In the April issue of Bowlers Journal, Bob Learn said to use your legs instead of ball speed. What did he mean by that statement? -- Allen Walker, Michigan --
While I don't speak for Bob Learn, what was implied is that both speed and direction are created by getting the body in the proper position during the release: with the knee bent, the back straight and the arm being swung downward by the gravitational pull of the bowling ball. If the knee is bent and you are in time, gravity will provide all the speed you need to get the ball down the lane to the break point.

THE LEFTY 'ADVANTAGE'
On today's league conditions with today's bowling balls, do you feel that left-handers have a advantage, and if so, how many pins per game? -- Jerry Ingaldi, Erie, Pa.
On house conditions, a left-hander could have an advantage because there is less play on the left side of the lane. That means the number of angle changes he'd have to make in a three-game session would be far fewer than a right-hander would have to make. Of course, this advantage would be minimized if there were a number of left-handers bowling on the pair. This assumption also is based on the premise that left-handers are not playing deep inside and setting the ball down on the right-handers' lay-down point. When that's the case, then the lefties are at a disadvantage. I can't measure the advantage (or disadvantage) in pins as it will vary based on the scoring pace and specific conditions of the bowling center.

THE PATH TO THE POCKET
The "shot" at my center is deep inside, around the 4th arrow. How do you walk to the foul line when playing a deep inside line? Do you walk straight, right to left, or left to right? -- Martin Cooper, Billings, Mont.
You can employ any of the methods you mentioned, depending upon how much you want to hook the ball. If you walk from left to right (the older, more traditional, way of playing that line), you can employ a straight armswing that will follow the path of your approach, and the ball will naturally follow the line from left to right and gradually hook back toward the pocket. If you follow a left-to-right path to the foul line, you will have to realign your armswing so that it goes to the left side of the body during the backswing and then through toward the target. This method puts your body in a stronger position so that it's easier to impart more lift on the ball. The negative aspect of this path is that realigning the swing is not a natural act, so more practice is required to develop a consistent swing. Big hook players like Rudy "Revs" Kasimakis employ this type of path to the foul line, and while he is a great "action" player, he didn't enjoy much success while he was on the PBA Tour. A straight path requires some degree of realignment, but less than the right-to-left path, and provides more power that the left-to-right path.

ROADBLOCKS TO SUCCESS
In your opinion, what is the most common fault that keeps good bowlers from becoming really high-average bowlers? -- Gaylord Maddox, Durham, N.C.
Most bowlers can't tell the difference between a well-thrown ball that strikes and a poorly-thrown ball that strikes. This is because of easy lane conditions and exotic bowling balls, both of which cover up mistakes in one's delivery. In other words, they combine to make bowling a much more "forgiving" game than it once was. If you do not know the feeling of throwing the ball extremely well, you have no reference point when the lane condition changes and you are forced to adjust your line to the pocket.

LEVERAGING BALL LIFT
I've been bowling for about two years, and I still have problems getting any leverage on the bowling ball. Even with a highly reactive ball, I do not get much hook, and the ball hits very weakly. I throw the ball at about 16-m.p.h., so I don't think there is a problem with a lack of ball speed. I use a four-step approach. Do you have any ideas to improve my lift on the bowling ball? -- David Westberg, Spokane, Wash.
The cure for your problem could be as simple as how you put the ball into your swing. Many four-step bowlers will push the ball away and then take the first step of their approach. This causes your feet to rush in order to get back in time with the armswing, and the ball to arrive at the release point before your body is in position to release it. To correct this problem, think of taking that first step just prior to starting the ball in motion with the pushaway. This should allow your body to arrive at the foul line just prior to the armswing, enabling your legs and body to give you better leverage during the release.