What Is The Bowling Ball Axis Of Rotation?
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Originally Posted: 4/25/2014; Updated: 11/12/2022Axis of rotation is a measure of the direction of the initial rotation on the ball (caused by your
release technique) with respect to the lane.
If you ask what is the bowling ball axis of rotation, think of it as a measurement of the angle between the initial ball spin axis and the foul line running across the lane.
As example, a zero degree axis of rotation (low axis tilt) is all forward roll. The rotation on the ball is in the direction of the forward travel.
A zero degree axis of rotation will help keep the ball in its initial direction of travel and will not hook very much. In another layman’s term, the ball will roll out early.
As another example, a 90-degree axis of rotation is virtually all side roll. This rotation is perpendicular to the initial direction.
A 90-degree axis of rotation tends to make the ball hook at a 90-degree angle to the initial direction giving the ball more potential to hook in the mid-lane and on the back end.
This measure of rotation causes the ball to skid further down the lane and then hook more than a zero (or low) measure of rotation. Most bowers fall between these two extreme examples.
Another key term you will learn is axis tilt. Axis tilt is a measure of the angle of the initial bowling ball spin axis to a horizontal plane.
Examples are a full roller or high track delivery style would have little or no axis tilt.
In these examples, the initial spin axis would be parallel or close to parallel with the lane surface. One rotation of the ball would cover the major diameter of the ball.
A spinning type delivery is described as a high axis tilt with an initial spin axis tilted up from the lane.
The range of axes of rotation definitely affect ball motion.
As a player , it is important for you to simply focus on what you can control consistently.
You can alter your delivery to increase or decrease axis rotation and tilt by varying the amount of finger rotation used at the moment you release your bowling ball.
Be careful of taking extreme measures of finger rotation so you do not lose effectiveness and accuracy.
