Q:  I have a terrible time hitting my target; I’m missing it 20 percent of the time or more. It’s getting very frustrating. Any suggestions? — Jay C., via email

A: Work on allowing the ball to swing the arm from the pushaway through the downswing, through the backswing,  and all the way through the release. This will help create muscle memory and, with practice, enable you to repeat shots and hit your target more consistently. During your approach, point your opposite arm toward the wall; this will help keep you in balance.

Q: If you were going to recommend one of the bowling camps, which one would you choose? I am a higher average bowler and I want to improve to a level where I can compete successfully in tournament competition.              — Victor Hampton, Victoria, B.C.

A: In the intererst of full disclosure, I have not been to all of the different bowling camps, so I’m not an expert in this area. That said, I feel confident recommending the camps run by Dick Ritger and Mark Baker. You can be confident in the expertise of the instructors because you’d be learning from people who have have actually experienced the pressure of top-flight professional bowling competition. That means they know what it’s like to throw the ball when all the chips are on the line. No matter how much knowledge or even what type of certification an instructor has, it can’t replicate the experience that comes from needing to throw one strike with tens of thousands of dollars on the line. Ritger and Baker have both been there. The Kegel Training Center also receives high praise from a number of pros. It has a an excellent staff of coaches and is packed with high-tech teaching aides that also could help you get to that next level.

Q: I recently bowled in a tournament where I was throwing the ball all over the place. Sometimes I missed the headpin, and other times I was through the nose. I think I was playing the right line, because some of the bowlers who shot well also played that line. Do you have any ideas for my situation on that type of lane condition?          — Bobby Gilson, Ft. Collins, CO
 
A: When I am faced with this type of situation, I try to eliminate one of the problems by changing my release. For instance, if I  wanted to stop missing the headpin on the pocket side, I would hold my hand in a handshake position throughout the downswing and release. It’s very difficult to throw the ball too far toward the gutter side of the pocket when you do this.  Once you’ve narrowed your “spray area,” you can begin to make other small adjustments — such as where you’re targeting — which will help you hit the pocket consistently.

Q: I am relatively new to the sport, and have been reading a lot about it. A number of bowlers have said that Mark Roth changed the game. Can you tell me what Roth did differently that set him apart from other professional bowlers?                                — Billy Claxton, Salem, OR

A: Roth’s two main influences had to do with his timing and the manner in which he released the ball. Most of the bowlers prior to Roth would strive to release the ball in conjunction with their slide; this was considered proper timing for bowling.  Roth did not have much of a slide, however, and his slide foot arrived ahead of the downswing — this generated a leverage point for the ball.  Secondly, Roth cupped his wrist so he could increase the amount of rotation on the ball. Put these two actions together, and it gave Roth tremendous hooking power on the ball and hitting power at the pins. He represents the beginning of the transition of bowling from a game of accuracy to a game of power.

Q:  I bowl in a league, and it seems that the line to the pocket changes drastically from the first game to the second. What is the cause of this drastic change in how you have to play the lane?                            — Debbie Heath, Vero Beach, FL

A: Most centers now condition their lanes just prior to the evening league session.  The lanes are cleaned, and then fresh conditioner is applied. Thus, you have a clean and conditioned lane when the first ball is thrown in practice. But today’s bowling balls carry this new conditioner down the lane with every delivery. As a result, the line is really changing on every ball thrown, but it takes a number of shots before that change becomes apparent. Many pros now actually change lines slightly even when they’re on a long string of strikes — in anticipation of conditioner movement impacting their next shot.

Need help with your game?
Write to Mike McGrath at
Bowlers Journal International,
122 S. Michigan Ave., Suite
1506, Chicago, IL 60603, or
mikempba13@aol.com.

To order your own copy of Bowler’s Journal International, please visit Luby Publishing Bowlers Journal Subscription.

Republished with permission from Luby Publishing.

Q: I am a 66-year-old bowler bowling in two leagues per week. I average 198 and 211 in those leagues, respectively. My only problem is that I am inconsistent. I do not generate enough ball speed to use the highly aggressive bowling balls on the market today. My balls are currently drilled with a full finger-tip grip. In the past (BJI contributor) Tom Kouros has spoken about changing to a conventional grip. Could such a change help me become more consistent?
— Donald Byarm, Somerdale, NJ
A: The advantage of using a shorter grip (semi-fingertip or conventional) is that it allows the bowler to keep
their fingers in the ball for a slightly longer amount of time during the release. For you, a shorter grip will
most likely create more of a “spinner” release, resulting in greater skid through the front portion of the lane and increased hook in the back portion of the lane. Also, there will be less likelihood of a ball rolling out. If that’s what you are after, give it a try. PBA Senior bowler Tommy Baker uses the spinner release to great effect. The great Glenn “Mr. 900” Allison also has used a conventional grip throughout most of his career, and he still is knocking down plenty of pins. Continue reading ‘My only problem is that I am inconsistent.’ »

Older synthetic approaches and the humidity factor.

Why are all synthetic approaches so sticky, and what can be done to get some kind of slide on these approaches?
— Stanley Bridgestone, Austin, Texas
Actually, all synthetic approaches are not sticky. The cause of sticky synthetic approaches is high humidity in the bowling center. In centers with very low humidity — those in Las Vegas come to mind — the older-style synthetic approaches can be very slick. The reason for the stickiness problem is that old-style synthetic approaches have a relatively small humidity range in which the slide is acceptable. The perfect humidity for old-style synthetic approaches is around 45%, with an acceptable slide generated when the humidity is between 38% and 53%. Wood approaches offer an acceptable slide from around 28% to 60%. In centers with old-style synthetic approaches, the only solution to the problem is to totally control the humidity throughout the building, which is not easy to do in an older bowling center. (Note: I mention “old-style” synthetic approaches because, in recent years, many of the bowling equipment manufacturers have changed their approaches to a textured surface, which gives them a slide characteristic that is more similar to wood approaches. Older synthetic centers can upgrade to this surface.) Continue reading ‘Handeling a Sticky Situation’ »

Here’s one way to cut down on your hook.

I was recently watching the PBA Tour, and it was noted that Chris Warren was using a conventional grip. Can you give me some insight as to why a bowler would use such a grip?
— Bart Hirshfield, Reno, Nev.
While I can’t speak for Chris, I would guess that reducing the amount of hook was the reason for this change in grip. There have been some great bowlers in the past, most notably Glenn Allison and Wayne Zahn, who have used a conventional grip for some or all of their careers. I would not be surprised if other bowlers took a shot at the conventional grip to see if it improves their accuracy with today’s big-hooking balls. Continue reading ‘Taking a Conventional Approach’ »

Q: I am a stroker and would like to know how I can get more revs on the ball. Also, can I use the same ball after making this change?
— Rocco Mayo, Farmingdale, NJ
A: A good way to get more revs is to cup your wrist in a similar fashion to PBA champion Del Ballard Jr. Also keep your back straight during the release and bend with your knee, rather than bending forward at the waist. As for using or not using the same ball, I suggest using a ball that has a lot of skid in the front portion of the lane and a strong backend hooking action. By increasing your revs, this type of ball will give you a “long and strong” ball motion on the lanes. Continue reading ‘Ask The Coach’ »

I am not a power player, but I would like to find timing that will allow me to cup the ball at the top of the backswing. After watching Chris Warren bowl again, should I adapt the same technique where I’d wait for the ball to reach the top of the backswing before making the last step?
— R.J. Nalasco, Pearl River, N.J.
The easiest way to create a power game is to develop footwork that is slightly ahead of the swing, so that the slide foot arrives at the foul line ahead of the downswing. If, for example, you are a four-step bowler, you would take your first step before putting the ball into the swing. In that way, you’d arrive in a power position prior to the release. As for cupping the ball like Chris Warren, he does employ an approach that is ahead of the swing, and simply allows the ball to be cupped during the backswing and downswing. Continue reading ‘One Approach to Developing a Power Game’ »