What is the most frustrating 'bowling issue' there is no solution for?

[mike_thomas93]

I second that. Whether they're bowling on the same pair or a pair next to you. I'll let the children off the hook since they're just children, but yeah anyway, I develop that sometimes, as well

[Sourtower]

Incompetent people who use your bowling ball instead of finding their own house ball while you're practicing. Especially after you ask them politely to stop using your bowling ball the first time and they keep using it, saying, 'You aren't using it right now anyways.'

[rv driver]

Incompetent people who use your bowling ball instead of finding their own house ball while you're practicing. Especially after you ask them politely to stop using your bowling ball the first time and they keep using it, saying, 'You aren't using it right now anyways.'

That's never happened to me. That would just about warrant me wrestling it from their bony grasp, decking them upside the head with it, and asking them if they think I'm using it now?!

[Amyers]

Incompetent people who use your bowling ball instead of finding their own house ball while you're practicing. Especially after you ask them politely to stop using your bowling ball the first time and they keep using it, saying, 'You aren't using it right now anyways.'

Wow that would take incredible stupidity or real guts my guess would be stupidity

[Hampe]

Lol.....I have had open players reach for my ball, but after I go "hey, hey, hey! That's MY ball, not a house ball" and do the Mutombo finger wag, they usually get the point. Never had somebody inconsiderate enough to try and pick it up again after that.

I'd say the most frustrating thing for me that doesn't really have a solution is when the lanes are not well maintained (dirty back-ends for example), or when they have a lot of breakdowns and you have to keep waiting.

People who don't pay attention and are gabbing away for 2 minutes after they should have been bowling are also pretty annoying, but you can always say something to them. The guys who flip out and start hitting stuff I just ignore.....there's no point in paying any attention to them, and talking to them will only take you out of your own game.

[Aslan]

Kinda surprised by all the anti-bowling alley dweller/ambiance type of issues. I mean, as a sport bowler, and an old skool fella...I'm as annoyed as anyone else by cosmic bowling, 2-handed bowling, thumbless bowling, and just general foolishness...BUT...I don't usually let it get to me.

For me, after thinking about it; I have 2.

1) I'll never bowl on TV. I'll never be good enough to compete at that level.
2) I'll never have a release (modern, inside-out, high speed-high rev cranker) that will allow me to be competitive at the highest level.

[Amyers]

Kinda surprised by all the anti-bowling alley dweller/ambiance type of issues. I mean, as a sport bowler, and an old skool fella...I'm as annoyed as anyone else by cosmic bowling, 2-handed bowling, thumbless bowling, and just general foolishness...BUT...I don't usually let it get to me.

For me, after thinking about it; I have 2.

1) I'll never bowl on TV. I'll never be good enough to compete at that level.
2) I'll never have a release (modern, inside-out, high speed-high rev cranker) that will allow me to be competitive at the highest level.

I don't know about PBA/Major tournament level but I believe you will get that release up to mid-level at least you work to hard at it not too. although I do believe your going to have to make up your mind to do it and d*** the consequences over the short term.

If I was going to pick out things from my game I would have 2 also:

1. I don't know if I will ever be able to throw more than 4 or five shots in a row with out yanking one to the left even if I do get a Brooklyn strike out of it.
2. I don't know if I will ever be able to belly the ball out consistently for that big hook shot (not really necessary but it looks nice)

[Aslan]

I don't know about PBA/Major tournament level but I believe you will get that release up to mid-level at least you work to hard at it not too. although I do believe your going to have to make up your mind to do it and d*** the consequences over the short term.

I don't think so. If you watch the pros and how they release the ball...with massive revolutions and a speed approaching 21mph...NOBODY in my or your league can do that. They "try" by "cheating". What I mean by that is...most crankers in leagues will almost bowl like a thumbless bowler where they try like "heck" to impart as many revolutions on the ball as possible...sort of like Mark Roth. Unfortunately, it's difficult to get speed that way because your main force is being applied on the upswing to get revolutions. Which is why thumbless bowlers tend to have lower speeds (14-17mph). They also tend to have lower accuracy because they are essentially playing horseshoes with the bowling ball.

If you watch old Earl Anthony video, you'll see that not only does he have a slower ball speed...but his release uses very little "hand"...almost a "suitcase release". His game was accuracy. He could hit parts of boards with consistency and his spare shooting was second to none. It HAD to be...because at that speed and those revs he doesn't get the carry that pro bowlers nowadays get.

While Earl passed away before reactive resin developed fully...bowlers like him and WRW weren't as affected negatively by the emerging technology because the technology simply enhanced their game giving them more hook downlane without having to develop a more cranker style release. They kept all the accuracy of their straight game...but got hook for "free".

But the "trick" in today's game is how to get carry and score big. That means speed and angle. Thats why 2-handed currently has an advantage (if it can be done accurately which is rare). Pros like Fagan and Barnes and Page...all these guys release the ball with a modern release and it hits the breakpoint and then slams into the pocket (like a 2-hander). That is VERY hard to do at 21mph. Without their release...the ball slams into the 6-pin or 10-pin. Without the speed...their rev rate pulls the ball too far left. It's a very impressive balance and those guys make it seem effortless.

Maybe you're right...maybe "someday" I figure it out. But at what cost? I can get good carry with my high speed/high loft game (similar to your style)...but inconsistently as my accuracy suffers. I can bowl like Earl...use very little hand, lower speed, let the ball do the work...but at the cost of speed and carry. The thing I don't think I'll ever master is that "sweet spot" that Fagan and Barnes have...high speed, high revs, perfect release.

[Amyers]

I don't think so. If you watch the pros and how they release the ball...with massive revolutions and a speed approaching 21mph...NOBODY in my or your league can do that. They "try" by "cheating". What I mean by that is...most crankers in leagues will almost bowl like a thumbless bowler where they try like "heck" to impart as many revolutions on the ball as possible...sort of like Mark Roth. Unfortunately, it's difficult to get speed that way because your main force is being applied on the upswing to get revolutions. Which is why thumbless bowlers tend to have lower speeds (14-17mph). They also tend to have lower accuracy because they are essentially playing horseshoes with the bowling ball.

If you watch old Earl Anthony video, you'll see that not only does he have a slower ball speed...but his release uses very little "hand"...almost a "suitcase release". His game was accuracy. He could hit parts of boards with consistency and his spare shooting was second to none. It HAD to be...because at that speed and those revs he doesn't get the carry that pro bowlers nowadays get.

While Earl passed away before reactive resin developed fully...bowlers like him and WRW weren't as affected negatively by the emerging technology because the technology simply enhanced their game giving them more hook downlane without having to develop a more cranker style release. They kept all the accuracy of their straight game...but got hook for "free".

But the "trick" in today's game is how to get carry and score big. That means speed and angle. Thats why 2-handed currently has an advantage (if it can be done accurately which is rare). Pros like Fagan and Barnes and Page...all these guys release the ball with a modern release and it hits the breakpoint and then slams into the pocket (like a 2-hander). That is VERY hard to do at 21mph. Without their release...the ball slams into the 6-pin or 10-pin. Without the speed...their rev rate pulls the ball too far left. It's a very impressive balance and those guys make it seem effortless.

Maybe you're right...maybe "someday" I figure it out. But at what cost? I can get good carry with my high speed/high loft game (similar to your style)...but inconsistently as my accuracy suffers. I can bowl like Earl...use very little hand, lower speed, let the ball do the work...but at the cost of speed and carry. The thing I don't think I'll ever master is that "sweet spot" that Fagan and Barnes have...high speed, high revs, perfect release.

Well as I said mid level not PBA level the number of people on this planet that can throw like those guys is extremely limited. I do believe there is a balance spot there somewhere between 14 to 17 mph and 300 to 350 revs. That will enable you to be very successful maybe not PBA level but small local tournament with the occasional win or not embarrass yourself at state oh yah you can do that

You don't have to have 20 mph speed or 400-500 revs to kill most shots. I have been around the game long enough to watch enough people who have one or the other of these abilities most guys who get it up there in the 20's don't have the revs to create angle and they just blow the pins up look good when they hit perfectly other wise they leave a lot of 5-7 5-10 splits and it doesn't do them much good. those high rev guys don't have the speed and if things dry out they can keep it on the lanes (believe me I know I used to be rev dominate).

I know you have had accuracy issues with the lofting/higher speed release but there are other styles out there I'm not saying try to get 20mph or 400 revs. I truly believe those kind of numbers are actually counter productive for most bowlers except those rare few who can do both accurately which will most likely never be me or you. I think if you could get your speed up to 13mph not much and your revs up around 300 or even 250 you would see a large increase in your game. Have you ever tried suit casing your swing? One of our in house coaches was working with a woman the other day with this style of release she had wrist problems and just couldn't get up through the ball so he had her rotate her hand around the ball to where she was holding the ball like you would want to release just from the start. I talked with him about it after the lesson and basically he told me you won't develop high revs that way but it is much better than rolling over the thumb hole strait through the ball. She looked much better might be worth trying if you haven't.

[rv driver]

Well as I said mid level not PBA level the number of people on this planet that can throw like those guys is extremely limited. I do believe there is a balance spot there somewhere between 14 to 17 mph and 300 to 350 revs. That will enable you to be very successful maybe not PBA level but small local tournament with the occasional win or not embarrass yourself at state oh yah you can do that

You don't have to have 20 mph speed or 400-500 revs to kill most shots. I have been around the game long enough to watch enough people who have one or the other of these abilities most guys who get it up there in the 20's don't have the revs to create angle and they just blow the pins up look good when they hit perfectly other wise they leave a lot of 5-7 5-10 splits and it doesn't do them much good. those high rev guys don't have the speed and if things dry out they can keep it on the lanes (believe me I know I used to be rev dominate).

I know you have had accuracy issues with the lofting/higher speed release but there are other styles out there I'm not saying try to get 20mph or 400 revs. I truly believe those kind of numbers are actually counter productive for most bowlers except those rare few who can do both accurately which will most likely never be me or you. I think if you could get your speed up to 13mph not much and your revs up around 300 or even 250 you would see a large increase in your game. Have you ever tried suit casing your swing? One of our in house coaches was working with a woman the other day with this style of release she had wrist problems and just couldn't get up through the ball so he had her rotate her hand around the ball to where she was holding the ball like you would want to release just from the start. I talked with him about it after the lesson and basically he told me you won't develop high revs that way but it is much better than rolling over the thumb hole strait through the ball. She looked much better might be worth trying if you haven't.

I've heard a lot of people talk about "suit casing" or "handshaking" the ball, but I was always taught (mind you, this was back in the day) to stay inside the ball. Is there new thinking, or a difference in release that the newer ball technology demands?