Confused!!

[Ray1010]

hi im new to bowling i just started to get serious about it in the middle of last year and knew nothing about it.i was using the ebonite tornado and had an average of 121 and then recently for christmas i got the black widow and now im consistantly throwin 160-180 games i recently just threw my first 200 game. i bowl everyday and well ive been lining up almost all the way to the right and ive been throwing the ball between the last 2 arrows on the right and itll just roll and then have alot of backend.anyways id see these guys with the big hooks and get intimidated so ive been trying to work on mine but it seems that i cant get the ball to rev up quickly upon my realese it just sort of rolls the revs up.any tips?my ball is the original black widow with well its a strong layout but i told my pro shop (wayne webb's hall of fame pro-shop) that i didnt want the extra hole so he said he'll offset something and itll still have a strong layout.i bowl on medium oiled lanes.need help guys.thanks.P.S even though im a beginer who learns fast im still gonna always be a hammerhead for life!

[jedi47]

Why do you think you need the "BIG" hook?????
The winningest bowler of all time (Walter Ray Williams Jr.) DOESN'T need or rely on the "BIG" hook.
I'm more than happy to toss my down & in shot with a medium hook & beat 90% of the people in my area who throw the "Hollywood" hooks.
ACCURACY is a more important factor to scoring well on a consistent basis!

[Mike_N_Nashville]

Hi Ray and welcome.

I agree with Jedi that you need to try and bowl the style that more suits you than try to change your game to what you want or think you need.

Most people I know that bowl the big hook shots seem to have have naturally higher speed and revs and have to bowl that line.

I personally also prefer a down and in shot and have recently naturally, by working with a coach, begun to slightly increase my revs and ball speed and playing in a little but am still only shooting about the 12 board at the arrows to the 7 board at the breakpoint.

Mike

[Ray1010]

thanks guys.Yea the down and in shot does work very well for me even though i dont start out with alot of revs the ball does pick up and deliver alot of backend and i have way more control and more accuracy with the way im bowling now.i dont see anything topping the hammer black widow series.

[Lonewolf300800]

as the saying goes, "straighter is greater". don't give up on your straight shot, as long as you're hitting the pocket and carrying don't change it. a big hook ball, or as i call it, a rainbow ball looks good, but on certain conditions it can get a bowler in trouble. stick with what works for you, but go ahead and experiment with the rainbow shot in practice. it may come in handy for you on certain lane conditions.

[JoshWithrow]

hi im new to bowling i just started to get serious about it in the middle of last year and knew nothing about it.i was using the ebonite tornado and had an average of 121 and then recently for christmas i got the black widow and now im consistantly throwin 160-180 games i recently just threw my first 200 game. i bowl everyday and well ive been lining up almost all the way to the right and ive been throwing the ball between the last 2 arrows on the right and itll just roll and then have alot of backend.anyways id see these guys with the big hooks and get intimidated so ive been trying to work on mine but it seems that i cant get the ball to rev up quickly upon my realese it just sort of rolls the revs up.any tips?my ball is the original black widow with well its a strong layout but i told my pro shop (wayne webb's hall of fame pro-shop) that i didnt want the extra hole so he said he'll offset something and itll still have a strong layout.i bowl on medium oiled lanes.need help guys.thanks.P.S even though im a beginer who learns fast im still gonna always be a hammerhead for life!

Ray,

It sounds like you have an easily controllable shot. I've chased one of those for almost 3 years now.

Take it from a "big hook"er (lol?)... you have the better shot. Throwing a big hook opens you up for more chance at errors. Use what you have and don't worry about what Jones over there is doing because he's more concerned with how much his ball hooks instead of how it hits. He likes what it does on the lanes, and you're working on what yours does at the pins. Keep what you have and you'll find it invaluable.

I used to be (still can be) a channel to channel hooker. And I had a long road of 140-150 averages. But in the last year I've been able to much refine my straighter game and I'm consistently bowling 600 series and my average is up to 182.

Good luck.

[TenPinSniper]

Ray,

It sounds like you have an easily controllable shot. I've chased one of those for almost 3 years now.

Take it from a "big hook"er (lol?)... you have the better shot. Throwing a big hook opens you up for more chance at errors. Use what you have and don't worry about what Jones over there is doing because he's more concerned with how much his ball hooks instead of how it hits. He likes what it does on the lanes, and you're working on what yours does at the pins. Keep what you have and you'll find it invaluable.

I used to be (still can be) a channel to channel hooker. And I had a long road of 140-150 averages. But in the last year I've been able to much refine my straighter game and I'm consistently bowling 600 series and my average is up to 182.

Good luck.

Josh is a Hook'er...:eek: We'd never have guessed.

There are actually advantages to both shots.
-On one side you have the accurate shot making skills of WRW, who usually does not generate a lot of hook with his shots.

-On the other side you have Tommy Jones, the fast guy to ten wins on the tour and probably the gonna be the fastest guy to a Million in winnings.

Straighter shot generally require more accurate shot making ability, which is a very good thing if you ever get on a tough pattern. Less room for error.

Bigger hooking shots usually don't require the same accuracy, but on tougher shots they can be a work good and bad. Some of the challenges can be consistent revs, ball speed, controlling the break point... (Some of these challenges apply to straighter too...) Gives you generally greater room for error, because of entry angle, revs and speed. But those same traits, can be disadvantages as well.

If you really want to add this depth to your game it might be good to get a coach to help.

[mr_kennedy]

probably like most bowlers, ive been on both ends of the stick, i started out as a down and in shot, and started generating too much revs for that particular line so im now a "big hooker" (that did sound wrong) :eek: lol,

i prefere the big hook approach, yes its not as accurate but u get more lines to work with, people who throw an down and in shot only have 1 maybe 2 lines to work with but big hookers have atleast 3 or 4, 6 on dry lanes :p (yes im biased but i dont care about beating the other guys hook i just bowl better with big shots and feel more comfortable aswell)

i do however occaisonally play the down and in shot, its more of a if all else fails line :D (ducks)

[Rowdy]

Ray,keep what you've got. Your shot will keep you in more game sand score higher over the long haul than a huge hook will. Need proof? I've seen WRW on the tube,where's TJ been? The only reason that Maximum Bob even made a show was because of a trick shot. The crankers come and go,but the power strokers roll on forever.

[idlehourlegend]

I'd say learn the big hook shot, but DO NOT forget how to play straight up. This will make you a lot more versitile, when the straight up shot is drying up you can move in deep and play the big hook. Or when theres carry down on the big hook shot and it stops coming back, move and play straight up. I can do both and its a big advantage cause you can play anywhere.

[BubbaRay]

I have to agree with idlehour. Keep the straight up shot as you line to the pocket. In the meantime learn to play the hook shot. On different conditions you will may have to go with the hook instead of the straight shot.

Think of WRW. We all know and watch Walter through mostly straight up. But how many of us have seen Walter play 15 out to 5? I have. Makes him more versitale and it will make you more versitale also.

Now will someone teach me how to play straight up? :D

[JoshWithrow]

Now will someone teach me how to play straight up? :D

Apparently we have to bowl with only our thumbs in the ball lol...

[BubbaRay]

Apparently we have to bowl with only our thumbs in the ball lol...


Now there's an idea I never thought of ;)

[idlehourlegend]

Now there's an idea I never thought of ;)

Dont do it, I tryed it throwing a spare ball after I seen Billy O do it and even with the other hand on it I still almost dropped it on my foot.

[Sparehater]

U know idle, its actually pretty easy. Although what i do now, is put my thumb in first, that way i don't get any lift on it at all.

[JoshWithrow]

Dont do it, I tryed it throwing a spare ball after I seen Billy O do it and even with the other hand on it I still almost dropped it on my foot.

lol

I'm sorry... I know it's not funny... but I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall when that went down :D And I've tried it as well. I can't hold onto the ball, either.

[idlehourlegend]

lol

I'm sorry... I know it's not funny... but I'd have loved to have been a fly on the wall when that went down :D And I've tried it as well. I can't hold onto the ball, either.

lol I made sure I did it in rockn bowl so nobody saw, but it was really funny.

[BubbaRay]

Dont do it, I tryed it throwing a spare ball after I seen Billy O do it and even with the other hand on it I still almost dropped it on my foot.

C'mon, don't you want a good laugh tonight?:D

[idlehourlegend]

C'mon, don't you want a good laugh tonight?:D

LOL....Beating those kids will give me a good enough laugh, no need to get hurt.

[BubbaRay]

:D I know. Just me trying to throw the ball tonight will give everyone a big laugh. 1st step cough / 2nd step cough / 3rd step cough / 4th stpe cough / 5th step and release....... OOOOOPS !

[VmsTopGun]

Dont do it, I tryed it throwing a spare ball after I seen Billy O do it and even with the other hand on it I still almost dropped it on my foot.

did you put both thumbs in???

[idlehourlegend]

did you put both thumbs in???

lol, Nope only 1, might have worked better with both.