I am 17 and I want to get better at bowling for College

[martinezsam2495]

I average 150 and I bowl with two fingers,
I'd be more than glad to get some good tips and criticism. I know the 2 finger bowling approach isn't a "good one" in most eyes, but personally I love it since that is the way I have always learned to bowl. I am left handed, and I use my index finger and middle finger to throw the ball, as I said earlier I do not use my thumb. My highest game is 189 and I was a strike away from a 200, my dad said when I get a 200 he would buy me my own bowling ball and bowling shoes. Here is a video on detail on how I hold the ball, and what it's features are, thank you everyone for taking your time on reading this, and enjoy your day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP63NRiuq5c
Cheer's Sam

[billf]

First tip, get a ball for a lefty and let dad have his back. Borrow one if need be to get that 200 to get your own.

[MICHAEL]

I average 150 and I bowl with two fingers,
I'd be more than glad to get some good tips and criticism. I know the 2 finger bowling approach isn't a "good one" in most eyes, but personally I love it since that is the way I have always learned to bowl. I am left handed, and I use my index finger and middle finger to throw the ball, as I said earlier I do not use my thumb. My highest game is 189 and I was a strike away from a 200, my dad said when I get a 200 he would buy me my own bowling ball and bowling shoes. Here is a video on detail on how I hold the ball, and what it's features are, thank you everyone for taking your time on reading this, and enjoy your day.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kP63NRiuq5c
Cheer's Sam

[SIZE=4]If your that good with only two fingers, imagine how good you MIGHT be with ONE?? 150 = two 300 = 1 Just throwing some logic at you!!! lol (:)
Your getting started at a good age!!! I waited till I was 61 1/2! (:) Have fun

[kev3inp]

God gave me a thumb, so I'm using it. ;) It would seem to me you're fighting the natural tendency of the ball to move since it's drilled for a righty.

[bowl1820]

First place to start is.
If your going to use two fingers, at least put the proper fingers in the holes. Use the middle and ring fingers, this will at least balance the weight of the ball in your hand.

Using the index and middle fingers, half the weight if the ball is hanging off the side of your hand.

[martinezsam2495]

I will do that soon,

What do you average when you go bowl?

[martinezsam2495]

[SIZE=4]If your that good with only two fingers, imagine how good you MIGHT be with ONE?? 150 = two 300 = 1 Just throwing some logic at you!!! lol (:)
Your getting started at a good age!!! I waited till I was 61 1/2! (:) Have fun
haha, yeah that's true, I know you were kidding, but I think 1 finger might cause too much damage...... to the pins, :D hahaha,
wow, what do you average? There is no feeling like the first time you bowled and got a strike, priceless.

[martinezsam2495]

First place to start is.
If your going to use two fingers, at least put the proper fingers in the holes. Use the middle and ring fingers, this will at least balance the weight of the ball in your hand.

Using the index and middle fingers, half the weight if the ball is hanging off the side of your hand.
I start off with a 2 hand approach, well having my right arm support my left arm before release, it would be easier for you to see if I post a video of me actually bowling, that's the thing I haven't tried to use those 2 but, I will try it the next time I go bowling,

[martinezsam2495]

God gave me a thumb, so I'm using it. ;) It would seem to me you're fighting the natural tendency of the ball to move since it's drilled for a righty.

yeah that is true,
that's why I'm going for that big 200 :D So I could get a ball drilled for a lefty, :D

[bowl1820]

I start off with a 2 hand approach, well having my right arm support my left arm before release, it would be easier for you to see if I post a video of me actually bowling, that's the thing I haven't tried to use those 2 but, I will try it the next time I go bowling,

Putting the proper fingers in the holes is not just about holding the weight of the ball. Using the the index and middle fingers will reduce the rev's, the leverage you apply and change the tilt and rotation of the ball. Not to mention you'll restrict the amount of changes you can make with your release, to affect the balls motion.

Then couple that with being a left hander and using a ball drilled for someone else and a right hander. Your not going to get the optimum performance out of the ball.

Given if your using one of your dads old balls, ask him to at least have it plugged and redrilled to fit you and layed out for a left hander.

This will give you a chance to work out any fit problems and Also make sure to use the the right fingers so you can establish a pap for throwing that way
before getting "your own ball"

If you use a pap from throwing it with the index and middle fingers for the layout, then change to the other fingers later the pap will be way off in regards to the layout.

[martinezsam2495]

Putting the proper fingers in the holes is not just about holding the weight of the ball. Using the the index and middle fingers will reduce the rev's, the leverage you apply and change the tilt and rotation of the ball. Not to mention you'll restrict the amount of changes you can make with your release, to affect the balls motion.

Then couple that with being a left hander and using a ball drilled for someone else and a right hander. Your not going to get the optimum performance out of the ball.

Given if your using one of your dads old balls, ask him to at least have it plugged and redrilled to fit you and layed out for a left hander.

This will give you a chance to work out any fit problems and Also make sure to use the the right fingers so you can establish a pap for throwing that way
before getting "your own ball"

If you use a pap from throwing it with the index and middle fingers for the layout, then change to the other fingers later the pap will be way off in regards to the layout.

yeah I changed from using my index finger and middle finger, to my ring finger and middle finger! My coach who is my uncle, helped my find my strike zone, and I hit a 195 today, I left 2 open frames and finished with a X 4/ 81 X X X 6 2 8/ 9/ X X 7 = 195
I am excited to get my new ball, and I"m hoping with getting that score my dad would be convinced to get me my own ball! I'm thinking on getting a critical theory ball!
I never took that into consideration the whole re-drilling, but I think it'll be more efficient for me to get my own ball, With the change of fingers helped me get better control with the ball, and my strike zone is from the 2nd arrow, to the half of the first arrow, not touching the first arrow, but on the right of it,
With day 1 of coaching he has helped me go up from my ex personal best of 189, to 195.

[bowl1820]

I just noticed this in your video ( looks like nobody else did either) was that the ball your using has a conventual grip. as opposed to a fingertip. That makes it a little harder to hook the ball like you see others doing.


The conventional grip lets bowlers insert their fingers into the finger holes down to the second joint from the top. This grip is usually the best for beginners because it gives a greater feeling of security and confidence when holding the ball. Also, this grip allows better control while learning the fundamentals of the sport.


The 'fingertip' grip is the most used among league and better bowlers. Because the fingers are only inserted into the ball as far as the first joint, it increases the distance between the thumb and fingers, thus giving a brief extra time difference between the thumb and fingers being released, which allows the fingers to give more 'lift', so imparting more revolutions to the ball

[GeorgiaStroker]

I also went back and listened to your video again. Did I hear you say you throw the ball at 42 mph? If so that is faster than the ball can react. It will never hook at a speed like that. How are you measuring your ball speed? Of course I may have mis-understood. If so what is your ball speed?

[billf]

I just noticed this in your video ( looks like nobody else did either) was that the ball your using has a conventual grip. as opposed to a fingertip. That makes it a little harder to hook the ball like you see others doing.
Are you sure? I thought I saw blue fingertip grips.

[billf]

I also went back and listened to your video again. Did I hear you say you throw the ball at 42 mph? If so that is faster than the ball can react. It will never hook at a speed like that. How are you measuring your ball speed? Of course I may have mis-understood. If so what is your ball speed?

I thought Sam said 14mph but the sound has a bad echo so I may be mistaken.

[bowl1820]

Are you sure? I thought I saw blue fingertip grips.

Went back and looked, it does look like there might be some grips in it. But he's putting fingers (look at about a 1:29 min into it) in all the way to the second knuckle like a conventional grip. So those are either some big fingerholes or the grips are wore out alot.

[GeorgiaStroker]

14 would make more sense. I never heard of anyone throwing 42. Team him up with Michael's airball guy and stand back and watch the carnage. LOL. Us southern boys have a hard time understanding people that don't drawl.

[billf]

I figured his dad let him use the over sized worn out grips lol
Southern drawl? Nothing sexier on a lady than a real southern drawl. I'm originally from the Boston area. My dad was a truck driver and I would go during the summer. My first time hearing that drawl from the waitress at the truckstop and I knew I was born in the wrong generation and wrong part of the country.

[GeorgiaStroker]

I figured his dad let him use the over sized worn out grips lol
Southern drawl? Nothing sexier on a lady than a real southern drawl. I'm originally from the Boston area. My dad was a truck driver and I would go during the summer. My first time hearing that drawl from the waitress at the truckstop and I knew I was born in the wrong generation and wrong part of the country.

All southern waitresses are required by law to call every male customer Honey, Sweetie, or the properly drawled Shuguhh. ;)

[billf]

When I first moved to Ohio the cashier at a local store called me honey. I went through her line for several consecutive days because she was real cute. Honey or Sweetie each time. Then one day there was a man in the line in front of me. I was heartbroken when she called him Honey. I asked her out anyway. She was pretty cool for a few months but had zero ambition in life other than to find a husband to support her. So I went and found a woman with the same ambition but hid it better lol

[GeorgiaStroker]

The problem is finding a cute one. We have a joke here that goes: What has 6 breasts and 8 teeth?...The night shift at the Waffle House.:D However we are far off topic. I wonder what sort of ball reaction Sam would get if he turned the ball around the opposite way and put his index finger in the ring finger hole and vise versa. Does that make sense? In other words instead of the thumbhole being in his palm it would be out away from his fingers. that would put the weight bias on the proper side. This of course would still not be the same as if it was properly drilled for a lefty but it should be a little closer right? Or left? I'm confusing myself.:D

[martinezsam2495]

no, I throw a 14 mph, 42mph would destroy the pins! haha

[martinezsam2495]

I just noticed this in your video ( looks like nobody else did either) was that the ball your using has a conventual grip. as opposed to a fingertip. That makes it a little harder to hook the ball like you see others doing.
I should get a fingertip grip? Or can you please explain, because I googled it, and it said that conventual grip is used more for beginners and fingertip is used more for intermediate bowlers and professional, and that there is a semi fingertip grip as well.

[martinezsam2495]

Are you sure? I thought I saw blue fingertip grips.
yeah it has blue fingertip inserts inside,

[martinezsam2495]

Went back and looked, it does look like there might be some grips in it. But he's putting fingers (look at about a 1:29 min into it) in all the way to the second knuckle like a conventional grip. So those are either some big fingerholes or the grips are wore out alot.
it does have big fingerholes, but I don't put my fingers all the way to the bottom, I will post a video of me actually bowling soon,

[martinezsam2495]

The problem is finding a cute one. We have a joke here that goes: What has 6 breasts and 8 teeth?...The night shift at the Waffle House.:D However we are far off topic. I wonder what sort of ball reaction Sam would get if he turned the ball around the opposite way and put his index finger in the ring finger hole and vise versa. Does that make sense? In other words instead of the thumbhole being in his palm it would be out away from his fingers. that would put the weight bias on the proper side. This of course would still not be the same as if it was properly drilled for a lefty but it should be a little closer right? Or left? I'm confusing myself.:D\

I moved from using my index finger and middle finger to now my middle finger and ring finger, it has improved my shot, and now I have better control and consistency.

[GeorgiaStroker]

\

I moved from using my index finger and middle finger to now my middle finger and ring finger, it has improved my shot, and now I have better control and consistency.

What I'm talking about is turning the ball around 180 degrees so that the left side of the ball is on the right. Normally as you hold the ball the thumb hole is resting on your palm. If you hold the ball so that the thumb hole is on the other side of your fingers then the ball would tend to pull to the right instead of the left. For example if the holes look like the diagram on the right as you hold the ball try turning it so that the holes look like the one on the left. I'm not sure it would work or make much difference I'm just curious.

O O O

O O O

[GeorgiaStroker]

Okay the diagram didn't work right but maybe you can figure out what I mean. lol

[bowl1820]

Okay the diagram didn't work right but maybe you can figure out what I mean. lol
I believe this is what your wanting to show.

Hold it like this
O
oo

Instead of this like
oo
O

[kev3inp]

I'd be interested in seeing what that would do. I think it would really offset the core, but I can't seem to wrap my head around it. Not sure if it would kill hook or make it way too much. I have thrown balls at a demo days that were drilled for a righty and got decent movement out of them, but probably not as much as if the pin was on the correct side.

[bowl1820]

I think the main problem with doing it would be the probability of the ball rolling over the hole.

[J Anderson]

I should get a fingertip grip? Or can you please explain, because I googled it, and it said that conventual grip is used more for beginners and fingertip is used more for intermediate bowlers and professional, and that there is a semi fingertip grip as well.

I think the consensus here would be to say have it drilled fingertip. Semi-fingertip is almost never used anymore. I think it was originally developed for old-timers who wanted the increased leverage of fingertip but were afraid that they would drop the ball if they only had their fingertips in the ball.

[martinezsam2495]

ok, on sunday I bowled a 195 with the technique my uncle was teaching me, and have now switched from using my middle finger and index finger to my ring finger and middle finger. Today I went bowling but had a stump because I was bowling low 110s, I know why I messed up, I was thinking too much of my shot, and making unecessary adjustments. I am really working on getting my own ball, and thinking about getting a critical theory ball. I burned myself out today, as I was unable to curve the ball efficently after 2 games. I know it's just a bad day, but what got me ticked was that there is 5 min of practice before league started and I was pre bowling, got 5 consecutive strikes during the practice. When those 5 min were over, I got another one which would of made 6, but it went downhill from there.
*sigh, I am not giving up or no where near discouraged I know I can do better, and just need rest. :)

[J Anderson]

ok, on sunday I bowled a 195 with the technique my uncle was teaching me, and have now switched from using my middle finger and index finger to my ring finger and middle finger. Today I went bowling but had a stump because I was bowling low 110s, I know why I messed up, I was thinking too much of my shot, and making unecessary adjustments. I am really working on getting my own ball, and thinking about getting a critical theory ball. I burned myself out today, as I was unable to curve the ball efficently after 2 games. I know it's just a bad day, but what got me ticked was that there is 5 min of practice before league started and I was pre bowling, got 5 consecutive strikes during the practice. When those 5 min were over, I got another one which would of made 6, but it went downhill from there.
*sigh, I am not giving up or no where near discouraged I know I can do better, and just need rest. :)

This is why my normal pre-league warm up is first ball at a corner pin, second at the pocket. That way I never waste a strike on a practice shot. Unless of course I throw an absolutely terrible first ball.

[martinezsam2495]

This is why my normal pre-league warm up is first ball at a corner pin, second at the pocket. That way I never waste a strike on a practice shot. Unless of course I throw an absolutely terrible first ball. I shouldn't have threw practice shots then?

[billf]

It's a superstition about "wasting" strikes. Although shooting the corner pin first can give you an idea of how the pattern is outside of the normal strike area. Remember, what separates the good and great bowlers is picking up spares. Most nights good bowlers will be around the pocket most of the night (99% of the time). Open frames can be a real game killer. Practice is to get loose, quickly find a strike line and see how the rest of the pattern reacts.

[J Anderson]

It's a superstition about "wasting" strikes. Although shooting the corner pin first can give you an idea of how the pattern is outside of the normal strike area. Remember, what separates the good and great bowlers is picking up spares. Most nights good bowlers will be around the pocket most of the night (99% of the time). Open frames can be a real game killer. Practice is to get loose, quickly find a strike line and see how the rest of the pattern reacts.

For me, 10 minutes of practice is just barely enough time to get warmed up. The shoot the corner pin first is an old Nelson Burton Jr. tip of the week. It was meant more for when you're paying by the game for practice outside of a league so you get the maximum number of rolls per game.

[billf]

I was taught how to break a pattern down in less than 5 shots using the reaction towards corner pins. Hasn't helped me much lol

[martinezsam2495]

This is why my normal pre-league warm up is first ball at a corner pin, second at the pocket. That way I never waste a strike on a practice shot. Unless of course I throw an absolutely terrible first ball.

hmm I think I might do that,

[martinezsam2495]

It's a superstition about "wasting" strikes. Although shooting the corner pin first can give you an idea of how the pattern is outside of the normal strike area. Remember, what separates the good and great bowlers is picking up spares. Most nights good bowlers will be around the pocket most of the night (99% of the time). Open frames can be a real game killer. Practice is to get loose, quickly find a strike line and see how the rest of the pattern reacts. I got to work on picking up my spares, since I have had open frames and problems with the back left pin, 10 pin for me right?

[Florida Bowler]

The back left pin is always the 7, regardless of whether you bowl left or right handed.

7 8 9 10
_4 5 6
__2 3
___1

-DJ

[eugene02]

pins are fixed. pins are pins.. pins remain the number the are named.. not differentiating between a right hander and a left hander. this will only confuse more people..

[martinezsam2495]

The back left pin is always the 7, regardless of whether you bowl left or right handed.

7 8 9 10
_4 5 6
__2 3
___1

-DJ

alright then, the 7 pin is the one that I usually have to pick up,
I'm learning on how to get it, but I don't have it down yet :/

[eugene02]

try throwing a straight ball down in pin 7 like what i do for pin 10..(but i suck in throwing spare balls).. get a polyester.. it will help..

[martinezsam2495]

try throwing a straight ball down in pin 7 like what i do for pin 10..(but i suck in throwing spare balls).. get a polyester.. it will help..
That's the problem one of the main reasons I don't use 3 fingers for my second throw is because the thumb hole is too far away. I heard that regular houseballs is a good choice is as well, Polyester, what brand?

[J Anderson]

That's the problem one of the main reasons I don't use 3 fingers for my second throw is because the thumb hole is too far away. I heard that regular houseballs is a good choice is as well, Polyester, what brand?

There is almost no difference between brands when it comes to polyester balls. A few, like the Hammer Taboo Spare,
have high tech cores. The rest are almost all the same, so either pick the one that's the best deal, or looks the coolest.

[MICHAEL]

When I first moved to Ohio the cashier at a local store called me honey. I went through her line for several consecutive days because she was real cute. Honey or Sweetie each time. Then one day there was a man in the line in front of me. I was heartbroken when she called him Honey. I asked her out anyway. She was pretty cool for a few months but had zero ambition in life other than to find a husband to support her. So I went and found a woman with the same ambition but hid it better lol

Bill ,,,,a very,,VERY sad story!! (tears falling from my eyes),,,, but it turned out good?? (:)

[martinezsam2495]

There is almost no difference between brands when it comes to polyester balls. A few, like the Hammer Taboo Spare,
have high tech cores. The rest are almost all the same, so either pick the one that's the best deal, or looks the coolest.

I see, I'll pick up a hammer ball after I get my primary ball, I don't know what it's going to be yet, but I heard talking to my local pro shop would be the best way to find out. Thanks Bill,