skeeb
01-28-2010, 07:23 PM
Hello all,
Ok for starters I am not a beginner. I bowled about 10 years ago and have now gotten back into it since last year. My avg when I was 19yr was about 170ish. This year I started out pretty hot after buying all new gear since my old stuff was ancient. Gear is: Ebonite NVD, plastic spare ball, ebonite shoes.
I dont wear a wrist strap and when I first used the demo ball at the pro shops they told me I threw a pretty hard ball. The NVD was just one of their recommendations.
I do throw a small hook as I did when I was younger.
My first 8 or so weeks I was in the 180s avg. Pretty good for me and I was happy with it. I even bowled a 623 which was one of my best series ever.
I went on a slump and found out it was because my thumb swelled up and I was getting stuck in the ball.
So I had it drilled out more (the grip). I instantly started bowling well again... 180s. Well I am now in the 20th week of my season and my avg is a 173. My last few weeks have again been a slump in the 160s.
I seem to do very well at getting strikes. I avg about 5 a game. Its my spares that are embarrassing. Usually..
Ok, sorry for the long story book there... now to my issues:
When I bowl I feel like I grip the ball or squeeze it. I have been trying to fix that since now my thumb has swelled down and my grip is back to its original form via proshop. I am so inconsistent though..
Yesterday I threw 2 gutters. Sometimes I would feel the ball just fall off my hand... other times I would hold on too much and tug it. I had 2 strikes, gutter, 2 strikes, 2 opens... frustrating!!
I cant decide if its my span... my thumb is too loose... Im dropping my shoulder... or what. I have been really working on where I stand and my approach. I now stand almost at the beginning of the ball returner and stand in the middle and aim just right of the 2nd arrow. I also have practiced heavily on a "pendulum" swing instead of forcing it. I bowled back to back 226 games just two days ago doing this. I will also say that my ball for the first time was looking "pretty" going down the lane too. It actually rolled smooth and broke very nice... I looked like a pro... for some of my throws. Then other times I would throw a pretty straight shot or just completely miss...
I think Ill stop there. I think you all get the point that I am just frustrated and dont know where to begin for fixing this. The bottom line is I know I have the ability to be a scratch bowler. I bowl more strikes than many of the guys.. but they just arent consistent throws.
Ok for starters I am not a beginner. I bowled about 10 years ago and have now gotten back into it since last year. My avg when I was 19yr was about 170ish. This year I started out pretty hot after buying all new gear since my old stuff was ancient. Gear is: Ebonite NVD, plastic spare ball, ebonite shoes.
I dont wear a wrist strap and when I first used the demo ball at the pro shops they told me I threw a pretty hard ball. The NVD was just one of their recommendations.
I do throw a small hook as I did when I was younger.
My first 8 or so weeks I was in the 180s avg. Pretty good for me and I was happy with it. I even bowled a 623 which was one of my best series ever.
I went on a slump and found out it was because my thumb swelled up and I was getting stuck in the ball.
So I had it drilled out more (the grip). I instantly started bowling well again... 180s. Well I am now in the 20th week of my season and my avg is a 173. My last few weeks have again been a slump in the 160s.
I seem to do very well at getting strikes. I avg about 5 a game. Its my spares that are embarrassing. Usually..
Ok, sorry for the long story book there... now to my issues:
When I bowl I feel like I grip the ball or squeeze it. I have been trying to fix that since now my thumb has swelled down and my grip is back to its original form via proshop. I am so inconsistent though..
Yesterday I threw 2 gutters. Sometimes I would feel the ball just fall off my hand... other times I would hold on too much and tug it. I had 2 strikes, gutter, 2 strikes, 2 opens... frustrating!!
I cant decide if its my span... my thumb is too loose... Im dropping my shoulder... or what. I have been really working on where I stand and my approach. I now stand almost at the beginning of the ball returner and stand in the middle and aim just right of the 2nd arrow. I also have practiced heavily on a "pendulum" swing instead of forcing it. I bowled back to back 226 games just two days ago doing this. I will also say that my ball for the first time was looking "pretty" going down the lane too. It actually rolled smooth and broke very nice... I looked like a pro... for some of my throws. Then other times I would throw a pretty straight shot or just completely miss...
I think Ill stop there. I think you all get the point that I am just frustrated and dont know where to begin for fixing this. The bottom line is I know I have the ability to be a scratch bowler. I bowl more strikes than many of the guys.. but they just arent consistent throws.