball through the heaviest portion of the oil with your current line. Did you move there because the ball wouldn't hook? Try moving you feet to the right and your target to the right.

[fordman1]

Move right 5-10 boards with your feet and target. But a ball that is very aggressive. Other than that hire a coach. Or try all three.

[mc_runner]

That's what I noticed too - you're using a ball that isn't super aggressive, out over the middle of the lane where all the oil is. If you move right the ball will interact more with the dry areas of the lane and hook more (and probably drive better).

[NewToBowling]

That was what I was going to say. You're rolling over the heaviest oiled part of the lane. And don't worry so much about hook now as long as you are consistently hitting the pocket and knowing how to adjust if you miss left/right.

[got_a_300]

It appears to me in the videos that you are throwing the ball
straight up the lane between the 3rd and 4th arrow and as
the others have said you are in the heaviest part of the oil.

The Columbia Freeze is not a very aggressive ball to begin
with so move your eyes / feet / and target to the right a
few boards or even maybe get yourself a more aggressive
ball so you can play more in the middle of the lane where
you are trying to play now.

[scottymoney]

So I agree with what most of these guys said on why you don't see any "hook".
You really need to understand ball motion and how that is created.
Check out this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0lqgfAxWF9w
Your ball because of it being a non aggressive ball will skid through that oil never giving it time to hook and roll.
on most THS/"House shots" the oil is between the 10 boards. Move right out to the 2nd arrow and throw straight up 10. See what the difference is, then to experiment more move out to the 1st arrow (5 board) and throw straight up 5.
You should see a huge difference in ball motion in these cases.

[Briantime]

Thank you so much everyone!

It's true, I have been moving left in the hopes that I could get my shots more to the pocket. I will give moving over back to the right a try and see what happens. This game is tricky in how it seems so simple, but it certainly is not :-)

[Briantime]

One quick question on terminology.
Straight up 10? Straight up 5? Can someone please explain?

[JasonNJ]

The lane is made up of tiny boards. Since you are right-handed, starting from the right, the first board is board 1 all the way through 39. So straight up 5 means, you target and roll up the 5 board.

So once you move back towards the right, I think once you fix your timing, your ball motion will be much better.

[Tezza]

Additional note on 5 board, 10 board etc, each arrow starting from the right is 5 boards. So up 5 board is up the first arrow, up 10 board is up the second arrow, etc.

[Briantime]

By the way...I'm never opposed to buying something new :-)

I saw a few comments that referenced my choice of ball (Columbia Freeze) may not be aggressive enough for my bowling style. Suggestions? I was looking at the Storm Hy-Road...

[Tony]

By the way...I'm never opposed to buying something new :-)

I saw a few comments that referenced my choice of ball (Columbia Freeze) may not be aggressive enough for my bowling style. Suggestions? I was looking at the Storm Hy-Road...

The Hy-Road is a proven ball, I know dozens of guys that have them including me, your pro shop might suggest something else but the Hy-road is certainly a good ball to have in your bag.

[fordman1]

Brian the terms in bowling are easy:
Throw the rock "DOWN' the lane right "up" ten???? Once you get it you will know some straight bowlers are gay. Some hookers are free. Having a more than 2 ball bag is normal.
Move right with your feet and target and if that don't work buy a new ball.:cool:

[Amyers]

Brian the freeze isn't a bad ball and if your not getting any motion playing on the outside like we've mentioned the problem isn't the ball. The freeze isn't real aggressive but it's not plastic either it will hook if thrown correctly. More aggressive balls don't always equal more hook. If coaching is available in your area get some if not try watching some videos on YouTube or talk with your pso for some assitance

[JasonNJ]

By the way...I'm never opposed to buying something new :-)

I saw a few comments that referenced my choice of ball (Columbia Freeze) may not be aggressive enough for my bowling style. Suggestions? I was looking at the Storm Hy-Road...

I have a Columbia Deep Freeze and a Columbia Blur which I think are comparable balls and they both hook just fine. My advice would be to stay with the Freeze, iron out your release and timing and then you can think about buying a more aggressive ball. I think sometimes buying a really high end hooking ball too early can be detrimental because the ball will hook for you even though you didn't have a great release on it. I know it hurt my game a little, I bought a Storm Crux Pearl I loved that ball at first but it made my release lazy because it would hook so much.

[RobLV1]

As often happens here, the focus often shifts to buying a bowling ball to solve all of your problems. It won't. From what I could see from your video, Jason hit the nail on the head. I think your release problems are stemming from late timing. I would suggest you find a qualified coach to help you before you run out and buy a new bowling ball.

[scottymoney]

As often happens here, the focus often shifts to buying a bowling ball to solve all of your problems. It won't. From what I could see from your video, Jason hit the nail on the head. I think your release problems are stemming from late timing. I would suggest you find a qualified coach to help you before you run out and buy a new bowling ball.

I agree Rob, understanding the game and fixing timing must come first. Ball motion is one thing I try to get people to understand.
I have had guys ask me what ball they should use. My response usually makes them mad at me when I tell them they should learn to bowl before worrying about what ball is in their hands.

Why give someone the keys to a Porsche when they only have their learners permit.

[billf]

I would move feet and target to the right while searching for a good coach in your area.

Your timing at the beginning is late yet at the timing spot it appears early. Wrong camera angle to positively identify though as the body does block when the slide foot first hits flat.