Technique Questions.

[TotallyDefiant]

A week ago today I purchased my first finger tip ball(Roto Grip Totally Defiant). In the past week I have bowled atleast 30 games. I have tried figuring out the modern release that I have been reading about but what seems to work best for me is a straight back and straight forward type of motion. I also have to wear a Robby's Original wrist support due to a really bad right wrist. The local pro shop guy was having me line up on the #10 board and release up the 10 board. I never could find the right side of the pins until I started reading up on the forum and figured out that I needed to start moving left while keeping the same release point. My question is this. Last night while practicing I actually counted the boards and found that I was lining up on the 24 board but yet still releasing on the 10 board and was finding the pocket quite well. I am new to this style of bowling so please forgive me if the terminology is not correct. Do not know if the ball speed will help anyone out but according to the screen my average speed is between 17.3-17.9 mph. Also, when I am missing I am leaving a lot of 6-10, 9, and 10 pins. Spare shooting has been good and have been shooting between 165-190 almost everytime. Would love to get it over the 200 mark.

[Aslan]

I always wonder what constitutes playing "inside". Because when I use my Hammer ball I try to play "inside" where my left foot is on the 24-27 board, I'm laying it down over the 15-16 board, and it's going out toward the 9-11 board.

To me, thats playing inside. It's starting out left of center and throwing the ball towards the right and having it come back. It seems like we're both lining up 24ish and throwing out towards the 10ish range. I throw at a lower speed but it's hard to say if that matters because I don't know your rev rate. Your and my ball are similar in RG (I'm about to lose most of the audience) but your's is designed to go slightly longer and have a slightly more drastic backend (plus the assymetric core)...and my coverstock isn't going to want to go that long before arcing back...much smoother arc due to the more symmetric core.

If I understand the balls (absent drilling differences) and how they're thrown (absent rev rate)...I have to move very slightly more inside than you, throw at a lower speed, and throw a large arc of a shot...you're able to stay a few boards right on the approach, ramp up the speed a little, aiming for the same target board, because you're getting a little more length and backend.

If I had my Defiant Edge drilled up, I bet it would be a much closer match ball to ball. But that beauty is at the back of the line...gotta wait it's turn!

I would answer your question (rather than ramble about ball specifications hoping to enrage Mudpuppy)...but you never asked a question.

[TotallyDefiant]

Aslan: I did not really know how to ask what I was wanting to ask. All my life I've just picked the ball up and just threw it down the lane and hoped I knocked down all the pins. Never tried to actually learn the game. I'm now wanting to learn everything I can about the game and was hoping one of the experts would be able to figure out what I was asking in my ramble of a post lol

[J Anderson]

A week ago today I purchased my first finger tip ball(Roto Grip Totally Defiant). In the past week I have bowled atleast 30 games. I have tried figuring out the modern release that I have been reading about but what seems to work best for me is a straight back and straight forward type of motion. I also have to wear a Robby's Original wrist support due to a really bad right wrist. The local pro shop guy was having me line up on the #10 board and release up the 10 board. I never could find the right side of the pins until I started reading up on the forum and figured out that I needed to start moving left while keeping the same release point. My question is this. Last night while practicing I actually counted the boards and found that I was lining up on the 24 board but yet still releasing on the 10 board and was finding the pocket quite well. I am new to this style of bowling so please forgive me if the terminology is not correct. Do not know if the ball speed will help anyone out but according to the screen my average speed is between 17.3-17.9 mph. Also, when I am missing I am leaving a lot of 6-10, 9, and 10 pins. Spare shooting has been good and have been shooting between 165-190 almost everytime. Would love to get it over the 200 mark.

It would help if we know what you mean by "line up on the #10 board". While I am fond of saying that it doesn't matter what you use to line up on the approach as long as you are consistent in how you do it, it can cause some confusion when talking to other bowlers who use a different part of the foot or even a different foot to gauge where to set up.

[TotallyDefiant]

It would help if we know what you mean by "line up on the #10 board". While I am fond of saying that it doesn't matter what you use to line up on the approach as long as you are consistent in how you do it, it can cause some confusion when talking to other bowlers who use a different part of the foot or even a different foot to gauge where to set up.

What I mean is when I am setting up the 24 board in under my big toe on my left foot. When I am releasing the ball I am actually focusing on the second dot on the lane which if I am not mistaken should be the 10 board. The local Pro shop guy had me lining up the 10 board under the big toe on my left foot. When I lined up the way he wanted me to line up and release the ball at the same 2nd dot on the lane my ball would come across and hit between the 2 and 4 pins. However, with where I moved to I am now able to find the 1-3 pocket a lot more consistently. Again, I am sorry if I am not describing everything very well because I am new to trying to discuss bowling technique, setup, release points focus points and the like. I guess if you want you could call me a 100% complete dumb newbie to the game now.

[Trex]

To get over the 200 mark, just keep the game clean..meaning use a spare ball if you must to get all your spares. Then if you keep the game clean by picking up all your spares, then it won't take but a few strikes in a row to get you that over 200 mark. If you are missing spares due to trying to use a hook ball on all spares and that is causing you to miss a few spares, then please just use a spare ball.

Many people refuse to use a spare ball for picking up spares, but I saw Norm Duke lose a match due to trying to only use one ball for strikes and spares!!

I don't care how good you are, or how well you can flatten out your wrist...etc...Some conditions don't always allow you to effectively pick up all spares with a hook ball!!!

Get a few strikes, and keep the game clean by using spare ball to pick up those tough spares, and you got it made!!!

[TotallyDefiant]

It would help if we know what you mean by "line up on the #10 board". While I am fond of saying that it doesn't matter what you use to line up on the approach as long as you are consistent in how you do it, it can cause some confusion when talking to other bowlers who use a different part of the foot or even a different foot to gauge where to set up.

I'll see if I can get my wife to record a couple tonight while I am bowling and will try to figure out how to upload the video from my phone that way you will be able to see what I am doing instead of me trying to explain what I am doing. And fair warning before I do post the video when I figure out how, my back swing is very very short.

[Ptnomore]

Short back swing may not be a problem as long as the arm swing is free and natural...meaning, you aren't pulling the ball back, and then pushing it forward and throwing the ball. Your swing should be free of muscle effort. From the push away and drop, you are walking by the ball, and timing such that the ball starts to come forward as your slide foot is sliding toward the foul line.

Muscling the ball creates inaccuracy. Spend some time researching timing on here, and youtube. Look at both 4 step and 5 step approaches. Get your timing right. Get a natural arm swing, and your accuracy and scores will come up.

Good luck, and welcome to the addiction.

[TotallyDefiant]

Short back swing may not be a problem as long as the arm swing is free and natural...meaning, you aren't pulling the ball back, and then pushing it forward and throwing the ball. Your swing should be free of muscle effort. From the push away and drop, you are walking by the ball, and timing such that the ball starts to come forward as your slide foot is sliding toward the foul line.

Muscling the ball creates inaccuracy. Spend some time researching timing on here, and youtube. Look at both 4 step and 5 step approaches. Get your timing right. Get a natural arm swing, and your accuracy and scores will come up.

Good luck, and welcome to the addiction.

I try to let everything happen as natural as I can. learned a lot of that from my golfing days.

[Mike White]

A week ago today I purchased my first finger tip ball(Roto Grip Totally Defiant). In the past week I have bowled atleast 30 games. I have tried figuring out the modern release that I have been reading about but what seems to work best for me is a straight back and straight forward type of motion. I also have to wear a Robby's Original wrist support due to a really bad right wrist. The local pro shop guy was having me line up on the #10 board and release up the 10 board. I never could find the right side of the pins until I started reading up on the forum and figured out that I needed to start moving left while keeping the same release point. My question is this. Last night while practicing I actually counted the boards and found that I was lining up on the 24 board but yet still releasing on the 10 board and was finding the pocket quite well. I am new to this style of bowling so please forgive me if the terminology is not correct. Do not know if the ball speed will help anyone out but according to the screen my average speed is between 17.3-17.9 mph. Also, when I am missing I am leaving a lot of 6-10, 9, and 10 pins. Spare shooting has been good and have been shooting between 165-190 almost everytime. Would love to get it over the 200 mark.

The only way for us to properly diagnose a problem, is for you to clearly describe the problem.
However, if you were able to describe the problem that well, you would probably also be able to fix it yourself.

So, the next best thing is... Show us the video.

If there is any way to record your bowling, and post it to Youtube, you would remove 99% of the guess work by the rest of us.