Good morning from a total beginner

[jwatkin13]

Hey everyone!

I'm brand new to the hobby. I went bowling for the first time in probably 10 years this past summer. Since then I've been about 8 times, and finally decided I want to learn how to properly bowl. This past week, I picked up my first ball (Ebonite Cyclone) and had it drilled finger tip. I'm trying to get the grip down, but I think the thumb hole needs some slight adjusting.

So what is your best advice for someone brand new to the hobby? I cant hook, shoot spares consistently, and don't know what I'm doing. That said I'm excited to learn!

[Blomer]

Welcome. I was in your shoes 4 years agar after someone in my work asked me to join a league. Had no shoes, no ball, couldn't hook the ball, barely get 100 pins a game. Four years later, I'm averaging 200. A lot of practice and learning from these boards have helped a lot. Biggest piece of advice, have fun! With summer coming, I suggest if you live by a Brunswick zone is to get their summer games pass where you get 3 games a day every day for about two months for $35. Key part to get your score up is making spares. Good luck.

[jwatkin13]

Thanks for the encouragement! I actually just bought my wife and I the summer pass, May 22 can't come soon enough. Hopefully I've got some of the basics down by that points.

[manke]

Welcome to the site!!

[bigt_45]

My advice would be to read as many technical threads on here as you can along with watching YouTube coaching and release videos. Just take everything with a grain of salt and try different things to get a good feel for what you are doing and what changes feel like. I'm new to bowling seriously myself and each time I bowl I see and feel something new, which can be a little frustrating too, but it is a process.

[JasonNJ]

I know this will be said more than once but find a good coach. You can watch all the how to videos and read as much as you want but working with a good coach can be invaluable. Learn the proper way of doing things before you pick up too many bad habits.

[LOUVIT]

Jason hit the nail on the head, start with a coach before you pick up bad habits on your own. It took me weeks to do the release my coach taught me, now it seems natural.

o and welcome and ask away

[jwatkin13]

Thanks for the advice! I'll definitely look into the coaching in the area. Hopefully there is someone with a good reputation around here.

[got_a_300]

As it has already been mentioned if you can find a good coach that is
reasonable on their lesson prices then that is your best bet to learn
how to bowl correctly here is a link to be able to find a qualified coach
in your area FIND A COACH (http://webapps.bowl.com/USBCFindA/Home/Coach) just insert your zip code or state into the
appropriate boxes.

Oh by the way Welcome to the boards.

[StormTex]

Good advice on finding a coach, as far as your thumb you will develop callouses on it as you play more and it might get a bit bigger also your thumb will change size slightly based upon the time of day, have your PSO make a few passes to enlarge it if you find it too tight, if its too loose use tape to tighten it up. check a ball grip test video to make sure you are where you need to be on grip. It took me a while to get to the right "feel" after returning to bowling after 25 years.
Good Luck!

[LOUVIT]

Maybe ask the PSO if there's a shop in your house if he knows a good coach. I was lucky to find a coach that bowled in my house on this board....