sprocket
09-29-2018, 09:38 PM
Hello everyone,
I used to contribute to this forum fairly regularly, then life got complicated and busy. I got divorced, then after awhile started dating, met someone, got married again, bought a house...
Anyway, I started league bowling again this season after barely throwing a ball for 2 1/2 years. I think I practiced maybe once. I was a no thumb bowler when I quit. I went out on top, having my highest season average ever, and bowled both 300 and 299. Then my team dissolved and I just had so many other things going on that I didn't try to find a new team. I missed two seasons.
Now I'm 54 yrs old and in reasonably good shape, but I'll tell you, when I started bowling again, that 15lb ball was heavy! Especially no thumb. And the place where I bowl now hooks a lot more. I was just hooking the ball off the lane due to lack of speed. First week of league was nothing but splits. I don't have any new equipment and I polished the heck out of what I have. It didn't help. I came to the conclusion that it was time to start using my thumb again after about 20 years not using it except for spares. I got two of my balls redrilled so the grip matched the best fitting ball I have. I thought I handed him the drill sheet for that ball. I was sure of it. But I was wrong. I should have just gave him the ball to match. Instead I gave him the drill sheet for an experimental ball I had drilled with finger pitches that should help a no thumb bowler get more tilt. If i remember right, I liked that grip but just didn't like the ball I put it in. And never had anything else redrilled with it. So I went out to practice with my thumb in, and my freshly redrilled balls, and all I did was fight spinning the ball too much. My track dropped a bunch. Since I throw some spares with my thumb in, I know where my track usually is. So it must be because of the finger pitches. I threw about six games and it did get better but it was still a battle. In the process I discovered something in my footwork that was off. By moving back on the approach a bit and tilting my spine forward, I was able to generate more speed. On the way home I was frustrated but then suddenly realized that I could use my corrected footwork to apply speed to my thumbless delivery.
So I went to league last night with a plan to bowl no thumb again. This was after 2 weeks using my thumb and a whopping 171 average. I started with a split and a spare, switched balls and threw the next 8 strikes! I missed a few easy spares but still ended up with 679. My speed was good and I was very happy with my ball roll. My track was a little lower with the new finger pitches, but was very comfortable without my thumb.
So now I'm excited. I thought I was too old to bowl no thumb anymore. But I can still do it! I'm hoping to have continued success and improve and then bowl some senior scratch tournaments. Oh, and I really like my team! Great people!
Thanks for reading if you made it this far. I will contribute to this forum from time to time when I have time. LOL
I used to contribute to this forum fairly regularly, then life got complicated and busy. I got divorced, then after awhile started dating, met someone, got married again, bought a house...
Anyway, I started league bowling again this season after barely throwing a ball for 2 1/2 years. I think I practiced maybe once. I was a no thumb bowler when I quit. I went out on top, having my highest season average ever, and bowled both 300 and 299. Then my team dissolved and I just had so many other things going on that I didn't try to find a new team. I missed two seasons.
Now I'm 54 yrs old and in reasonably good shape, but I'll tell you, when I started bowling again, that 15lb ball was heavy! Especially no thumb. And the place where I bowl now hooks a lot more. I was just hooking the ball off the lane due to lack of speed. First week of league was nothing but splits. I don't have any new equipment and I polished the heck out of what I have. It didn't help. I came to the conclusion that it was time to start using my thumb again after about 20 years not using it except for spares. I got two of my balls redrilled so the grip matched the best fitting ball I have. I thought I handed him the drill sheet for that ball. I was sure of it. But I was wrong. I should have just gave him the ball to match. Instead I gave him the drill sheet for an experimental ball I had drilled with finger pitches that should help a no thumb bowler get more tilt. If i remember right, I liked that grip but just didn't like the ball I put it in. And never had anything else redrilled with it. So I went out to practice with my thumb in, and my freshly redrilled balls, and all I did was fight spinning the ball too much. My track dropped a bunch. Since I throw some spares with my thumb in, I know where my track usually is. So it must be because of the finger pitches. I threw about six games and it did get better but it was still a battle. In the process I discovered something in my footwork that was off. By moving back on the approach a bit and tilting my spine forward, I was able to generate more speed. On the way home I was frustrated but then suddenly realized that I could use my corrected footwork to apply speed to my thumbless delivery.
So I went to league last night with a plan to bowl no thumb again. This was after 2 weeks using my thumb and a whopping 171 average. I started with a split and a spare, switched balls and threw the next 8 strikes! I missed a few easy spares but still ended up with 679. My speed was good and I was very happy with my ball roll. My track was a little lower with the new finger pitches, but was very comfortable without my thumb.
So now I'm excited. I thought I was too old to bowl no thumb anymore. But I can still do it! I'm hoping to have continued success and improve and then bowl some senior scratch tournaments. Oh, and I really like my team! Great people!
Thanks for reading if you made it this far. I will contribute to this forum from time to time when I have time. LOL