how do i get my ball to hook?
Don't force it. Forcing the hook is one of the easiest mistakes that someone like you can make. The second you try and force it, you're done.
As for how to get the ball to hook, one of the most basic ways to begin is by using the "suitcase" method. Essentially, you hold the ball and release the ball similar to the way you hold a briefcase/suitcase. It is a very basic way to start hooking, and it will help lead into a more powerful hook.
http://bowlquest.blogspot.com/2008/1...ball-hook.html this is a website that I found that explains what the hook is and how to generate it. The first method he describes is the suitcase. Here is what he said:
"One of the easiest and oldest ways to learn to throw a hook is the suitcase method. This was how my father taught me and how my father's father taught him.
Stand up. Go ahead it's ok. Let your bowling arm hang straight down at your side with your thumb touching your leg and your fingers be furthest away from your leg. Now look at the angle between the outside of your forearm and the back of your hand. Curl your wrist slightly so that the outside of your forearm and the back of your hand form a straight line/flat plain. Now imagine a heavy briefcase that you will hold with that hand, but imagine holding it with your fingers only (not connecting your fingers to thumb).
Now pick up your bowling ball, insert your hand, and duplicate the above process. If you've done it correctly, you should feel some strain in the muscles of your fingers and your forearm.
Throw a bowling ball with your hand and fingers in this position. The trick is to maintain that arm position (back of hand and forearm form a flat plain) and finger position (like holding a suitcase with fingers only) throughout your entire swing. Let go of the ball slightly in front of your ankle. Don't twist your arm or your hand. You should feel more pressure on your fingers and less on your thumb just before the ball leaves your hand. Just like holding the heavy suitcase, but only using your fingers. It is the fingers that impart the curve on the ball.
It takes a little muscle in the forearm and the fingers to impart rotation on a bowling ball.
If this isn't working for you, start again at the beginning and think of the suitcase. The suitcase should stay in the same position through your swing. If you were throwing the suitcase down the lane, the suitcase shouldn't fall over or turn sideways. Try throwing the ball half your normal speed at first. Slowing things down will help you feel what you're doing a little better. Also, if you're throwing it too fast, it may not hook until after it leaves the lane. Remember, too much speed and you run the risk of not creating enough friction for the ball to hook."
There are other ways to generate hook, many of them more advanced than this. But once you get the hang of the suitcase, I recommend reading up on the football method. Hope I was able to help you out!
Originally Posted by britjeff
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