How to give advice to complete beginners.

[Aslan]

Hopefully this "advice related" thread won't get too crazy like my last attempt. :roll eyes:

The question, short version, is; how would YOU help a completed beginner? Like, where do you START?

Longer version;

I was helping a group of 3 completely new bowlers today at a Saturday clinic. I was just bowling with them…could tell they were struggling…and they were asking questions of me. The coaches who run the clinic offered tips but with so many bowlers there…you don't get too much one-on-one time. Although…the two gales wearing spandex pants and showing massive cleavage tended to get a FAIR amount of one-on-one instruction…but I digress.

So as I tried to help them…I ran into an issue I've had trying to instruct my daughter; I don't really know where to start. For example…I can give pointers…IF the person knows where to stand…and where to target…and can actually HIT their target. But to try and help someone who just kinda starts in random places…drifts from side to side…has virtually no semblance of a 4-step approach…who is targeting the actual pins…and missing more often than not…it's like, I don't where to start.

Mark Baker came over to help one of them and I guess at least offered one potential answer to the question (and one I completely overlooked)…he started with the first step. He simply instructed the lady to push the ball out rather than up on her first step. Something I had completely missed was that she was pushing the ball towards the ceiling at the beginning of her swing. I was so focused on trying to figure out how to explain where to start, and timing, and the approach, and targeting…I overlooked the first step.

So many of you have given advice to new bowlers…some are even coaches in your own right. Where do YOU start with a complete newbie? My most frequent advice is "throw it 'out' more" and "follow-through". I find most totally new bowlers tend to lead with their shoulders…they tend to "drop" the ball rather than "throw" it. And especially with ladies and kids throwing really light balls…if they don't throw the ball "out" towards the arrows…and just set it down…a light ball at that slow of speed just ends up in the gutters before reaching the pins.

[bowl1820]

A tip:
You work on one thing at a time, before going to the next thing.

Look at what you wrote here

Mark Baker came over to help one of them and I guess at least offered one potential answer to the question (and one I completely overlooked)…he started with the first step. He simply instructed the lady to push the ball out rather than up on her first step. Something I had completely missed was that she was pushing the ball towards the ceiling at the beginning of her swing. I was so focused on trying to figure out how to explain where to start, and timing, and the approach, and targeting…I overlooked the first step.

Mark picked one thing to work on first, not four things. He started with the first step, that's where you start.

[tr33frog]

I'd like to hear some of the coaches here explain it, but I generally watch the way they throw and guess a place for them to start and a spot to aim at, and work on their approach. Left foot forward, right foot step, push ball and let it swing back..

[J Anderson]

If you seriously want to learn how to coach beginners, USA Bowling runs free seminars to train youth coaches. The down side is that it is geared toward teaching kids, but I think you have enough brains to adapt the methods for an adult.

In the situation you described, you have to be a bit careful about how much to help since you're not one of the people being paid to do the coaching. I would have limited myself to answering their questions and maybe pointing out a better way of doing something if they were doing something really obviously wrong.

In open bowling you can do a little bit more, but first, be sure that they want your help.

[Aslan]

I purposely didn't offer advice for just the reason JA mentioned. I wasn't there to be a coach…I was there to be coached.

But I also feel "bad" if I'm rolling strike after strike and they are throwing 3 of 4 balls directly in the gutter. I started off with 6 straight strikes.

It wasn't until one of them actually turned to me with puppy dog eyes (and a huge rack) and asked, "what am I doing wrong?"

But yeah…my biggest fear after helping them was that Mark Baker was going to finally make his way over and pretty much tell them the opposite. Fortunately that didn't happen.

But bowling, like golf…is tough because there isn't just ONE WAY to do it right. So you end up giving advice and then ending with "…but hey, whatever works for you…there is no one right way."

[sprocket]

My advice? If you're going to be even remotely serious about this game then get your own ball and shoes and have the ball properly fitted. I would tell them that they could probably beat ME if I had to use a house ball and shoes. If they already had those things then I would try to direct them towards a series of lessons geared for beginners. But I wouldn't tell them anything beyond that because I am not an instructor.

[Aslan]

It's a tricky tight rope to walk.

On the one hand, not many of us have the skills nor teaching credentials to offer professional advice about bowling…especially to beginners that need a LOT of help.

On the other hand, as people who want to grow the sport and foster interest…anything we can do to make it more enjoyable and get more people interested we want to do. Sure, a new ball drilled for their hand is the first and best step in the right direction…but we have to convince these type of new bowlers to make that kind of investment. And for most people, to make that type of investment, they want to at least think they have a shot at being "okay" bowlers some day.

Interesting dilemma for sure.

[tccstudent]

Its much better to let a certified coach give the tips. If you give some bad advice then you could cause them to develop bad habits and it is much harder to break a bad habit then it is to learn the proper way.

[JJKinGA]

First and foremost: what they should feel - the best adivse i have ever recieved as a beginner is that the weight of the ball should be at the V where the index and ring finger meet. his stopped me from topping and spinning and other crazy things that could hurt my wrist/fingers. And that you should feel your ahnd pushing through the ball not spinnign around it. (There is plenty of room for teaching nuances of increasing revs later - the goal would be to stop early and over rotation).

Next I would focus on how to aim (where to look and how to think about the lane and ball movement).

After that it is all work on approach - balance and timing.

[circlecity]

Were they using house balls and shoes? If so, the pro shop would be a good place to start.