I'm back! Its been 4 yrs...

[sprocket]

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

[bowl1820]

Hi Sprocket welcome back to the board.

[got_a_300]

Welcome back to the boards sprocket I was wondering
what ever happened to you hadn't seen you post for a
long time glad to hear you're back to bowling again and
doing good.

[BowlingBoards.com]

Welcome back!

[Jtheater]

I average a 171. I feel bad now. Welcome beck!

[sprocket]

Thanks for welcoming me back!

I went out Sunday and practiced and couldn't do squat. I determined that my finger grips are already too tight, especially the middle finger. My fingers appear to be growing in size. I think they shrunk from lack of bowling. I know those grips fit when I tested them at the pro shop. So before Friday I need to get new ones in 3 balls. I was overturning everything Sunday until I started putting my middle finger just lightly in the ball.

[drlawsoniii]

welcome back

[TTREX]

Welcome back!!!! I also had left but it was because i was locked out of this site and i could not get back in, and there is no way to reset my password. So after years and years of trying even after contacting via email...etc ... I finally opened a new email and then came here and opened a new account as i cannot use my old one. so as long as this one keeps working all is good and i can read your post, and can interact with everyone here. Again welcome back!!!

[sprocket]

I'm still struggling quite a bit, with some really good games thrown in here and there. I did throw 674 one week. I just had a new ball drilled that should hook less and last week it was still hooking enough that I was playing too far left of the optimal zone for this house. I'll throw one good game and two lousy ones. Today I practiced several games and determined that I need to back up on the approach to increase speed and also come much more up the back of the ball to reduce axis rotation. My ball hooks WAY less coming up the back of it. It feels a little unnatural, but not too bad. I think I can get the hang of it quickly. It feels almost like I'm getting ready to throw a back up ball. When I threw it well, it looked GREAT going through the pins. As usual, I'm looking forward to league tonight!

[TTREX]

Funny you mentioned it felt like throwing a backup ball. That is exactly what i had to resort to today as the lanes were so tight my ball would not move no matter what i did, even throwing two handed the storm hy-road i use would not recover!!!!! If i tried just rolling the ball it would not move, so high revs two handed, or just coming up the back of the ball, or anything in between nothing worked until i started throwing a backup ball down the left side of the lane...then the ball would roll up into the pocket and strike. Needless to say i wasted three games figuring this out!!!! but at least now i know what to do next week!! I never really tried the backup ball thing until today, it's just not my thing, but i think i will try to master it now as its the only thing that would strike this week for me.

[sprocket]

If the ball would roll up throwing a backup ball then maybe you just needed to turn the ball over and grip the finger holes from the opposite side. That's assuming you don't use the thumb hole. Flipping the weight block might give it earlier roll.

[TTREX]

[QUOTE] If the ball would roll up throwing a backup ball then maybe you just needed to turn the ball over and grip the finger holes from the opposite side. That's assuming you don't use the thumb hole. Flipping the weight block might give it earlier roll.

I have a ball drilled for two hander with no thumb hole, i thought about trying that one day, I good idea sprocket :)