QuestionI throw a hook on the strike ball. I use the Ebonite Big One and Last Week for the first time last week the Mission. But what kills me is when a leave a single 10 pin. I either hook my spare ball past the pin or put it in the gutter. I make it about 255 of the time. I use the Columbia White Dot as my spare ball. I've used several other balls such as Ebonite Maxim and Tornado. Please Help.
Answer
True Bowler Adjustment
David, David, David...1st off, I love the design of the Mission bowling ball! I love and highly respect the fact that you know leaving the 10 pin is not the end of the world!
You my friend, are intelligent with your bowling! Instead of asking how to kick the 10 pin out, you face the fire. You want to put an extinguisher in your hand just to hold the flames at bay until you begin to string strikes! I love that as a coach! I love to create competition!!!
Everyone says, "just flatten out your hand" and throw the ball! Yeah that's true, however, without "something to focus on" we have a tendency to make the same mistakes!
Good spare shooters know there is a lot more to it. Especially, if you are opposite eye dominant, or you have excessive drift! Ask yourself if you lead with a particular finger, or fingers? Do you have good balance at the line? Do you compensate for being in high oil, or do you often deliver in the driest part of the lane? Do you deliver the ball low to the lane, or do you loft the ball? Is your release a spinning release or a simple forward roll?
You can try all these adjustments!
In my book "True Bowler Adjustments" heck, I even present to you eight lines to the 10 pin that you can try. Why? I listed them because we are not all of the same height or depth perceptions, or visual abilities when we are on the lanes. I want a bowler to be comfortable on either side of the lane so they can succeed with their natural abilities.
In summary: There is a lot to shooting a ten pin! We have to simplify it by standing where we are comfortable, positioning our hand and ball correctly. Picking out the right targets, and executing the correct release for us.
Setup: If the pitches in your ball should allow you to direct your ring finger straight at the 10 pin without being uncomfortable at release! When I speak of "direct," I mean, (with a flat hand) the ring finger itself is perfectly straight up and down in the finger hole. The comparison is: Just as the 10 pin is straight up and down, as it stands on the floor. (Bowlers may just point the arm, hand and ball at the 10 pin, while inside the ball the holes and fingers are pointing to the left (a right handed bowler). Kind of a backwards letter C. (Not good sometimes!) The hand needs to be flat to begin your practice.
Stand "that ring finger" straight up and down in the finger hole. The wrist will flatten out! The "middle finger" will be on the edge of one side of the wrist and the "pinky" will be on the other edge. The ring finger will always be "smack dead in the middle of the wrist," pointing through the middle of the wrist and forearm, back to the elbow.
Give it a try. You may not get it the first time. Hell, most people even forget how to walk at this point! (smile) But you'll get it. And you'll teach yourself where to stand in high oil and on drier shots. With practice you will teach yourself how far down the lane to look at your target(s). (Well, that is if you don't have an eye dominance issue!) Oh my, did I list that at the very beginning?
As always David, get a USBC Certified Coach to help you with lining up correctly and making adjustments! I only recommend the White Dot and the Maxim! I apologize for the response delay. I am the driver for a friend who is battling Cancer. It's a challenging 555 miles trip that I don't mind at all! Especially, when I come back to a great question that exercises my mind. Thank you! Work on your "set up" and release. Go out and get some flowers and chocolates.
Have a Happy Valentine's Day!
-Gary
Las Vegas, NV
www.TrueBowlerAdjustments.com (it's a great book!)
