skeeb
04-14-2010, 02:29 PM
I have been in a league now for 32 weeks. I hadnt bowled in almost 9 years since my league in high school. I am carrying a 172 avg which started out at a 184. Lately I have been hitting the low 500s or even mid to high 400 series. I typically am throwing 1-2 gutters a week! I do not have a huge hook but I do bowl one. I typically start just left of center and aim in between the 1-2 arrows.
My question is actually a few things..
First off I was finally told by my teammates that I am turning the ball very early and it is causing my shoulder to drop and its probably why I am throwing gutters... and I also drop the ball a lot.
Today I went to practice some. I focused mainly on where I stand on the approach and keeping my hand under the ball. I took a tip I read to have my heals about 3 inches from the foul line and take my normal 4step approach backwards basically to see where I should stand. I was shocked... according to that method I would be standing almost at the very end of the ball return. For the longest time I was standing basically in the middle to the end of the return. So this was a huge step forward. I tried that for a couple of games and found that now it seems like I am throwing a staight ball. I feel like my ball is getting thrown a bit faster and it doesnt hook as much. So I compensated and took a full step back. It still lines me up further than before but not so drastic. Doing that for one game I bowled a 237. So that made me happy. However I quickly fell back to a 169 the next game and felt myself turning the ball to soon again. A lot of my throws were out and hit weak.
So then I looked into something else. My grip. My question here is this: should I be able to slide 2 sheets of paper under my palm when gripping the ball? I am now wandering if all this time my span is not wide enough. I do feel like I "grip" the ball when I throw no matter how hard I try not to and just let it "pendulum" swing. It seems like when I try that I almost drop the ball. My thumb is snug, my fingers are snug... Im just curious on the span. Like I said... my palm is not snug on the ball... there is a teeny big of space.
You can imagine I am a mess right now trying to figure out what is wrong. I really work too much to have time to get a coach so I am hoping some of you might be able to give me some tips. I really feel I should be able to be a scratch bowler with some consistency. I hit a LOT of strikes... but I also seem to leave a lot of open frames. Again... consistency. If it helps any.. I am 5'11. It just seems like I look at the other guys and they dont stand so far up like it seems I am supposed to. I feel like my steps are normal walking steps too.
Ok, thats about all. Please someone give me some tips/questions or something. Im hoping to keep this topic active so I can continue some help till I can figure some of this all out. There is no reason I should bowl a 237, 151, 169, 188. I am all over the board.
My question is actually a few things..
First off I was finally told by my teammates that I am turning the ball very early and it is causing my shoulder to drop and its probably why I am throwing gutters... and I also drop the ball a lot.
Today I went to practice some. I focused mainly on where I stand on the approach and keeping my hand under the ball. I took a tip I read to have my heals about 3 inches from the foul line and take my normal 4step approach backwards basically to see where I should stand. I was shocked... according to that method I would be standing almost at the very end of the ball return. For the longest time I was standing basically in the middle to the end of the return. So this was a huge step forward. I tried that for a couple of games and found that now it seems like I am throwing a staight ball. I feel like my ball is getting thrown a bit faster and it doesnt hook as much. So I compensated and took a full step back. It still lines me up further than before but not so drastic. Doing that for one game I bowled a 237. So that made me happy. However I quickly fell back to a 169 the next game and felt myself turning the ball to soon again. A lot of my throws were out and hit weak.
So then I looked into something else. My grip. My question here is this: should I be able to slide 2 sheets of paper under my palm when gripping the ball? I am now wandering if all this time my span is not wide enough. I do feel like I "grip" the ball when I throw no matter how hard I try not to and just let it "pendulum" swing. It seems like when I try that I almost drop the ball. My thumb is snug, my fingers are snug... Im just curious on the span. Like I said... my palm is not snug on the ball... there is a teeny big of space.
You can imagine I am a mess right now trying to figure out what is wrong. I really work too much to have time to get a coach so I am hoping some of you might be able to give me some tips. I really feel I should be able to be a scratch bowler with some consistency. I hit a LOT of strikes... but I also seem to leave a lot of open frames. Again... consistency. If it helps any.. I am 5'11. It just seems like I look at the other guys and they dont stand so far up like it seems I am supposed to. I feel like my steps are normal walking steps too.
Ok, thats about all. Please someone give me some tips/questions or something. Im hoping to keep this topic active so I can continue some help till I can figure some of this all out. There is no reason I should bowl a 237, 151, 169, 188. I am all over the board.