Thumbless or not?

[Hampe]

I've seem a lot of people bowl thumbless and put up some high numbers. I have not, however, seen anyone average over 200 in a full 18 (much less 36) weeks.

Same here. Don't think I've even seen one win a big tournament either....

[Aslan]

Same here. Don't think I've even seen one win a big tournament either....

Yeah. It's funny how you hear about how prevalent thumbless and 2-handed bowling is becoming...yet you watch an amateur/semi-pro tourney and you could count on one hand how many thumbless/2-handed bowlers are out there.

I think what most people who make that switch don't understand is...it may be easier to bowl that way...and you may find some success...BUT...to bowl that way and be consistently at a high level...and make the necessary adjustments...and deal with the spare leaves....it's not as easy as many people think. Sometimes there are reasons people do something a certain way for 100 years...its not being stubborn or stuck in their ways or old fashioned...it's just that it works, consistently, and has forever. Every different way there is to throw a bowling ball has been tried...yet 97% of bowlers still throw it the same way (1-handed, thumb in).

[DrOcktagon]

I've seem a lot of people bowl thumbless and put up some high numbers. I have not, however, seen anyone average over 200 in a full 18 (much less 36) weeks.

My bowling alley's house record for high average is 252, set by a thumbless bowler over a 36-week league.

[sprocket]

Well last night on league was not a good test. I stuck badly in warmups and wrenched my knee a little. There was something on the approach and the guy had to come and remove it. I also am having some lower right quadrant pain and if it doesn't get better today I am going in because it could be my appendix. First game I had 192 and I had to strike on the last four shots for that. It became increasingly hard to keep my speed up so I started moving left to adjust. The second game I had a split to start then was clean until the sixth frame. I moved left and still went high for a split and then did the same thing the next three frames moving left and still leaving splits every time. I usually play between the 1st and 2nd arrow because this is a long pattern at 45ft. In the 3rd game I was in to the third arrow. I went strike, 4 pin, strike, 4 pin, strike, 4 pin, strike, strike, 4 pin, solid 8, strike. In the tenth I was at about 17 at the arrows.

One thing I will say is I think I have found a much better shot around third arrow with less speed. I'm looking forward to trying something close to that next week.

[J Anderson]

I usually play between the 1st and 2nd arrow because this is a long pattern at 45ft.

The longer the pattern, the less room your ball has to hook. Some one has come up with the "rule of 31" which is a quick way of figuring out how to play a pattern based on the length. If you subtract 31 from the length of the pattern in feet you will get the number of the board that your ball should be on as it exits the oil. For this pattern the board number is 14. Unless you are a stroker who throws directly down the lane 14 is not your target. Most likely your target will be a bit inside the third arrow and your break point will be slightly out side of 14.

Given the variables between a bowler's speed, axis rotation, rev rate, etc. and the factors in the lane condition other than pattern length, this is just a rough guide to figure out where to start trying to find your line.

[Fabricate]

Ide stay thumbless If thats what you love stay doing it! I had my old track stomp ball filled the other day for 2-handing. I only have the finger holes slightly beveld so I can burn out some revs.

[sprocket]

For some reason I can never reply with quote because it just stays busy.

Anyway John, I agree with you to a certain degree. Anytime there are dry boards outside, and there are here, the length of the pattern is variable depending on when you get to the dry boards. The advantage of the overall length though, is that it does lend itself to be attacked from multiple angles. The usual problem in this house is that the volume of oil in the center requires a decrease in speed to play it unless you have an awful lot of hand and can swing it all the way to the dry from there. You can also use more surface but then you risk the ball hooking early particularly later in the shift.

There are guys successfully playing this house basically like a Cheetah pattern by catching the dry early and basically turning it into a short oil shot. On the other hand, I also saw a guy shoot 300 last year on my league using a pearl IQ Tour from around 3rd arrow with lower speed and a high track with heavy roll. he then was playing it like a true 45ft pattern.

[Aslan]

My bowling alley's house record for high average is 252, set by a thumbless bowler over a 36-week league.

Always an exception. I don't see many good thumbless or 2-handed bowlers win tournaments...BUT...that Wesley Low kid out here in Cali...talk about an exception...that kid is Jason Belmonte good.

[Bunny]

For some reason I can never reply with quote because it just stays busy.

Try right clicking on "reply with quote" then "open."

[J Anderson]

For some reason I can never reply with quote because it just stays busy.

Anyway John, I agree with you to a certain degree. Anytime there are dry boards outside, and there are here, the length of the pattern is variable depending on when you get to the dry boards. The advantage of the overall length though, is that it does lend itself to be attacked from multiple angles. The usual problem in this house is that the volume of oil in the center requires a decrease in speed to play it unless you have an awful lot of hand and can swing it all the way to the dry from there. You can also use more surface but then you risk the ball hooking early particularly later in the shift.

There are guys successfully playing this house basically like a Cheetah pattern by catching the dry early and basically turning it into a short oil shot. On the other hand, I also saw a guy shoot 300 last year on my league using a pearl IQ Tour from around 3rd arrow with lower speed and a high track with heavy roll. he then was playing it like a true 45ft pattern.

Once a thread gets to the second page I have to double click to get the reply with quote button to work.

One of the complaints in our sport league last year was that most of the patterns seemed to be playing with a break point right next to the gutter no matter how long or short the pattern was.