i can't bowl :(

DarwinsFavoriteTortoise

Any tips? At all?

I just bowled a 37, and luckily my friends agreed to a rematch.

Help!

Retox

Throw it at the middle?

I think with bowling, like with many other things, practice is the only real way to get better.

Nappuccino

Let the weight of the ball do all the work. don't try to control it, that's how you end up throwing the ball in the gutter (or atleast not where you want it).

The ball works like a pendulum, Let your arm act as the string.

Don't try to put any hook on the ball until you can consistently throw the ball where you want it without the hook. The hook will just complicate things until you're ready for it.

onceling

You need to keep your eyes on the center of the pins. Especially when you're releasing the ball, do not look at anything else, keep your eyes focused on where you want the ball to hit.

YodaTuna

My biggest problem is twisting my wrist at the end of the throw. Goes right in the gutter. Make sure the bottom of your wrist is always facing the pins.

Improvolone

The "thats not proper form but it kinda works" approach is one of two ways
1) Stand facing the lane, legs apart, and bowl granny style (swinging the ball between your legs)
2) Bowl palm down

Nappuccino

Another good tip is to take it slow and feel your every movement when going up to throw the ball. Try to remember what it feels like when you throw the ball correctly (i.e. when it goes where you want it to go) and try to replicate that as best/often as you can.

Rear Admiral Choco

What I do is I swing it a little behind me gently, and then step up and let go near the middle. I almost always end up accidentally throwing it at a slight angle so that it ends up either getting into the right gutter toward the end of the lane or a far-right pin, so what I do to correct it is just take a step to the left before I begin. That way it still skews right, but often ends up hitting the centre pin from the side or head on. I find it much easier to correct my position than my hand, so if your problem is anything like that, try it!

Jacobkosh

The release of the ball is hugely important. Don't throw it, don't pull away, don't do anything with your wrist. Just let the ball fall naturally off the tips of your fingers.

rfalias

Do you bowl straight in a line? If so, then the most important thing is to keep your hand and wrist straight as can be. But keeping your arm in a nice line is important if that is your style.

I bowl in a line, everyone I know does a curve. My highest is 217.
Really with out seeing how you bowl, it's a pretty general question especially with out seeing what's going wrong.

Fats

Improvolone wrote: »

2) Bowl palm down

Is this incorrect? I do this, sort of a backhand release (my hand isn't really turned either way, it's neutral to the arm and I just swing) I guess. My scores aren't fantastic but the ball goes like 20mph.

RenegadeSilence

YodaTuna wrote: »

My biggest problem is twisting my wrist at the end of the throw. Goes right in the gutter. Make sure the bottom of your wrist is always facing the pins.

This, I was pretty atrocious until I realized I needed to keep my wrist straight.

Improvolone

Fats wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

2) Bowl palm down

Is this incorrect? I do this, sort of a backhand release (my hand isn't really turned either way, it's neutral to the arm and I just swing) I guess. My scores aren't fantastic but the ball goes like 20mph.

Incorrect is subjective. The goal is to knock pins down.

Foomy

have you ever tried a two-handed approach?

you keep your main hand under the ball without any fingers in the holes, and the other on top to support it. you basically just do an underhand sort of push and roll the ball off your main hand. it's not a well known or super popular technique atm. but it's gaining popularity. it basically leads to more spin and more power behind the ball, while for novices it can be a bit easier to aim with.

some links/examples cause I can't explain it very well myself:

http://www.bowl.com/articleView.aspx?i=13417&f=1

http://www.bowlingdigital.com/bowl/node/6242

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-JDJCJRApA

khain

Improvolone wrote: »

Fats wrote: »

Improvolone wrote: »

2) Bowl palm down

Is this incorrect? I do this, sort of a backhand release (my hand isn't really turned either way, it's neutral to the arm and I just swing) I guess. My scores aren't fantastic but the ball goes like 20mph.

Incorrect is subjective. The goal is to knock pins down.

It's probably bad for your wrist if I'm picturing it correctly. It's also somewhat irrelevant how fast you throw the ball and dependent on your style higher speeds can hurt your score.

I'd personally just recommend bowling normally, and by that I mean middle finger, ring finger and thumb in the ball. Start with the ball over the center dot, so your feet are off center, bring the ball forward at the same time you take your first step, let the ball drop like a pendulum and let it come through and off your fingers without any effort. You want to be aiming for the center arrow on the lane this whole time and keep your eyes on that. You can then improve on this by moving a step to the right and changing where you aim from the center pin to the pocket, between pins 1 and 3.

*If your left handed just reverse everything.

Nappuccino

Foomy wrote: »

have you ever tried a two-handed approach?

you keep your main hand under the ball without any fingers in the holes, and the other on top to support it. you basically just do an underhand sort of push and roll the ball off your main hand. it's not a well known or super popular technique atm. but it's gaining popularity. it basically leads to more spin and more power behind the ball, while for novices it can be a bit easier to aim with.

I would recommend against two handed bowling. It is very very difficult to be consistent at it. And, if they ever oil the lanes differently, you could suddenly be unable to get the massive hook needed to bring the ball back.

Considering your game wasn't even a 50, the basics are what you need to focus on, not some flashy style that probably won't work out in the end.

Dunadan019

take what you are doing.... and make it take 10 times longer

slow it down.

forget 2 handed, forget aim, forget release.

just go real slow and roll the ball straight.

oldsak

onceling wrote: »

You need to keep your eyes on the center of the pins. Especially when you're releasing the ball, do not look at anything else, keep your eyes focused on where you want the ball to hit.

And follow through. Make sure the path of your hand even after you've released the ball goes straight towards the focus of your aim.

DarwinsFavoriteTortoise

So I just finished bowling with a friend, and I scored 106, 59, and 102. During the 59 game I got a little flashy haha.

I basically just did the basics that were recommended in this thread. I followed through, looked at the pin I wanted to hit, and hit it, most of the time.

My biggest problem is distraction, I think. I'll be standing there, about to bowl, when all of the sudden I am super aware of everything happening around me. And even though I try very hard, I can't seem to get it out of my head, since thinking about it just makes me notice it more. When that happens, I am almost always throw the ball into the gutter.

Nappuccino

Blocking that out just comes with practice. Keep at it and I'm sure you'll get better.

moocow

Focus on the pins, focus on your steps, focus on your swing (or pitch or whatever the fuck it's officially called). Everything else is immaterial.

If you can learn to spin it, it's easier to control the ball than trying to throw perfectly straight every time, but you might need someone to teach you.

Make sure your ball isn't too heavy or too light.


My friend makes fun of me because I bowl like a gorilla. Two fingers in (no thumb), and with the way I pitch it to curve it (start with palm up, end with palm down, release usually when palm is facing across my body, depending on where I'm aiming), my arm often ends up over or even with my head (follow through!). So...ape bowling!

Cryogen

DarwinsFavoriteTortoise wrote: »

So I just finished bowling with a friend, and I scored 106, 59, and 102. During the 59 game I got a little flashy haha.

I basically just did the basics that were recommended in this thread. I followed through, looked at the pin I wanted to hit, and hit it, most of the time.

My biggest problem is distraction, I think. I'll be standing there, about to bowl, when all of the sudden I am super aware of everything happening around me. And even though I try very hard, I can't seem to get it out of my head, since thinking about it just makes me notice it more. When that happens, I am almost always throw the ball into the gutter.

I agree with all the basic advice in the thread in terms of slowing yourself down, focusing on the pin you're aiming for, etc. I'd also add not to try and bowl with the heaviest ball you can handle, a lot of guys seem to think the heaviest is the best. Its not, if you're wrists are hurting halfway through the game . Also, when you're just going for that one last pin, slow RIGHT the way down. Trickle the ball down the lane. Picking up spares consistantly will do wonders for your score.

What i'd add as far as focus goes, is to wait for the lanes beside you to free up. Its common courtesy in league play anyway. It's very distracting to be striding up to release when someone in the next lane is also bowling. Wait till the person/people in the lanes to either side have just released and are walking back, then step up to the lane and start your routine. If you get distracted on the way in, or mis-step and are out of rythym, dont be afraid to stop, step back, and start again.

tsmvengy

Cryogen wrote: »

DarwinsFavoriteTortoise wrote: »

So I just finished bowling with a friend, and I scored 106, 59, and 102. During the 59 game I got a little flashy haha.

I basically just did the basics that were recommended in this thread. I followed through, looked at the pin I wanted to hit, and hit it, most of the time.

My biggest problem is distraction, I think. I'll be standing there, about to bowl, when all of the sudden I am super aware of everything happening around me. And even though I try very hard, I can't seem to get it out of my head, since thinking about it just makes me notice it more. When that happens, I am almost always throw the ball into the gutter.

I agree with all the basic advice in the thread in terms of slowing yourself down, focusing on the pin you're aiming for, etc. I'd also add not to try and bowl with the heaviest ball you can handle, a lot of guys seem to think the heaviest is the best. Its not, if you're wrists are hurting halfway through the game . Also, when you're just going for that one last pin, slow RIGHT the way down. Trickle the ball down the lane. Picking up spares consistantly will do wonders for your score.

What i'd add as far as focus goes, is to wait for the lanes beside you to free up. Its common courtesy in league play anyway. It's very distracting to be striding up to release when someone in the next lane is also bowling. Wait till the person/people in the lanes to either side have just released and are walking back, then step up to the lane and start your routine. If you get distracted on the way in, or mis-step and are out of rythym, dont be afraid to stop, step back, and start again.

All of this is good.

Figure out a consistent motion you can do, and then once you've got that down figure out where you need to place yourself on the lane (usually right side if you're right-handed) so that any slight hook you may be putting on the ball puts the ball in between the 1 and 3 pins.

Also, when I'm bowling I try to release the ball low, it makes it easier to control where it is going to go rather than flinging it down the lane.

Like this guy (not the style he is using, just the height of the ball at his release):

truck-a-sauras

I disagree with some of the advice here, stand in the center dots and throw down over the center arrows... no, unless your arm/wrist are perfectly straight you will see the ball start off in the center and drift off.

this advice is if you throw a straight ball with no hook. Right handers stand on the dots to the right, often all the way to the right. Now look at the arrows on the lane ^ ^ ^ with those being the far left, center, far right. You want to find your sweet spot between the center and the far right. Do not throw at the center arrow no matter how much you want to try, just because it is in the center does not mean that is the end location of the throw. Select an arrow in the location mentioned in the middle ground and try and hit it. Adjust till you find an arrow for your throw that will work for you and try and hit it every time after.

When you throw you will now see your ball gravitate towards the middle/pocket area always which is good and will give you a better percentage at hitting more pins. Rather than start in the middle and always have the ball drift away from the bulk of the pins.

I've helped many friends get their high scores using these methods and am a 200+ bowler myself

RichardTauber

If you're not throwing rocks tonight, mark it zero or enter a world of pain. And don't forget that nobody fucks with the Jesus.

Hypatia

Don't pick a ball that's too heavy for you. It's awfully tempting to get a heavier ball because picking a light ball makes you feel like a wimp, but even if you think you can heave the ball around your hand and wrist do get tired and having a ball that's too heavy just makes it worse.

THEPAIN73

RichardTauber wrote: »

If you're not throwing rocks tonight, mark it zero or enter a world of pain. And don't forget that nobody fucks with the Jesus.

Mark it eight dude. Shomer shabbos!

I used to do 30's and 40's and strikes would be unheard of. Practice is all you need. I am now doing much better and rolling 130's and a couple strikes.

Zombie Nirvana

I would actually suggest not looking at the pins. Instead, aim for the center/center-right of the arrows. A much easier target and you can see where you're going wrong.

Preacher

A bowling thread oh lord you welcome me home.

Third generation bowler here sadly haven't in a while. First you need to find what works best for you, starting out straight bowling is the best beginner style (that being you move your arm in a straight motion and don't attempt to curve the ball other than natural curve of release). You want to start your steps at the second set of dots (I still do the second set, but some people have a wider release and start further back). Go for a 4 step motion and release on the 4th, being smooth is more important than being powerful, so focus on getting a smoth transition from start to release. Adjust your footing based on where you are putting the ball consistently, where you want the ball to hit is between the first and 3 if your a righty, and 1 and 4th if your a lefty. Think of the front pins as a triangle, you want to aim for the side between the front pin and the supporting pin, not the head pin dead on. And it is based on your hand dominance because righties have more power coming in from the right than they do the left (I've gotten strikes on brooklyn as a righty but that dog normally won't hunt).

Avoid hitting the head pin dead on, unless you really want to work on hitting splits. As a man the biggest initial problem is avoiding "pitching" the ball down the lane. If you find your ball jumping in the air at the end of your release, you're using either too much power or your release is too early. Biggest thing to remember is power is your enemy at the start, putting more strength behind it will only strain you and not usually provide good results.

Above all else have fun! Bowling is a great social activity, and focussing too much on winning takes away from that.

AlyceInWonderland

Consistency, consistency, consistency. If you get a strike, remember exactly how you did that. And keep doing it. Also, slow down and focus on how you're releasing the ball down the lane. Keep your Wrist and arm straight. Hell, just by slowing down and focusing a bit, I went from a 50 game, to breaking 100 each game (which is still atrocious, but it's a hell of a lot better than a 50)

Edit: also, try not to get frustrated. You'll end up hating the game, and sucking even more. Just relax and have fun.

Preacher

AlyceInWonderland wrote: »

Consistency, consistency, consistency. If you get a strike, remember exactly how you did that. And keep doing it. Also, slow down and focus on how you're releasing the ball down the lane. Keep your Wrist and arm straight. Hell, just by slowing down and focusing a bit, I went from a 50 game, to breaking 100 each game (which is still atrocious, but it's a hell of a lot better than a 50)

Edit: also, try not to get frustrated. You'll end up hating the game, and sucking even more. Just relax and have fun.

That's a big one, not only will it make it difficult to do good. You can end up hurting yourself in your frustration. God knows I've screwed up my knee or made my elbow stiff as fuck after having some bad games.

AlyceInWonderland

Preacher wrote: »

AlyceInWonderland wrote: »

Consistency, consistency, consistency. If you get a strike, remember exactly how you did that. And keep doing it. Also, slow down and focus on how you're releasing the ball down the lane. Keep your Wrist and arm straight. Hell, just by slowing down and focusing a bit, I went from a 50 game, to breaking 100 each game (which is still atrocious, but it's a hell of a lot better than a 50)

Edit: also, try not to get frustrated. You'll end up hating the game, and sucking even more. Just relax and have fun.

That's a big one, not only will it make it difficult to do good. You can end up hurting yourself in your frustration. God knows I've screwed up my knee or made my elbow stiff as fuck after having some bad games.

I sprained my elbow once by getting frustrated, and not paying attention to what I was doing while bowling. I got made fun of endlessly by my friends as well. So yeah. I speak from experience :P

Preacher

I screwed up knee by getting mad and slipped, god that fucking hurt. I also brought a ball full bore into the back of my other knee for much the same reason.

Bowling is a contact sport, with yourself.