Saturday - January 17, 2009

Better Bowling

We won all 7 against team 5 tonight. So my team is still in first place by a small amount, but it’s a long way to go until the end of the season. Anything could happen.

More fun and games with Team 5. The two new kids didn’t show up tonight, and they didn’t pre-bowl. But the alley found us a new person for that team, and she was there. So in theory team 5 now has 3 members out of 4 positions. I like that, but I secretly fear that once again this team only has 1 member, and that we’ll never see those 2 new kids again. Which would be the 3rd time this season that Team 5 has gone belly up. Must be a curse on them or something.

I bowled pretty well tonight, making a 561 series. And I was actually getting the ball to hook. I did something radical ... I got my thumb out of the ball and let the ball do the work. And it did, just fine. All this time - for 4 years now - I’ve just been relaxing my thumb in the hole. And not getting much ball reaction at all. So I’d try to force some reaction by twisting my wrist, flicking my fingers, whatever. None of which really did much. Tonight I finally allowed my hand to do the obvious: to get your thumb out of the ball you pull your thumb out of the ball. Duh! Short bus, seat reserved for Drew, here’s your sign and your duct tape. And it was just about that easy. 

[assumes you roll a fingertip grip ball] Before the push away, with your fingers in the ball and your hand under the ball, spread your index finger out about 2/3 as wide as it can go, and keep the other fingers together. Laterally turn your hand a little so you point the index finger forward, which means the other fingers are at the 10 o’clock position (as if you are looking down on the ball from above). Stiff wrist held straight. Push away forward until your arm is straight, let go of the ball with your offside hand and let your arm swing back. Don’t change your hand position or soften the wrist. Elbow locked. As the ball swings forward past your knees relax your thumb and pull it out. You feel the weight of the ball on your fingertips as it starts to roll off your hand. Fingers stay stiff and you try to lift up with them as the ball comes off. With the elbow still locked the arm swings up, and your hand goes “through the ball” as bowlers say. You don’t stop your arm when the ball comes off. That’s all it takes to impart enough “rev” (side roll) on the ball so that it slides through the oil to the outside boards, catches on the dry at about 45 feet, turns, and rolls right into the 1-3 pocket. Nice big late hook; goes out 8 boards and comes back 16. Duh. It’s EASY. Now let’s see if I can keep on doing it. Maybe a little practice tomorrow, so I can do it well at Monday league. I want a 600 series this season. I want a 700 series this season!

Posted by Drew458     on 01/17/2009 at 09:48 PM   
Filed Under: • Bowling Blogging •  
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