BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: splendorlex on November 04, 2019, 04:09:20 PM
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I made a similar post a couple of years back, but never really went beyond that.
I bowled regularly from roughly 2002 until about 2011. I bowled both in regular old mens leagues, and also bowled in the ABT. (I even won a couple of tournaments, but my handicap helped!) I elected to give up bowling to save on money, but 7 years later things are much better in that regard, and I often start to think about getting back into bowling.
I had some bad habits, and I'm hoping that perhaps the layoff will give me a good opportunity to fix them. If you could start the whole thing over, how would you go about it? Would you start with some lessons before anything else?
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I made a similar post a couple of years back, but never really went beyond that.
I bowled regularly from roughly 2002 until about 2011. I bowled both in regular old mens leagues, and also bowled in the ABT. (I even won a couple of tournaments, but my handicap helped!) I elected to give up bowling to save on money, but 7 years later things are much better in that regard, and I often start to think about getting back into bowling.
I had some bad habits, and I'm hoping that perhaps the layoff will give me a good opportunity to fix them. If you could start the whole thing over, how would you go about it? Would you start with some lessons before anything else?
Shoes and lessons are a good start for sure. A good coach can help you find the equipment (balls, etc) that will work best for you.
(edit: If I started over I would drill everything finger tip to start with and buy maybe one urethane ball instead of the mini arsenal I currently have).
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Started because it was fun, stayed because it was challenging.
Should’ve just let it stayed in the fun category.
When I got too serious, it was more like a job than it was fun.
Have fun, cause you can find a better paying job than bowling.
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Would have used equipment that properly fit my hand when I was a youth instead of throwing my dad's hand me downs as a teenager. Developed some bad habits trying to make old equipment hook and got used to having to squeeze to hold on to the bowling ball.
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When I started bowling in 80s as a kid and learning how to hook the ball, my father taught me how throw a full roller, which was the preferred roll in the 60s. It took me some time to transition to semi-roller, but the damage was done. Ultimately, I ended up more on the side with massive rotation and not under the ball with moderate/average rotation. It's something I have worked on but it just doesn't feel comfortable or right.
If I could start over, I would have built the muscle memory needed for getting better leverage from the start.
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I would have been born left-handed..... :P :P :P
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Buy a White Dot for my first custom ball, not a Vector One. Pretty sure it was way too much ball so I could get away with high tilt/rotation instead of just rolling it forward. Didn't work well with reactives.
Now trying to get a better roll but it takes effort and is inconsistent.
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Starting over? Like with BowlingForDonuts, I would start with learning how to roll the ball fingertip on day 1, and get a coach. - Pretty happy rolling 15lbs, and I fear 16lbs would just wear me out.
My teenage years was averaging 150 with an old 16lb conventional drilled Turquoise Hammer plastic ball. Had to fight a lot of bad habits; The usual: Squeezing the ball, pulling on the back swing and on the down swing. Going for speed and accuracy than learning how to roll the ball.
Its more fun rolling the ball and watching it arch into the pocket than chucking it down the second or first arrow. :P
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Oh, so I'm not the only one given some really bad conventional grip ball growing up.
What do I have to show for it, and trying to make it work and hook, well years to unlearn bad habits (still doing that like 25 - 30 years later. Oh, two broken fingers (diagnosed years after the fact by my anatomy teacher, why are my fingers crooked and can't bend them).
Finally just gave up on bowling with my thumb. I can't hold ball that way, and suspect my two broken fingers may have something to do with it. Not sure.
Start w/ lessons, and learn to bowl how you want to. That would be so much easier than working to unlearn stuff.
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I think that I would have learned the two handed delivery as it seems to me to be such an advantage from the standpoint of getting so much pin action and it seems to me that you don't have to be as accurate with hitting your target.
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I agree that most 2 handers have more than average revs and therefore they do get more pin action than at least me.
However, I disagree that they don't have to be accurate. Most of the local 2 handers are very inaccurate due to being off balance during the delivery. And as such they are "spraying shots" all over the lanes and their averages are nothing to write home about.
Those who have mastered the 2 handed delivery are extremely accurate and their averages prove it.
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When I started bowling in 80s as a kid and learning how to hook the ball, my father taught me how throw a full roller, which was the preferred roll in the 60s. It took me some time to transition to semi-roller, but the damage was done. Ultimately, I ended up more on the side with massive rotation and not under the ball with moderate/average rotation. It's something I have worked on but it just doesn't feel comfortable or right.
If I could start over, I would have built the muscle memory needed for getting better leverage from the start.
I'm a full roller too, and have had much success, and some serious sadness on the lanes. I never worried too much about it at all. The only annoying thing is answering the full roller drilling question over and over, and over again.
As far as what I would do if I were to start over....I'd learn to cut down my angles more, bowl a little straighter. While I can do it, it's definitely not my strength today. I grew up learning while Mark Roth came on the scene, so we all wanted to crank it up.
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I'd have taken up golf at a younger age ,,,
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Never used 16lb, my dad bought me a 16lb when I was 15. Looking back it was too heavy.
Not bowl a bunch useless practice games without any coaching.
Work out, I started exercising this year. It makes a huge difference. I only bowl 3 games a week and my average is up 20 pins (220). I completely stopped practicing.
Not be bowling ball crazy, this year I only bring 1 ball to league. I used to bring 3 and constantly switch instead of adjust.
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Would have used equipment that properly fit my hand when I was a youth instead of throwing my dad's hand me downs as a teenager. Developed some bad habits trying to make old equipment hook and got used to having to squeeze to hold on to the bowling ball.
+1
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Started because it was fun, stayed because it was challenging.
Should’ve just let it stayed in the fun category.
When I got too serious, it was more like a job than it was fun.
Have fun, cause you can find a better paying job than bowling.
I couldn’t agree more ^^^ You and I both exact same experience.
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I would start with finding a great pro shop and great coaching. One ball. Learn to throw it correctly. Not worry about scores for a year or two. Fundamentals. Build the base as solid as possible.
Same answer I give my son when he asks about going golfing with me at some point. Simply tell him, I’d love to go with you, but you’ve never picked up a club. Do yourself the favor and start with lessons. Don’t build bad habits. It’s a lifelong game, like bowling. Start the right way. Not sure he takes it the right way.
My honest guess, if he started with fitted clubs and lessons, he’d be shooting under 90 consistently by end of year two. He picks up stuff like that very well and easily.
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If I had it to do over again, I think that I probably would've taken up two-handed bowling from the word go. When done with accuracy and precision, the added speed and power definitely yields an advantage on the lanes. Unfortunately for me, I've never been able to develop enough accuracy and precision in the two-hand/no-thumb game, so I'm still just stuck being a very good house shot player who, like most, is pretty much a donator in big events against the truly gifted bowlers of the world.
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Very interesting question, because more than any sport I know, the fundamentals for success change so much as the environment (lane surfaces, balls) changes. The modern power game ( speed and revs) would not have been effective with rubber balls on the lacquer surface I learned on. Just as my medium speed stroker style is not the most effective technique on modern surfaces.
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I would have stopped being so influenced on bowlers I saw and on tv and practice my own game.