On the contrary, Mike. The back-up ball motion is not to get the ball to back up, but to roll straight despite a dynamic core that is designed to hook. As Norm explained it to me, "If I'm using a weak ball, I'll release it as to back it up one board; a medium ball, two boards, and a strong ball, three boards." He's not actually backing it up, just applying the exact amount of reverse turn to get the ball to go straight. Of course, he is Norm Duke. Most mere mortals are not capable of applying such precise release perameters to their bowling.
Actually Mike this is exactally what Ice asked " am wondering if the Norm Duke method could be made even easier, with a different configuration of the finger holes, and maybe even the pitch of the thumb hole?"
The answer is No the Norm Duke method doesn't do that to begin with regardless of how the ball is drilled it's ball rolling as Rob and I described.
I am a proud member of Bowlingboards.com bowling forums and ball contest winner
Current arsenal
900 Global Badger Claw - Radical Ridiculous Pearl - Spare Ball Ebonite T Zone
If you want to throw the big backup as Mike stated it's going to require you getting the elbow in that almost bent inside position that I just don't think conforms well to the male anatomy. Learning the Norm Duke release and using it with your spare ball gives you the best of both worlds. I'm still working on in hopefully I'll change over to that method sometime this fall.
I am a proud member of Bowlingboards.com bowling forums and ball contest winner
Current arsenal
900 Global Badger Claw - Radical Ridiculous Pearl - Spare Ball Ebonite T Zone
Okay, Mike, I guess I wasn't clear enough for you. There is nothing about Norm Duke's way of picking up ten pins that is "easier" for anyone other than Norm Duke. Michael: stick with the plastic ball and practice ten pins until you can pick up 5 in a row. Then practice them until you can pick up 10 in a row. Then, 15, then 20, etc. Before you know it, the ten pin will be like any other single pin spare.
It would seem that if ICE had a ball drilled up for his right hand as if it was the left hand of a lefty the core would help the ball turn right and he would not have to throw a backup but throw a flat ball and it would have a left to right "hooking " ball motion. If he used an aggressive gradual hooking ball and took the finish down to a 1000 or 500 it might work.
The WHY is because that is what Iceman was asking about.
He already acknowledged that most coaches would recommend plastic.
He was just interested in an alternate method that might be easier for Iceman.
Iceman, next time don't mention famous names.
It's like a shiny lure to the fish.
They lose all focus, and can only think about the shiny object.
There is no way to never miss a 10-pin....unless you never leave one or bowl consistent 900 series.
I think many people can get away with using their strike ball for spares with a lateral movement system. I did it for a long time....finally switched after it cost me a game or two in the now defunct Virtual Bowling Tour. Even with my lower rev rate...a 1-2 board that is excessively dry can be just enough to make you miss. And that's a miss that is certainly on ME for being stubborn. But, there and then I swore I wouldn't have that problem anymore...and the next weekend had a plastic spare ball (from MWhite).
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