Do you care about how good your technique looks?

[jaypeesmith]

This is one of those technique vs results questions.

Yesterday, I was checking out some bowling videos and came across one of I guy that I have spoken to at the lanes a few times. From speaking with him and others, he's posted some rather good scores over the years but, I'd never seen him bowl. Here's a video of him competing in a local match last year. His style is rather unique.


https://youtu.be/PPzrhedxEAs

At first, I was taken aback and trying to figure out how in the heck it worked and then just came to a simple conclusion: it works for him.

So, have you ever been concerned about how your game looks or have you always been focused on the outcome?

[panbanger]

OK for those wondering, go to the 7:30 mark in the video to see what I think you're talking about. He doesn't have a "normal" follow through.

I'm in no position to tell anybody how to bowl but I can speak about how I bowl. When I throw the ball sometimes I'm a good 2.5 feet in front of the foul line. Last couple months I've worked on this quite a bit. I have it down to at the most 1 foot now. It's just a mental thing - I freak out when I get close to that foul line. Makes zero sense. Finally convinced myself mentally that I'm forcing myself to bowl on a longer alley than everyone else, I've got to even the playing field! It's a process and I'm working on it, but it really has zero to do with how I think I look to other people. Just my 2 cents.

[mc_runner]

To an extent, yes. Not in how I look to other people, but in the sense that proper technique creates more repeatable shots. when you have "oddities" or complications in your shot, the more chances there are for something to go awry. On the flip side, the less variables with your shot there are, the less that can go wrong in an approach and release, and the better and more consistent you can be.

[boatman37]

Well we have a guy in our league that throws a semi-backup ball and has a 217 average. Also have one that stands sideways to the lanes (right side of his body facing the pins) and he has a 220 average. In the end I am more concerned with good bowling than i am about form but right now i don't have either sooooo.........

[mishatx]

What mc_runner said. I care about my technique because something weird is either difficult to repeat, or inefficient.

[fordman1]

Remember it is not HOW it is HOW MANY !

[RobLV1]

Remember it is not HOW it is HOW MANY !

In a great majority of cases, how many results from how. "It's what works for me," is just another excuse not to work on your game.

[fordman1]

Rob have you watched the Swedish two hander? Could you do anything with his approach?

[Eddy]

Well we have a guy in our league that throws a semi-backup ball and has a 217 average. Also have one that stands sideways to the lanes (right side of his body facing the pins) and he has a 220 average. In the end I am more concerned with good bowling than i am about form but right now i don't have either sooooo.........

I once saw a guy that was a right hander, but threw the ball as if he were a lefty cranker. A really big left to right hook. He also averaged over 200. There are many ways to bowl, and the bottom line is how many, not how.

Am I concerned with how my technique looks? Not really. I want results.

[boatman37]

I once saw a guy that was a right hander, but threw the ball as if he were a lefty cranker. A really big left to right hook. He also averaged over 200. There are many ways to bowl, and the bottom line is how many, not how.

Am I concerned with how my technique looks? Not really. I want results.

I used to bowl with a guy that was a righty and bowled the normal righty hook but could throw it right handed but have it hook left to right and consistently hit the pocket. I tried it one day just messing around and about broke my hand...lol. No idea how he did it.

[RobLV1]

Here's the deal: if you are totally satisfied with your average, then don't worry about how you bowl. I have a good friend who is painful to watch bowling. He starts at the back of the approach, takes nine or ten steps (they are too fast to actually count), he drops the ball three feet before the foul line, and is so late with his timing that he nearly falls over to the right after the ball is gone. He averages 220! He's the exception, not the rule.

The reason that most top bowlers use similar approaches is that certain styles promote repeatability, and repeatability is the key to averaging. My friend above is hard to watch, but he does it exactly the same every time.

As for "the Swedish two-hander," his accomplishments speak for themselves.

[bowl1820]

So, have you ever been concerned about how your game looks or have you always been focused on the outcome?

If during bowling I am scoring well, At that particular moment I don't care how my form appears to anyone else. I'm focused on the outcome. Now if I am reviewing a video of myself, looking for problems then I am concerned how my form looks as to how I think it should be.

[YODA]

People who watch me bowl tend to think I have a weird routine. I am right handed and throw right handed. Except when I leave a 7 or 10 pin. I can pick it up 90% of the time by bowling lefty. Either straight at 7 pin or angled over at 10 pin.

For some reason if I try to pick up those lone pins by bowling righty I miss them.

I have been working on this for awhile not sure if it's mental or what it is.

[Buster76]

People who watch me bowl tend to think I have a weird routine. I am right handed and throw right handed. Except when I leave a 7 or 10 pin. I can pick it up 90% of the time by bowling lefty. Either straight at 7 pin or angled over at 10 pin.

For some reason if I try to pick up those lone pins by bowling righty I miss them.

I have been working on this for awhile not sure if it's mental or what it is.


FWIW - if you bowl in a sanctioned league, I am pretty sure what you are describing is against the rules. If you bowl righty, you have to make all your shots righty.

[fordman1]

FWIW - if you bowl in a sanctioned league, I am pretty sure what you are describing is against the rules. If you bowl righty, you have to make all your shots righty.

I am not pretty sure I am absolutely sure. That is against the rules.

[J Anderson]

People who watch me bowl tend to think I have a weird routine. I am right handed and throw right handed. Except when I leave a 7 or 10 pin. I can pick it up 90% of the time by bowling lefty. Either straight at 7 pin or angled over at 10 pin.

For some reason if I try to pick up those lone pins by bowling righty I miss them.

I have been working on this for awhile not sure if it's mental or what it is.


FWIW - if you bowl in a sanctioned league, I am pretty sure what you are describing is against the rules. If you bowl righty, you have to make all your shots righty.


I am not pretty sure I am absolutely sure. That is against the rules.

But it is really fun to see! Like watching Norm Duke throw two balls to make the 7-10 split when it doesn’t matter.

[Buster76]

I am not pretty sure I am absolutely sure. That is against the rules.

I know, but not being able to cite the rule chapter and verse I didn’t want to make a definitive statement.

[Albundy]

Absolutely ijudge others compared to me. After losing my balance 2 years ago and needing surgery I've watched David ozio and Shannon O'Keefe and used them as what I consider perfect delivery. I have a deep knee bend and try to keep my trail leg soft and on the lane and swing my arm after I throw it.. though amleto monacello said don't watch the women.. Don't force anything..where ever your arm goes it goes after the release you don't need to bring it over your head. Those who jerk their heads or fall off their shot or don't follow through or take 3 steps I don't feel they are that great. They may be good house shot bowlers..they can plop it on the 10 board and it finds it way to the pocket I feel I have a better shot than those guys.but they probably have been doing it the same way 20 years and are good at it..just as how I threw off the wrong foot til I was 15 and was averaging at a 160 with a maxim ball at that point.

[Albundy]

Oh and buying $220 bowling shoes helped my balance a ton.iused to slip all over on the wood approach.

[santos314]

I'd bowl with my toes in the holes if I could keep a 200 average! Lol