Question for RobLV1 about no approach bowling.......

[Hammer]

I joined the ranks of bowlers with no approach. I was wondering what challenges you had with it at the start. How do you set up and what kind of wrist and hand positions you use? What was your low game and what was your high game? I gave up aggressive balls like reactives and even my urethane Blue Hammer. I use a Columbia 300 Lava plastic and a Columbia 300 yellow dot bleeder plastic. The yellow dot is more aggressive then the Lava ball. The yellow dot gets a good hook but I can control what it does. It took me a year to get some decent games bowling this way. You don't get good quick. At the beginning I would have games between 96 and 120. I get better games now. My highest was a 180. My set up at the foul line is like a two lane highway for my feet. Being left handed my slide foot which is my right would be in the right lane and my left would be in the left lane. I still am able to crouch down. After setting up I swing three time and let it go. I pre-set my wrist and hand position before I swing. That way I won't have to think if I will turn my hand too much at the release. I can still play deep with my yellow dot because of my slow speed. My speed range is a low of 6.8 mph to a high of 9.4. I don't bowl high scores or high series like I used to but I am glad that I can still bowl at all even with no approach.

[RobLV1]

When I first returned after neck surgery, I used a one step approach. My ball speed was just under nine MPH. As a I healed, my ball speed increased to it's current level of about 10.5 mph (average), and I can once again use a full approach. During the summer when the weather got very humid in Vegas and the approaches were very sticky, I developed a technique which was a combination of a full five step approach, and a one step approach. I stood about five feet from the foul line, and went through all five steps, but cut the first four down to about one to two inches. This allowed me to keep my timing, while still saving my legs and back. I still use this technique when I have to move very far left and avoid the ball return. I am currently using five steps with a ball speed averaging 10.5 mph and averaging 198, 200, and 196 in three leagues. I never buy a bowling ball with an RG below 2.55, and quickly change to a plastic T Zone when necessary. Work on developing an effortless arm swing. This will increase your ball speed and save your body. Whenever I can throw a shot with no pain, I throw a good shot!