Please criticize my game

[billf]

Play deeper. On a shot like that I usually play from the 30 across the 20 with a break around 13. Of course you can only go as far as you are comfortable with. Learning to reduce the amount of hook is also helpful if you want to play the right side straight up the oil line.

[mrgs]

Thanks for advice, tomorrow I will try to play my first league game using 2 finger style. Good thing it's in the alley I made these videos on. Got some decent results practicing today. I think I am finally understanding how to use different ball speeds with different angles

[AZBowla]

In watching your videos the thing that stood out most for me was that when you threw a strike, you weren't off balance and when you missed it, you were. The way your body is positioned when you release isn't just the main thing, it's everything. It literally changes the position that the ball lands when it makes contact with the lane. As others have said, if you're off balance when you release, you won't be able to consistently hit your mark and you'll miss the pocket (as you see in your video).

If I may humbly make a suggestion (I know it's fun and how you like to throw, BUT) I really think you should learn to bowl with your thumb in. Yes, you'll reduce revs a bit at first, and no the ball won't hook as sharply as a result, but you'll find you'll be much more consistent with your shots and it will be much easier to maintain balance and body position on release. As I've told my kids when they see someone who bowls one-handed with no thumb, if bowling that way really worked the pro's would do it too. And I'm not referring to the two handed style of pro's like Jason Belmonte and others who have turned no-thumbing-it into an art form, I'm talking about bowling like the guys you see in the alley all the time with houseballs, running at the lane and winging them off their hand from about hip high and trying to curve them out of the house and into the pro-shop next door. Are they fun to watch? Yes, but are they exceptionally good at bowling? No, not usually. There are a bunch of how to's and videos that explain how to release a fingertip ball and get your rev's up. With practice, you could hook it just as much with your thumb in as you do now without it, plus have the added benefit of more accuracy. I think it'd be worth it for you to try it and see if you notice any improvement.

The other suggestion I would make is to slow down a bit. Pace yourself, wait for the pinsetter to finish before you take your shot, etc. It's not a speed sport, so take your time and make each shot count. There's no extra points for finishing a game before anyone else.

I'm no pro at bowling either, I shoot maybe in the 180's on a good day, but these are the things I've learned and plan to build on. Hopefully some of what I've said is helpful, and thank you for sharing the video for us to critique.

[mrgs]

I am thinking about learning 3 finger style as well, but I don't really want to start learning completely new thing in the middle of league. Maybe after this one finishes and before the next one I will take some time to practice it.

In the meantime, does anyone have any advice on how to bowl on this pattern?

A22-HOUSE-39.jpg

[billf]

Lay down at 35, cross 18 at the arrows, should slide to the 10 and break at 8. There's a ton of dry on that pattern so you will need to use the oil on the middle as much as possible.

[mrgs]

It seems that oil was different than what it should have been, don't know why. But still got average 170 in 3 games and we won 2 of them against one of the top teams so it's all good.

Today was another single 9 pin tournament, was 20 pins short to get into quarterfinals, but I won a bowling ball in competition after the tournament.
The ball I won is 15 pound Storm Polar Ice ( http://www.bowlingball.com/products/...ed-Purple.html ) . I am thinking to use this for straight shots with fingertip grip. I have used to throwing spare shots with house balls and conventional grip.
Would drilling it with fingertip grip be a good idea? That way I could throw both my shots with same grip.

[J Anderson]

It seems that oil was different than what it should have been, don't know why. But still got average 170 in 3 games and we won 2 of them against one of the top teams so it's all good.

Today was another single 9 pin tournament, was 20 pins short to get into quarterfinals, but I won a bowling ball in competition after the tournament.
The ball I won is 15 pound Storm Polar Ice ( http://www.bowlingball.com/products/...ed-Purple.html ) . I am thinking to use this for straight shots with fingertip grip. I have used to throwing spare shots with house balls and conventional grip.
Would drilling it with fingertip grip be a good idea? That way I could throw both my shots with same grip.

Yes! The idea is to keep eliminate as many variables as possible. Same grip, same weight is ideal.

[billf]

Definitely get fingertip grips. This is a good ball for spare shooting. I have a ball review posted on this site if you're interested in seeing that straight ball hook.