Ten Pin help needed -- Sorry if covered before.

[Arc&Roll]

After leaving 8 ten pins last night and only making 2 of them. I need help. How do you shoot and more importantly MAKE a ten pin? I have gotten many suggestions ranging from equipment to only putting one finger in the ball. 6 Missed ten pins cost me big time. I don't have trouble with any other spare.

What has worked best for you over the years?

[vdubtx]

1) How do you shoot the 6 or 9 pin?

2) Do you use a plastic spare ball?

The way I do it and works for me approx 85% of the time if I maintain my focus on the shot is as follows:

I stand all the way to the left, big toe on Right foot is at the 36 board. I then focus on my target on the lane which for me is the 15 board(3rd arrow from right) and then approach and deliver. For me it took a little trial and error to find what works and I have stuck with it.

We have all likely been there with an issue picking up those pesky corner pins. Usually my problem is when I take my eyes off target during my approach.

Reason I ask about how you pick up the 6 or 9 pin is the 10 pin should only be a few board adjustment to the left and using same target down lane that you use for those pins.(Assuming using plastic/poly equipment)

[Aslan]

Originally I was using a 3-6-9 approach...but it wasn't working. I changed, due to a suggestion by Bunny (thanks!), and used a 4-8-12 approach. That seems to work for the 7 (I'm a righty) but not so much for the 10.

So for the 10 or the 6-10 I use Norm Duke's approach of just throwing cross lane. I'm by no means "good" at it yet. But it is easier once you find that target in the middle of the lane to just aim at that target and throw it straight across.

At the clinic I went to last Saturday, I spoke with Barry Asher about the 10-pin and the conversation went like this:
Barry: See, that was better!
Me: Yeah, but that darn 10-pin is a huge aggravation.
Barry: 10 years from now, if I'm here and you're here...you're going to still be saying that 10-pin is an aggravation. It aggravates everyone, always has, always will.

He then helped me fine tune my shot at the 10-pin by getting me to face it more. He said you want your shoulders parralel to the foul line normally. But if you're shooting cross lane at a corner pin/spare you want to be slightly angled toward the pin/spare you're shooting at.

So I've been trying to remember that. Like I said, I haven't had much success yet...but I'm making more than I used to. Hitting a 10-pin with a normal shot for a righty...using your regular "strike" ball...that was tough. I don't throw a "spare ball". My regular strike ball is a fairly straight ball so it's not necessary. I only throw my urethane/spare ball if I'm trying to pick up a real low % split...because it's dead on straight and it's 1lb lighter so I can control it better.

[J Anderson]

After leaving 8 ten pins last night and only making 2 of them. I need help. How do you shoot and more importantly MAKE a ten pin? I have gotten many suggestions ranging from equipment to only putting one finger in the ball. 6 Missed ten pins cost me big time. I don't have trouble with any other spare.

What has worked best for you over the years?

The first thing that helped me was moving to the extreme left in my set up on the approach, rather than trying to hit it from my normal starting spot.
Next was shooting at the ten pin on the first ball in every frame of warm-ups. Unless you really pull the ball the pocket will still be there for you to find your strike line.
Don't think about it! As in don't think," OH no! It's a Ten Pin" Just set up where you should, focus on your target and throw. If you hit your target and yet miss the pin, then you can think about what adjustment to make so that next time you will get it.

[Terrier]

For my positioning, a friend taught me to stand all the way left, even learned to walk a bit around the ball return if needed. Then, throw it straight on a diagonal, which takes oil conditions out of play and gives the most room for error. I've been doing that since, and later learned it is coached that way a lot.

As for my release, I learned to shoot the 10-pin from watching a Walter Ray Williams, Jr. DVD. He said to bring the hand up the back of the ball on release as if I want to roll the ball over the thumb hole. If you do it right, you'll hear the ball rolling over the hole, but getting close will still get you a straight release. Following this method, I can throw my strike ball at spares without it hooking more than a few boards from dead straight with my strongest ball.

[dnhoffman]

Look, not to discount what anyone here has said but this is a basic mechanical move that while not automatic shouldn't be a question for any bowler.

My suggestion is that you need to work with a coach on this for an hour or two and it will do you a world of wonder.

[Arc&Roll]

Thanks for the tips guys. I am going to have to practice and see what works best for me. I already move as far left as I can to shoot the ten. Normally, I don't have that much difficulty but it seems that i need to flatten the ball out more. Hand position will be a learning curve. Does anyone change which fingers they use to take some revolutions off the shot?

[J Anderson]

Thanks for the tips guys. I am going to have to practice and see what works best for me. I already move as far left as I can to shoot the ten. Normally, I don't have that much difficulty but it seems that i need to flatten the ball out more. Hand position will be a learning curve. Does anyone change which fingers they use to take some revolutions off the shot?

If I have to throw straight with something other than a polyester ball I only put my ring finger and thumb in the ball and keep all four fingers tight together. I have read that spreading the pinky will also help straighten the ball out. Haven't tried it since going straight isn't normally a problem for me.

[vdubtx]

I had never tried using any less than the normal fingers/thumb to try and pick up 10 pin. For me, my normal strike ball I tuck my pinky, but for right side pins where I use my Poly ball I keep pinky straight and in towards the fingers to minimize any chance of me coming around the ball.

[vdubtx]

Thanks for the tips guys. I am going to have to practice and see what works best for me. I already move as far left as I can to shoot the ten. Normally, I don't have that much difficulty but it seems that i need to flatten the ball out more. Hand position will be a learning curve. Does anyone change which fingers they use to take some revolutions off the shot?

Where does your ball go when you try to pick up the 10? Missing to the left or into the channel?