Have you tried taking your ring finger out and try throwing the ball like a house ball?
Zothen
My Story - What to do
Ok here is the situation - I throw a backup ball and before anyone leaves the thread or tells me I will never get where I want to be by doing so let me explain that it's due to a injury. I used to throw the ball with a right handed hook ten years ago with good success averaging 200+ in semi competitive leagues. 5 years ago I shattered my right hand between the thumb and middle finger where I have multiple screws and pins now holding it together. I quit bowling for 3 years and went back to the lanes socially at first trying left handed and ultimately going to a backup ball. It has now been 2 years of backup bowling of which I'm averaging around 180 in my leagues and have a few 275 games and a few more 250+ games. Believe me when I tell you that I can always feel the eyes behind me and hear the whispers of my unorthodox style until those individuals here my story, speak to me, look at my scar etc etc. It shouldn't be hard to understand that it's not easy for me to find coaching or ways to improve my game because of how I throw the ball. If anyone can point me to any valuable info that I can study or any suggestions on where to stand, my approach, left handed bowling tips I would greatly appreciate it. My biggest problem is the 7 pin and it hurts my game. I'm standing all the way to the right and spinning the ball torwards the left gutter and hitting it 50%.
Have you tried taking your ring finger out and try throwing the ball like a house ball?
Zothen
When Making spares, throwing a straight ball is a lot more constant, Start far right, move your target in line with the 7 pin, spread you pinky and index fingers and roll the ball without any spin, a good way to practice this is to practice hitting 7's for your first shot in practice then throw your strike ball for the second shot.
Good Luck!
Assuming your injury prevents your throwing the ball straight like the previous ideas, have you tried using a plastic ball for those left side spares? That should take the movement out of the ball regardless of the spin you put on it.
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What i got from your post is that you injured your right hand, you are now bowling backup with your left hand (left hand hooking right to left), could you please confirm?
I think he's throwing it with his right hand, just using the left side.Originally Posted by 75lockwood
Hi thanks for the fast replies without any anti backup comments. I have not been treated well in the past asking for info on backup bowling and it refrains me from doing so. Anyways I throw a right handed backup ball meaning with my right hand I'm hooking the ball backwards from normal coming in from the left side of the pocket like a left hander. I can't support the ball to throw a straight ball or or normal hook however I have built the otherwise of my hand up enough to get a real nice backwards hook. I have not tried a plastic ball for those spares and I will give that a shot. I'm also looking for any info on bowling this way - has there been anyone successful I can watch and learn from? Should I essentially be watching left handed bowlers and mimic their approach?
I found these videos you could take a look at...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdzlH...eature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17j_2e_BECM
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixcUiusa6Lk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y1jpkxzFHNA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fiupzU-qOgo
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSylfoANA9U
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GDGMcndqbXU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7TUae...endscreen&NR=1
Looks like your not alone
First off don't be intimidated by the nay sayers. If you were averaging over deuce before it'll just be a matter of time when you get back to that average.
As far as what you're doing, I'll assume that you're shooting from the left side of the approach and targeting somewhere around the second arrow. It would be good to know what type of equipment you're using and how aggressive it is. If you're bowling on a "typical house shot" (THS) then you're probably on a 38 to 42 foot christmas tree pattern. With that said, if you're leaving too many 7 pins, there are several adjustments that you can try. First, some guys will move back 6" on the approach (which will get the ball down a little sooner). The other thing to try to get rid of them is to move your target a little closer to you. Again, that'll get the ball rolling a bit sooner. If the ball comes in on the nose move 2-3 boards to the right and shoot the same spot.
I used to bowl in NEBA (New England Bowlers Association) tournaments up North and there was one guy that threw a back-up ball. He almost always cashed in every tournament and was not the type of bowler I'd want to shoot against in the finals...he was tough!
You'll probably get several responses from this blog, so try them, and if they work, fine. If they don't go on to something else. Good Luck and keep us up dated.
Bob
Last edited by Tampabaybob; 09-18-2012 at 07:50 PM.
75 lock thanks for the videos - I had seem them all besides the first Asian bowler. I'm glad I seen him because we have a identical first approach with the exception of his back and fourth ball swing mid approach. The majority of the rest of the videos are people just screwing around and I still have yet to see a video or in person a backup 7pin spare. Tampa thanks for the positive words - I'm not going to give up but it does get old knowing everyone is staring and talking about your game. For equipment I was using a hammer black widow sting and storm vivid. I recently bought a Brunswick nexus p/r however after 6 games it cracked so the pro shop I bought it from credited me for a hammer purple taboo i get tomorrow which is what I originally wanted. I am bowling ths and will try some of the approach adjustments you recommended. If you want a close idea of how I throw the ball it's very similar to the first video posted above.
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