Author Topic: Which layout is for me??? (Read 1780 times)

Stever5000 · « **on:** December 22, 2005, 07:40:28 PM »

Alright everyone. Gotta question.

I put a lot of freakin revs on the ball. The way I learned, you turn the ball, it's supposed to move. Not always the case. And I'm not talking about long oil patterns, either.

I just cannot find a layout to fit my game. I'm looking for a skid/snap layout (other than lable) to fit the way I bowl. As much as I turn the ball, it should make a devastating turn. However, I often find myself with little to no ball reaction on shots that are gimme's. And I know how to match-up the lanes, so it's not like I'm using a WhiteDot on a 50 ft pattern or anything

Is there such a thing as over-turning the ball? I flare over half of the ball in most cases. Is this a problem? It's natural for me to do this.

Most of my stuff is drilled Pin above bridge, cg either kicked out or below ring finger. I find this layout, for me, to be very inconsitent. Balls either check up early or not at all. And there's no snap, just an arc.

Tried drilling lable on a few balls (cg in palm.) PowerGroove- cg in palm, pin above and right of ring finger. I full-roll it for some derranged reason. Nitro/R2 - cg in palm, pin just southeast of ring (short pin.) Most reaction out of a ball, yet. Very low tracking, however, almost thumping thumb. Also, ball does not flare up like others, just kinda runs over the same flares over and over again.

Lastly, I have an acheing pain in my ring finger at the knuckle joint and I do believe it's bowling related. Should I look into dropping the ring finger a bit on the span?

What should I do??? Table tennis is starting to sound really good at this point....

CoachJim · « **Reply #1 on:** December 23, 2005, 04:53:11 AM »

It sounds like you are throwing the ball off of your ring finger which is making your hand go mostly up the back of the ball and not hook. You can get a million revs, but if they are all going straight, the ball will not change direction.

Try pointing your middle finger to the floor on the back swing and the down swing, and see if this makes the ball hook more. If it does try pointing the index finger to the floor and see if this doesn't make it hook more, and then try spreading the index finger and point it towards the floor.

Before doing any of the above, have your grip checked, it sounds like the ring finger span is either too long or too short, I'm betting too long. You can tell by putting your thumb in the ball and laying your ring finger across the hole and see where the front edge of the hole (the side toward your thumb) hits on your ring finger. The front edge of the hole, should lay right in the middle between the first and second knuckle.

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #2 on:** December 23, 2005, 04:59:19 AM »

Sounds as if not drilling is the problem, but your release. Unfortunately I cannot watch your video in the profile, but I suspect that you do not stay behind the ball upon release, stay in the ball with the thumb too long and that you top the ball with a turning wrist instad having a firm wrist and imparting rotation with the fingers only.

This is at least my idea, because I made similar thing when I started bowling and have 2 team mates in league who do the same - they are both low trackers which spin the ball rather than rolling it, forcing it instaed of letting physics rule. I guess you "want" the ball to move and do too much, maybe even muscling everything? That's hard tio understand since many players think "Well, I put turns on the ball, but why the hell doesn't it hook?".

Check the pin when you play the ball: if it is spinning in a small circumference on the back side of the ball, then you have definitively a weak spinner release which only works on light oil and dry backends. A rolling ball should have the pin rotate around the ball, hardly to recognize.

Additionally, the fact that you have a full roller on some single balls suggests that you should work on your wrist - it could break back on the downswing. You will not recognize it, but it kills the ball.

So, my suggestion: have a coach check your game, seriously.

The drillings on your balls are not the reason why the balls do not hook, it is probably the release. Try to stay behind the ball during your swing and release, let the ball drop on your fingers in the downswing and gently push it out onto the lane. Do not force anything, relax, slow down. Let gravity rule. No exagerated turning of the wrist - it will kill the ball to a spinning, powerless chunk of plastic!

Make some wrist training, maybe try a wrist support. But this will NOT help unless you have a sound release (see above) - it might only create more spin, but no power to the ball or hook beyong the skidding moves you have seen before.

Good luck, it is just my diagnosis from far away and from personal experience.
--------------------

DizzyFugu --- Reporting from Germany
Team "X": http://homepage.mac.com/timlinked/
"All that we see or seem, is but a dream within a dream..." - Edgar Allen Poe

Stever5000 · « **Reply #3 on:** December 23, 2005, 06:24:57 AM »

http://media.putfile.com/small-new-form

This is a lil more like how I bowl now. Only differences are, I don't throw a Triple X anymore, and I'm a little bit slower now, too.

CoachJim · « **Reply #4 on:** December 23, 2005, 06:40:26 AM »

I stand by my assessment. The only rotation you are getting is from the inside out direction of your swing.

If you can get to one of Ron Clifton's Clinics he can greatly help you.
http://www.bowl4fun.com

Author Topic: Which layout is for me??? (Read 1780 times)

Stever5000

Which layout is for me???

CoachJim

Re: Which layout is for me???

dizzyfugu

Re: Which layout is for me???

Stever5000

Re: Which layout is for me???

CoachJim

Re: Which layout is for me???