2 weeks into league and... comments?

[TJSieling]

I SUCK.

I was bowling with an Ebonite Maxim, 15 lbs, with a fingertip drill, but I discovered, this drill had a "twist" to it.

I had never seen or used a fingertip ball before. As I'm sure everyone here knows, a fingertip drill is where the two finger holes are drilled so your fingertips fit in, and the thumb hole is drilled all the way down so your entire thumb goes in.

Well, not having this done at a Pro Shop (stupid me), I went to Dick's Sporting Goods and had it drilled... the guy drilling must not have known what a fingertip was either, because he drilled the thumb hole like he would the fingers. My thumb only went in to the first knuckle. I didn't say anything because I didn't know it was wrong, and my grandpa didn't catch that it was drilled wrong until I had been using it for a good six months and I had adapted to throwing it wrong.

To the present! I started a league, had two sessions already. With the screwed up ball, my average was about 180. Now I have a Rattler, drilled CORRECTLY, and my average dropped to around 90-100.

I have a massive hook to my ball, and massive to me is about three times as much as massive would be to any regular bowler. I usually stood on the far left dot, threw to the second arrow from the right, and it would come back to the middle after riding the gutter all the way down.

With the Rattler, 16 lbs, I have to learn how to bowl all over again. Everytime I try to put minimal hook on the ball, I hit the 7 pin and that's it, standing on the left, throwing to the right. That's with keeping the ball at my waist for the backswing and throwing it almost straight out. When I try to drop the ball, get a full swing and let the momentum swing it in the inverted arc like it's supposed to be done, it goes completely straight, no spin. Everyone says it's because I would grip inside the thumbhole with the tip of my thumb. I know that would help.

Any other suggestions?

Btw, my scores are as follows:

1st day: Game 1- 148 (this day was with the old ball)
Game 2- 120
Game 3- 142

2nd day: Game 1- 103 (this day is with the Rattler)
Game 2- 107
Game 3- 98

[Jord_84]

Any other suggestions?

Go find that idiot from Dicks Sporting Goods and give him an earful about the job he did drilling your ball!

[Strike Domination]

The best advice I can give is to invest in a coach ASAP. At this point, just about anyone with some level of knowledge seems like they'd be helpful since you're not bowling well anymore.

[kev3inp]

It's almost like you were really bowling thumbless is my guess. You can try not to come around the side of the ball so much, more through the ball with firm fingers. It will take some practice to get accustomed to a good fit, as I'm sure you were compensating before. Don't despair, almost every time you try to change something to improve your game it costs you pins in the short run. Standing left and chucking it right covers a lot of boards, but most of those people never hit the same board twice. Spray and pray is ok, but it limits your advancement.