Hey Older bowlers!! Any ideas to help my teammate??

[Aslan]

Kind've an open question, but especially for you bowlers in you 60s and 70s.

I touched on this briefly in another thread, but it came up again on Friday...and it's really hurting our team.

Short backstory: Our team leader is a woman in her early 70s. Like many people in that age range, she had physical limitations. She throws an old urethane Rhino Pro..that she probably has had since 1993. Helicoptor release, lefty, plays the far outside line.

The problem is...her ball speed is tremendously low. I'm talking in the 9mph range. SO even though it's a urethane ball (I don't know the weight)...she CANNOT keep it left of the headpin. And given the lack of carry....this often leads to either leaving a split (her record this season is 6 in one game) OR a WHOLE LOT of single 7-pins. And last Friday...she was 0 for about 9 on single 7-pins. Her ball track...is hooking so much...that she physically cannot pick up a 7-pin.

Now...I KNOW...first answer...GO SEE A COACH. I get that. But if she isn't going to do that...I'd still like to have some idea what to tell her and from a selfish standpoint...her average could increase by 30 pins easy if she could pick up 7-pins or not leave them to begin with...and that would really help our team.

My initial thoughts were:

1) Get a different ball with less hook...but that won't work...she's already throwing urethane.
2) Move right...but that didn't help...the hook track is too drastic.
3) Adjust your line and throw harder...but she can't because she has arm and shoulder issues.
4) Use a heavier ball....but again...she has arm and shoulder issues.
5) Try to eliminate the helicoptor release...so she's just throwing it straight across at the 7-pin....???

I feel bad for the team...but especially her in general. She doesn't complain or whine much...but you can tell she's bothered by it. We find ourselves hoping that she leaves a 4-7 because she can pick up 4-7s because her ball can hit the 4. She bought a new ball...she had her's polished...and sometimes she'll ask, "what can I do?" But it's hard to get someone like her to go to a coach...because she's realistically in the last 2 or so years of league bowling. It's much easier to get a young fella to seek out help...because they plan to spend many years bowling.

So...short story long...any advice for a older bowler to pick up a 7-pin??

[Perrin]

Has she tried going to a low surface to even things out more instead of responding to the dry?
and if the balls burns out into a forward roll for picking up a 7 pin that isn't a problem since you don't need power to carry a single pin.

That 'should' also let her move in and a little more room for keeping the ball lef tof the headpin. again not talking throw harder just adjusting the line

[swingset]

Polish that urethane and it won't move that much....my Red hammer polished moves about the same as a plastic ball on synthetic lanes.

But, if she's playing the outside and can't come in to the pocket that's just poor line choice, period.

[MICHAEL]

One thing about the YMCA, they have MANY programs for seniors! It will help her in hundreds of ways working out!
Strength, balance, heart, lungs, endurance, you NAME IT!

It would be the best spent money she spends each month! I know it had a lot to do with my last two 300's, and almost 800! (780)! I feel great for a guy 65, and don't look a day over 64!!!!! LOL

I think being good at bowling revolves around a STRONG CORE! If she lived out this way, I would whip her into shape!!