Hand position/release problems.

[Buddha512]

For about 8 weeks I've been fight release issues. If I set up with my hand under the ball I'll be lazered into my mark, but the ball just won't carry. My first game tonight I threw 8 balls in the pocket and had four ten pins, and two seven pins.

If I set up with my hand slightly on the side of the ball, maybe thirty or fourty five degrees, the ball will spin up and carry much better if I can get it in the pocket. The problem is, I can't reliably hit my mark. Behind the ball I'm maybe one board each way of my mark, but on the side my marginis easily double that. Balls are an Unhinged, and a IQ Tour Thirty

For a point of reference, I'm one of those old bowlers that returned to the game three years ago after about a twenty five year lay off. Currently carrying a 190 in one league and 194 in another. Stroker, with medium speed , but low revs.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Buddha

[Mike White]

For about 8 weeks I've been fight release issues. If I set up with my hand under the ball I'll be lazered into my mark, but the ball just won't carry. My first game tonight I threw 8 balls in the pocket and had four ten pins, and two seven pins.

If I set up with my hand slightly on the side of the ball, maybe thirty or fourty five degrees, the ball will spin up and carry much better if I can get it in the pocket. The problem is, I can't reliably hit my mark. Behind the ball I'm maybe one board each way of my mark, but on the side my marginis easily double that. Balls are an Unhinged, and a IQ Tour Thirty

For a point of reference, I'm one of those old bowlers that returned to the game three years ago after about a twenty five year lay off. Currently carrying a 190 in one league and 194 in another. Stroker, with medium speed , but low revs.

Any suggestions greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Buddha

Is it possible to get some video of your bowling.

It could be that where you set the ball down at is very dry, which means the ball when thrown slightly from the side, is hooking before reaching your target, while when thrown from behind, hits your target, but hooks very little, and hits the pins like a wet noodle.

But it also could be a number of things.

Video can show what words have trouble conveying.

[fokai73]

Video is the best way to get some help online. Good video angles is important as well.

1. Rear view: Camera/cameraman should be directly behind the bowler showing his/her head down to the footwork. Basically the whole approach.

2, side view: camera should be two lanes down on the ball side. Cameraman should stand at the foul line two lanes down showing the whole approach. The camera should follow the bowler to the fouling line till the bowler stops posting his/her shot.

This is what mark baker advices when taking videos, and I do the same with my iPhone which has a slow motion mode which is a plus.

[Buddha512]

I bowling again on Thursday. I'll see what I can do about getting some video, but it will probably only be from behind.

[JasonNJ]

One thing to consider is your equipment? How many games do you have on your ball and when was the last time you had it baked or resurfaced? I went through something similar when I started bowling about 2 years ago. I had a Ebonite Pursuit-S which I always cleaned but after about 100 games, I just struggled with carry and even just getting the ball to hook properly. I thought it was me and for about 6 weeks I just struggled and kept tweaking my release, hand position and nothing worked. It wasn't until I did some research online and found out about ball maintenance. So I threw my ball into my oven and baked it at the lowest temp I could which was about 130 degrees and I must have gotten 2 teaspoons of oil out of the ball. After baking, most of my ball reaction was back and so was my carry.