Newbie: Help with layout

[BWS_Newbie]

Hi guys! I've been reading these forums for a few weeks and there's a lot of great information. I've been a clueless bowler for a few years and I'm just starting to learn about all the intricacies. I started out with a Columbia Scout Reactive and just bowled straight down the 7 board and let it hook into the pocket. I just gripped the ball "suitcase-style?" with my thumb not fully inserted and averaged about 180 this way.

I decided I wanted to learn a proper release as well as move in deeper and learn to hook more. I bought a BWS with the layout shown in the picture. This was before I learned about terms like CG, pin, HMB etc and the proshop drilled it the way it's shown in the picture. Can you guys tell me what sort of layout this is?

This morning I bowled half a dozen games aiming at the 3rd arrow with a breakpoint around the 7 board and I was really struggling to hit the pocket. It was not hooking enough and hitting the 3 pin. I bowl around 14-15mph and my revs are inconsistent and low and I'm trying to work on getting them higher. I know I just need to schedule time with a coach, but do you guys have any suggestions on what might help me transition from a down and in type technique to a more deeper position with more hooking. Maybe that's not possible with this drilling layout?

[Street Racer]

Welcome!

i am pretty sure the layout on the black widow is skid/flip... but i am sure bubba will answer that for us

Hooking the ball isnt everything in bowling... and it can be a big down fall in bowling if you are trying to rev the ball too much... i had 1 of my friends, was shotting a 170 ave shotting straight down and in... he is still tiring to hook a ball... and his ave has gone down to 150... 20 pins... just because he is trying to hook a ball.... yes it is good to be verstile on the lane... but yeah..

but if you still want some tips

try slowing your ball speed down... that will give the ball more hook... maybe trying moving a couple boards right and still aim for 7 board... or u can even prob put some surface on the ball... maybe upto 1000 grit?

[Rowdy]

You have a skid/flip layout for a medium track. Try going straight up,say the 10 board and see what happens. Bet you like the results.

[Rowdy]

14 to 15mph is just about right for your ball,too. Take the surface down if your speed goes up to keep the hook.

[bluerrpilot]

For an average pap, thats skid/flip. I would agree with Rowdy and Street and also say to move right and not try to swing it so much.

[BubbaRay]

It appears to be a skid/flip layout like the other stated. If you say you are inconsistant with you release try getting a football and throwing it underhande while rotating your wrist counterclockwise into a couch or a chair. keep doing this untill you see the same release and turn on the football all the time.
You say you paly 3rd arrow to the 7th board and the ball is comming behind the pocket. Making the ball hook more might not be the answer for that condition you were playing on. A surface adjustment on the cover will do the trick or Moving right a few boards and playing 13 or 12 to 7 might make the difference for you to get the ball back to the pocket.

Here is a thread about getting more turn on your release you might be interested in. http://forums.hammerbowling.com/showthread.php?t=5249

[Rowdy]

I got one drilled up just like that one. Swing it,you're dead. Straight up,score city. I'm rolling mine 17-19 mph. Plenty of smack when it hits the pins.

[daniel275]

I have to agree with Bubbaray..I love to throw a shot where I can almost go down and in..to a point..If I loop it in most cases I get in trouble..Try holding your hand under the ball with your thumb at six o'clock..At the point of release you want to quickly rotate your wrist and hand from the position of your thumb at six o'clock to 9 o'clock in one swift motion..This will cause your ball to slide(skid) then on the end the weight block will catch up then it will flip(hook)..:)

[hbhammerhead]

listen to bubba he helped me get more revs on the ball. when i was struggling it was because i wasn't cupping my wrist enough. that layout should have a really strong backend hook. saw a guy throw with the same layout. he had med-high rev rate and threw pretty fast and it had great snap on the backend. once you learn to create revs you should have good luck with that drill.

[BWS_Newbie]

You guys are great! Thanks for all the advice. I did notice that I was able to get more revs by cupping the wrist, but I think I'm still building my wrist muscles for this ball. When I was doing it the suitcase handle way I was not cupping at all and so my wrist muscles are not used to that.

I'm stubborn so I think I'll keep trying to get the revs up and curve more for awhile and if that doesn't work I'll go back to down and in. I will try all your suggestions and read the thread that BubbaRay posted. Thanks guys

[Stampy79]

ok guys, I can see why you would call this a s/f layout, but I also see where the mb is. This ball is gonna read the mid lane pretty good. With the oob surface, he my be rolling out also.No one`even asked him about lane conditions.

[BWS_Newbie]

I'm not sure how they oil the lanes. It does seem a lot dryer outside the 10s. I'm not sure how long the oil goes though. I bowl every Sunday morning right when the place opens up and I know they put fresh oil before they open

[BWS_Newbie]

Well, I went bowling for 2 hours this morning and I was doing a lot better than last week. I think my release has improved significantly. I'm no longer straining to cup the ball (I was doing wrist exercises all week to strengthen up). My revs are also increasing due to my improved release. Some things I think I was doing much better were: cupping the ball, not turning my hand to the outside until right before release, keeping thumb straight and elbow straight. It just felt "right" leaving my hand most of the time.

At first I just started going down straight between the 12 and 10 boards (still working on my accuracy) and letting it overhook brooklyn. I was more concerned about practicing my release than hitting the head pin for the first few games. Once I was getting some consistency I started going deeper. At one point I strung together a 4 bagger releasing around the 13 board and going out to the 9 or 8; still not much angle, but I noticed that I have a big phobia about the gutter with this ball. I need to work on my lines as I'm not very consistent with anything but straight it seems.

Another thing I noticed is that the ball seems to roll early for me. I'm not sure if it's dry lanes or if it's my release. The term "full roller" comes to mind but I don't know if that's technically correct. This is something I wasn't paying a lot of attention to as I was trying to work on other parts of my game. I'll have to pay attention more next time.

I appreciate the advice you guys have given me and I think it has helped a lot. I look forward to my next practice session!