Two-handers

[santos314]

I was away from bowling when the two handers came around. Was that accepted in the PBA immediately or did it have to be ruled in. Guess I am just old school. It just reminds me of my early bowling days when people didn't know how to bowl or care so they threw like that because it looked cool. I realize now that that's not an easy delivery, but I guess I idolize the styles of the greats, Dick Weber, Norm Duke, Earl Anthony, etc.

[JasonNJ]

As far as ruling body, it was accepted immediately and technically, two-handed is just the approach. The release is still one handed. As for a community, lots of people hate it and say it should be banned.

[santos314]

Do most two handers just put two fingers in the ball? Curious about the release difficulty/accuracy as compared to traditional.

[Amyers]

Do most two handers just put two fingers in the ball? Curious about the release difficulty/accuracy as compared to traditional.

Different for different bowlers. One of my teammates who bowls two handed will sometime bowl fingers only sometimes thumb partially inserted to control his reaction

[JasonNJ]

Do most two handers just put two fingers in the ball? Curious about the release difficulty/accuracy as compared to traditional.

Most of them only use 2 fingers but a few use the thumb like Shawn Maldonaldo and Wesley Low. Like with any release it takes practice and commitment.

[RobLV1]

In my opinion, it should have been banned by the PBA. Since it wasn't, if you have a child or a grandchild who wants to learn how to bowl, he/she had better learn two-handed if being competitive is a consideration.

[JasonNJ]

In my opinion, it should have been banned by the PBA. Since it wasn't, if you have a child or a grandchild who wants to learn how to bowl, he/she had better learn two-handed if being competitive is a consideration.


That's interesting Rob, I didn't know you wanted it banned? What about it don't you like?


I have 4 daughters and I'm trying to teach them how to bowl, I want them to bowl two handed.

[santos314]

I guess for me it's just a classic traditional hang up. Kind of like if a golfer bent over and did a baseball bat swing and everyone copied it, and it became the next big thing. It could be accepted but it wouldn't be that graceful smooth technique the sport is known for.

[RobLV1]

That's interesting Rob, I didn't know you wanted it banned? What about it don't you like?

I don't like the fact that it gives one group of bowlers a HUGE advantage. This is not to say that a two-hander will always win, but given two bowlers with equal talents and abilities, the two-hander will prevail a majority of the time.

[bowl1820]

I don't like the fact that it gives one group of bowlers a HUGE advantage. This is not to say that a two-hander will always win, but given two bowlers with equal talents and abilities, the two-hander will prevail a majority of the time.


How does only one group have this advantage? Anyone can go out and take up two handed bowling.

You can't say because not everyone has the physical ability to do it, because if lack of physical ability was a good reason to ban those who have the physical ability from doing something. Then we all would be rolling balls down a ramp right now.

[santos314]

How does only one group have this advantage? Anyone can go out and take up two handed bowling.

You can't say because not everyone has the physical ability to do it, because if lack of physical ability was a good reason to ban those who have the physical ability from doing something. Then we all would be rolling balls down a ramp right now.

Well.....that might be part of it....I don't like it because ......I CAN'T DO IT! LOL

[RobLV1]

How does only one group have this advantage? Anyone can go out and take up two handed bowling.

And anyone could have taken up using an anchored putter in golf, but the USGA wisely made it illegal... to preserve the integrity of the game!

[santos314]

And anyone could have taken up using an anchored putter in golf, but the USGA wisely made it illegal... to preserve the integrity of the game!

Hmmm...good point

[bowl1820]

And anyone could have taken up using an anchored putter in golf, but the USGA wisely made it illegal... to preserve the integrity of the game!

Well the Two handed approach is not illegal, So "if" it is a advantage, it's one that anyone can use if they are able and willing to learn it.

I might add I don't think a golfer deciding to start anchoring a putter (or using a belly putter) is the same as a bowler having to learn a whole new style of bowling.

Not that I'm a two handed bowler, But I think a lot of the anti-two-handed sentiment is based on some jealously (I'm not referring to you specifically) by many bowlers.

The old "Since I can't do, No one else should be able to.", In a way it's very reminiscent of the things said when resin balls came.

The old guard bowlers that couldn't make the transition from the Urethane game to the modern resin game, Would constantly rail against the bowlers using those "cheater balls" and how the "integrity of the game" was threatened.

The integrity of the game isn't threatened, The game is just changing and change scares people so they want things to stay the same.

[santos314]

Well the Two handed approach is not illegal, So "if" it is a advantage, it's one that anyone can use if they are able and willing to learn it.

Not that I'm a two handed bowler, But I think a lot of the anti-two-handed sentiment is based on some jealously (I'm not referring to you specifically) by many bowlers.

The old "Since I can't do, No one else should be able to.", In a way it's very reminiscent of the things said when resin balls came.

The old guard bowlers that couldn't make the transition from the Urethane game to the modern resin game, Would constantly rail against the bowlers using those "cheater balls" and how the "integrity of the game" was threatened.

The integrity of the game isn't threatened, The game is just changing and change scares people.

Very true...I guess whether it's one hand, two hand, or bowling with your feet, we should be thrilled that there is still interest in this game after all these years. Who knows, if two handers never came about we may have seen a greater decline and more bowling centers closed.

[C J]

I remember about 12 years my mom telling me she saw my PSO at a particular house I was bowling at bowl with two hands... I looked at her like she was crazy because I had never saw it. I watched him bowl while practicing one night and man he was good... A year or so later at another center there was a youth league going on and a guy was on the lane next to me and got the front 10 or 11. He was a two hander. Only 2 I had seen up to this point. I came back and it seems 2 handers are everywhere. Should thumbless bowlers be illegal too?? I learned to bowl thumbless with a house ball and have just always been decent at bowling this way, although I don't do it now... I can go from having trouble making a ball move on oily lanes and can only take my thumb out of the ball and it backends like nobodies business.

[Amyers]

I remember about 12 years my mom telling me she saw my PSO at a particular house I was bowling at bowl with two hands... I looked at her like she was crazy because I had never saw it. I watched him bowl while practicing one night and man he was good... A year or so later at another center there was a youth league going on and a guy was on the lane next to me and got the front 10 or 11. He was a two hander. Only 2 I had seen up to this point. I came back and it seems 2 handers are everywhere. Should thumbless bowlers be illegal too?? I learned to bowl thumbless with a house ball and have just always been decent at bowling this way, although I don't do it now... I can go from having trouble making a ball move on oily lanes and can only take my thumb out of the ball and it backends like nobodies business.

Most thumbless bowlers I've seen struggle with the accuracy enough to be non contenders when you take them off a house shot not saying it isn't possible but most can't hack it when they need to be able to hit what they are aiming at.

[Mr900]

Most thumbless bowlers I've seen struggle with the accuracy enough to be non contenders when you take them off a house shot not saying it isn't possible but most can't hack it when they need to be able to hit what they are aiming at.

True with most 1 handed thumbless bowlers. Now with 2 handers you have that extra hand to add stability and balance so I don't think the accuracy issue is as prominent or even an issue if 2 handed delivery is done properly. Easier to adjust hand angle with 2 handed style.

[foreverincamo]

I've seen plenty of games shot by two-handers that were way under 200. Revs don't matter if you can't control the ball

[RobLV1]

If you look way back to my original statement, I was saying that two-handed bowling should have not been allowed by the PBA. We seem to have strayed wildly from that idea. Yes, we've all seen two-handed league bowlers who can't consistently hit a target within six inches from shot to shot. Many one-handed bowlers also cannot hit the broad side of a barn. Who cares? At the Professional level, however, where two handers are as accurate and consistent as one-handers, they have a tremendous advantage. As many, many league bowers emulate the pros, once the PBA dropped the ball and allowed it, the floodgates were opened... forever!

[chip82901]

If you look way back to my original statement, I was saying that two-handed bowling should have not been allowed by the PBA. We seem to have strayed wildly from that idea. Yes, we've all seen two-handed league bowlers who can't consistently hit a target within six inches from shot to shot. Many one-handed bowlers also cannot hit the broad side of a barn. Who cares? At the Professional level, however, where two handers are as accurate and consistent as one-handers, they have a tremendous advantage. As many, many league bowers emulate the pros, once the PBA dropped the ball and allowed it, the floodgates were opened... forever!

Being a 2-hander my entire life (bowling for 25 years now), I can see why people are against it. At the PBA level however, EVERYONE should be as good as EVERYONE. You're at that level for a reason. Then again, guys like Tackett and TJ almost put as much revs on the ball as most of the 2-handers. I agree with your statement that the floodgates were opened. I was the only 2-hander I'd ever seen in the state up until about 5-6 years ago, now, almost every house has 2-3 (keep in mind, I live in WY). But, none the less, we all still have the same 60 feet, and the same oil pattern to read. If you read it better than a 2-hander, 9/10 times you're going to beat him

[Mr900]

If you are a thumbless bowler two hands are the way to go. One handed thumbless is an effort in futility (except for Daugherty but I bet even he would agree if he could do it all over again he would start with two hands)

[fordman1]

Once you hit puberty you should have to use one hand. MLB doesn't allow aluminum bats. What next urethane balls, exotic weight blocks?

[mc_runner]

Once you hit puberty you should have to use one hand. MLB doesn't allow aluminum bats. What next urethane balls, exotic weight blocks?

Personally, I think a better comparison is switch hitting. Should that be banned? It gives the batter an advantage vs. the pitcher for how well they can match up. But, it's within the rules the same as 2 handed approach is.

Maybe aluminum bat comparison would be better served against a weight block sitting outside of allowed specs or a super grabby new coverstock. An equipment thing, not a physical thing.

[Mr900]

Funny, you should bring up baseball where players hold the bat with two hands and have been since the beginning....hmmm. Guess bowling was just late to the game in evolution.

[JasonNJ]

Personally, I think a better comparison is switch hitting. Should that be banned? It gives the batter an advantage vs. the pitcher for how well they can match up. But, it's within the rules the same as 2 handed approach is.

Maybe aluminum bat comparison would be better served against a weight block sitting outside of allowed specs or a super grabby new coverstock. An equipment thing, not a physical thing.



I'm with you on this. Switch hitting in baseball is a better analogy. Aluminum bats are more comparable to the belly putter in golf than 2 handed bowling.

[chip82901]

Once you hit puberty you should have to use one hand. MLB doesn't allow aluminum bats. What next urethane balls, exotic weight blocks?

Nothing exotic, but see Rotogrip's new Hot Cell, getting released next week. Urethane ball with the Nucleus core. Meets this criteria