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Bo-Fish Bowling News
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Ask Bob by Bob Korth |
Article Archive #7
April 1, 2008
Q. I average 205 and am 45 years old. The person who runs the pro-shop where I get my equipment says I need to overhaul my game. He says I bowl to noisy, that I need to lay the ball down earlier and not loft it so much. What do you think?
A. Setting the ball down earlier is the method of delivery taught for today's conditions. Instructors are after a release that emphasizes a long flat swing that derives its power by going through the shot with the follow through and not lifting up on the ball. In other words no hitting up on the ball. Today's bowling balls have a tendency to over react if you hit up on the ball. Now the answer for you I don't think your noisy release is that big of a deal. You were taught this way as I was. We used to have to lift the ball to be effective. We have done it our way for years and been successful. I surmise you are not planning to go on the Pro Tour anytime soon. Averaging 205 is not too bad so I would not worry about being a little noisy on the lanes. You can improve with practice and some equipment changes.
Q. I am male in my 40's I am just beginning to bowl. I want to get my own ball but don't know what weight ball I should get. I use a 12 or 13 lb. house ball and it feels comfortable. Any suggestions?
A. Any able bodied man should be able to use a ball between 14 and 16 lbs. Using a ball lighter than 14 lbs. can impact pin carry and result in lower scores. I would go to your local pro shop and have them watch you bowl. They will suggest to you after seeing you bowl what the best weight will be for you. Also do me a favor and while you are getting this new ball buy a good pair of your own shoes and ask to get a series of lessons. This will add much to your enjoyment of the game. The lessons will get you off on the right path and help to save you hours of trying to break bad habits later on. Good luck and enjoy your new equipment.
Q. Is it safe ordering bowling Equipment on the Internet?
A. I don't know about all of the sites but I think most are reputable. I have a personal friend who owns blockbusterbowling.com and he is the most honest guy I know. So I know you are safe going to his site. One thing to remember when buying online though you will save money on a bowling ball you still have to get it drilled. Some of the sites will drill the ball for you with an extra charge if you send them your specs. But you will get exactly what you send in and it won't be worked out. You also have to let them know what balance you want. So you better get it right. If you get the blank ball your local pro shop will charge a higher fee for drilling than he would for a ball bought in his shop. Just a heads up.
March 1, 2008
Q. Is it OK to bowl right and left handed in the same league?
A. No, it is not legal to use both hands in a USBC league. You have to use one or the other. This is because you are establishing an average and your obligation is to try to do the best you can at all times. You are allowed to bowl with both hands if you want in separate leagues and your association will list your average as right or left. This will not give you the right to bowl in tournaments with either right or left. Most tournament rules stipulate use your highest league average. Some scratch tournaments will allow you to use either hand at any time but you must ask the tournament director before you do. If you don't ask you run the risk of being disqualified. In all handicap tournaments switching hands is not allowed at any time.
Q. When I buy a ball at my local pro shop the owner there always sells me the most expensive ball. I am beginning to wonder does he have my needs in mind or does he just make more money on the high-end ball?
A. In most cases I would say the owner is probably on your side. Most pro shop operators want to keep their customers happy. They want to help you with what they think you need in your arsenal. They would make a little more on a high-end ball but not enough to risk losing a customer. They make more money selling you the other sundry items in the shop. Because he wants to keep you happy he might be afraid to sell you a lower priced ball. He might be thinking you won't be happy unless you have the very best. Tell him how you feel that maybe a mid-priced ball would be good for your game. There are some very good mid-priced balls on the market today and even some entry-level balls that would fit in anybody's arsenal.
Q. I see some bowlers using finger and thumb inserts and some don't. I am the latter. When should a person use grips and why?
1.. This is strictly a matter of choice. The reason most people use a thumb slug is so that any ball regardless of texture inside the ball each will feel the same. Those who use finger grips believe that they provide more leverage. This is true you will create more lift with the fingers at release. However it comes at a price. Finger grips put more strain on the tendons. I personally do not use slugs or finger grips. I like the tackiness of the reactive balls on my thumb. I have weak fingers and grips make my arm sore. So as you see it just a matter of preference.
February 1, 2008
Q. I Just bought a brand new Roto Grip bowling ball and the first time I bowled with it was at an alley with synthetic lanes I bowled 8 games and everything was great. However the second time that it was used, was at an alley that had wood lanes and the ball got an abnormally large amount of scratches on it. I counted them and there are over 200 scratches right in the track, some are very faint however the majority of them are deeper. I am wondering what the average wear and tear on a bowling ball is because when I bought my ball to the manager of this alley he told me there was nothing in which they could do because its "Normal wear and tear." So what is "normal?" Thanks so much for your help!!!
A. The simple answer is yes this is normal wear and tear. This is called the ball track. And yes it is normal for the ball to get scratches in the ball track. They run side to side across the ball. After some time you won't even be able to count them. This is why some maintenance is required on a ball. After 50 to 100 games depending on where you bowl it would be good to take the ball back where you bought it and have them resurface the ball. They will sand it and polish the ball to make the surface in the ball track area smoother. This will help the balls performance over the long haul. The ball is in contact with the lane it will get ball track scratches. It will also in time get some other nicks here and there on other places on the ball. This is caused by the pinsetter picking it up and even a loose screw or other things in the pinsetter or in the track that returns the ball. They can be as much as 1/ 32 to 1/16th deep. If they are not in the ball track they won't hurt performance. The ball track scratches can be smoothed over but never taken completely out. After a time bowling balls wear out and need to be replaced. But the normal ball track won't affect the ball much for at least a year or two. As long as you have it resurfaced periodically.
Q. How can you tell if a ball after drilling needs a weight hole? Do all drilled balls need a weight hole?
A. I will answer your second question first. No, not all bowling balls need a weight hole after drilling. The weight hole is put in the ball to remove a small amount of weight from a certain part of the ball to make in legal by USBC standards. When a ball is drilled so the fingers and thumb are over the cg mark, then no weight hole is necessary. Ball drillers will many times drill the ball off label to attain a certain roll characteristic. This will create the desired ball reaction but will lead to an imbalance. The USBC rules allow for only 3 ounces of top weight and only one ounce of finger, thumb or side weight. To return an offset drilling to USBC specifications the driller then puts in a weight hole to bring the ball back to legal. The way this is checked is with a scale called a Dodo scale. It weighs both total weight and the smaller offset weights. Ask your local pro shop operator they would be glad to show you how this works.
Q. I have just returned to the game following a six-year absence. I need to get some new equipment. My preference would be to get Storm balls because I had great success with them before. My local pro shop is saying go with Ebonite. What would you do?
A. I would say to go with comfortable. Honestly all the ball companies are making the best equipment that has ever been made. They have all spent a lot of time in research and development. Ebonite is a fine company but if you like Storm then stay with Storm. FYI Storm also makes Roto Grip and they have a new release called the Cell that is getting rave reviews. You might want to try one.
January 1, 2008
Q. Help! The guy's I bowl league with are always telling me I am standing on 30 and aiming at 13. This is Greek to me what are they talking about?
A. They are talking about the boards they are using on the lane to play certain shots. Let me explain. The arrows on the lane are put on boards on the lane. The arrows are placed five boards apart. The first arrow is the five board it is placed five boards from the gutter. The second arrow is the ten board; the 3rd arrow is the fifteen board. The 4th arrow or center arrow is the 20 board. Counting from the right then the next arrow is the 5th and is the 25th board. Next is the 30. So standing on the 30 is lining your foot up on the board two arrows to the left of the center arrow. Then shooting the 13 board would be trying to hit the spot 3 boards to the left of the 2nd arrow. That is the thirteenth board. Right-handers count from the right hand gutter to the left starting at one. Left-handers count starting at the left hand gutter and go right. Boards one to forty.
Q. I started bowling about 5 years ago; I am an 180+ average but still struggle with thumb fit. I feel at the start of league bowling the thumb is a little loose and I have a tendency to grab, as the thumb swells it feels better. But I am not comfortable with having a tight thumb as some suggest. Any thoughts other then using tape?
A. The answer here is to tape or use something to help adjust your grip. I also am not a fan of taping the ball as such. I have found a great product that really helps me with my thumb problems. It is called Magic Carpet it goes in the back of the thumbhole just as tape does. But the yarn of the carpet keeps from building up suction. So you can keep the hole fairly tight but still get out without squeezing. One of these takes the place of 3 pieces of white tape so you don't have to layer it. You can also place it in the hole two different ways. One way with the yarn down for a slower release and the other way with the yarn going up for a quicker release. It is not a product that is widely available in pro shops. It is a grass roots product. I am a distributor so if you would like to try it send me a self-addressed, self-stamped 2 stamps please #10 envelope with $20.00. I will send you 10 Magic Carpets. These last a long time. I will also send you instructions for their use. Bob Korth 750 Hemlock Ave. Central Point, Oregon 97502. Or email me if you have more questions about them. askbob@clearwire.net
Q. I needed a ball that would go longer. I went to the pro shop and asked about getting a weaker entry-level ball. The pro shop told me I would not be happy with a cheap ball. They suggested a more expensive ball then tweak the drilling and the cover to get more length. What is your opinion?
A. I don't want to make any pro shop operators mad but in most cases the shop will make more money on a more expensive ball. They are in the business of making money. I used to be in the pro shop business and my first concern is to help the customer. Your pro shop may have had some bad experiences with entry-level balls. I never did if one of my customers wanted a certain ball I sold them that ball and drilled it to the best of my ability. What your pro shop suggested will work and may give you a little more hitting power than an entry level ball but I have had good luck myself with entry level balls as a part of my arsenal. They are generally weaker but still a very good piece of equipment to have for some shots. Sometimes weaker can be better. If they won't sell you the ball you want go to another shop. I am sure someone will help you. A sale is a sale.
December 1, 2007
Q. Hi, I've been bowling for a year. Last year I got a new bowling ball. When I got the ball, the pro-shop owner told me to give him the ball every 6 months so that he can sand and polish it. He says that this will make the ball last longer and charges me $25 each time. Does this really help the ball?
A. Yes, it does help the ball retain performance. He should also remove some of the soaked up oil. If he has the means to do this. Regular maintenance is the key to getting the most out of the equipment you buy. But there is a point of no return. After a couple of seasons it may be time to consider a new purchase. Here is another tip clean the ball with a USBC approved ball cleaner after each bowling session.
Q. I use no thumb when bowling and have a lot of hook and a high spin rate. What would be the best type of ball for me?
A. Because of the high spin rate you want a low rg ball. You need a ball that will give you a mid-lane read. If you don't know what bowling balls have a low rg. Ask your pro shop operator. They can help you to make the right choice. You may even need to have a matte or sanded finish to help gain that mid-lane read.
Q. If I keep leaving ten pins, what are the best adjustments?
A. Leaving the ten pin is a fact of bowling life. The ten pin is caused because the ball did not finish high enough in the pocket. Even the solid ten is just a fraction light. Or the ball just finished a smidgen late.
Just remember everyone leaves some tens and it seems like more these days because on most house shots it's easier to hit the pocket. More shots in the pocket makes it feel like more 10's. So practice those spares try not to let those single pin spares get away.
That said there are a couple of things to try when it seems that you are leaving more tens than normal.
You can move one board further out the idea being to get the ball up higher in the pocket. Keep your speed up when doing this or you will go high.
You can move inside one board and slow down your speed. Be sure and take a little hand out of the ball or it could go high.
You can move the spot you are looking at closer to you to get the ball into an earlier roll. For instance if you are looking at the arrows then look just in front of the arrows 2 or 3 feet. This gets the ball into an earlier roll. Again make sure you keep your ball speed up or the ball may roll high.
You can change balls to one that hooks a little earlier.
November 1, 2007
Q. I am a right-handed bowler and here is my question. Should my right foot be touching the floor and my right hand be over my head after I release the ball?
A. Your follow thru should take your hand over your head. This should happen in a smooth motion. If you can learn to keep your right foot on the approach it does help to keep you balanced. This is not a hard fast rule there have been many great bowlers who lift their foot. But the more solid we are at the line the better. So keeping the trailing foot down helps.
Q. I have been leaving a lot of splits lately. My bowling friends tell me I am throwing the ball too slow and that I should try a lighter ball. I am using a 14-pound ball now would going down in weight increase my ball speed, and help to eliminate splits?
A. The lighter weight will increase ball speed but going below 14 pounds will begin to decrease your carry. You might not go high as often but you may leave more pocket splits due to the lighter weight. So before going down in weight give this a try. Get yourself a coach and ask him/her to help you develop a free arm swing. You may be able to take slightly longer steps and by raising the ball higher at the beginning of the push away generate speed naturally with the longer approach and free arm swing. This will take some practice to get it down but would be worth it. The 14-pound ball is fine and has great carry but there begins to be a loss of carry as you go down from 14.
Q. I've been an average league bowler for about 8 years or so now and I can't look down the lane to determine the oil pattern. Is it possible to see the oil pattern before you throw the ball? I've been told to throw a plastic ball during the first couple of balls on warm up to determine how well the oil is. Is that a good way to determine what the oil pattern is like?
A. It is hard to tell the oil pattern by looking at the lanes. The best way to find it is by throwing the ball. No I don't believe the plastic ball will tell you anything. I use what i call a benchmark ball. It is a ball in my arsenal that I know very well. I know the balls characteristics, when it hooks, where it hooks and how much it hooks. I watch it a few times and try to determine the conditions for this outing. Where the break point is and how to play the lanes inside or outside line. Then I can change balls if needed based on the info I get with the ball I know best.
October 1, 2007
Q. I had a very bad time in league the first couple of weeks of the season. Then we had a tournament on the weekend. I was even worse than during league. I am sure it was due to not being in a good frame of mind after the bad start. How do the pro's and better bowlers keep their mental attitude positive from week to week?
A. To be a great player or a very good player you have to have AMNESIA. If you struggle one game or one night or even one week you need to lose your memory. Forget it as if it didn't happen. This is not to say if you are lined up wrong you don't change to another line. But if you are close and you know it then maybe it just wasn't your time. Wipe it from the memory bank and go on to the next game or series. Letting a bad night eat at you is the major reason bowlers go into slumps. Most slumps are mental not physical. You know how to bowl, hit your mark and make your spares and let your natural game take back over.
Q. I'm trying to determine a relationship between core type and reaction. Can you clarify this for me?
A. There are 3 core types on the market. The main two are the symmetrical and asymmetrical. What you get with the symmetrical is a more controllable skid, hook and roll. The asymmetrical core causes more skid flip. It tends to react stronger when it encounters the dry area of the lane. The 3rd is the old pancake weight block there isn't many of these on the market today except in spare balls. There are a few with reactive cover-stock they are usually in the lowest price class. They tend to go longer and snap hard. In today's game the first two are the most relevant. As for what's best for you ask your pro shop operator to watch you and determine what would be best for your game.
Q. How many different combination of spares are there if you could not knock down all the pins on your first shot?
A. There are 1023 possible spare combinations. Now many of these would be unusual but you can see why it is a must to develop a good spare shooting system. If you don't have one ask a coach or a pro shop operator if they can help you with a spare shooting system.
September 1, 2007
Q. Bob, how do you locate your PAP?
A. The easiest way is to draw a line in yellow or white grease pencil around your ball track near the top of the track. Then place it in a spinner track down. Move the ball until the track you drew with the pencil is stable. Then just put the grease pencil on the top of the ball while it is spinning and make a solid circle. This is your positive axis point. You can do it while bowling with a piece of tape. Put a piece of white tape on the positive side of the ball. That is the side away from the ring finger hole. Guess at where you might think center is then move the tape until it is stable when you first throw the ball. It will stay stable for about 30ft. Then it will move because of the flair. That's OK you are just looking for the first 30 ft. To measure your PAP draw a line through the center of grip over toward the center of the ball. Then draw a line up or down to the dot you drew or the tape from that center line. Then measure the distance over from center of grip to the line. Then measure how far up or down the dot or tape is. You will get a figure like 5 over and 1/2 up or down. This is your individual PAP Everyone is different mine is 6 over and 1/4 up. This means 6 inch's over from center of grip and 1/4 up from center of grip.
Q. My name is Sasawat from Thailand, just out of curiosity, I have heard that " ball from the first arrow can create more powerful in pin carry and pin reaction, at the same time, it is cause of painful split" does this make sense and what about your opinion?
1.. The more angle you can create into the pocket the more pin carry you will have. However you can't always go to the first arrow and play if the shot at your lanes won't play there. This depends on the oiling pattern. If the lanes are too dry then the ball could hook to the nose and cause splits .As always finding the correct place to play on the lanes whatever that is , is the first priority.
Q. I am bowling in a PBA experience league. I am normally very accurate but I seem to be very tight in this league and things aren't going well. Do you have any suggestions for my improvement?
A. I see one thing in your question that raises red flags. That is the statement Normally accurate but now tight. When we are on a normal house shot with mega boards outside we are all very accurate. When the shot is tight we are all tight. When the shot is tight it is even more important than at any other time to keep the arm swing loose. This is not an easy thing to do because when the shot is tight the tendency is to help or steer. This is the worst thing you can do. Steering the ball on a tight shot magnifies mistakes. Staying loose minimizes mistakes. It is a mental state that is not easy to achieve but worth it if you do. Your mind is saying control will win but it is just the opposite. The loose arm swing and confidence in that swing will win out.
August 1, 2007
Q. I've-mailed you several times in the past and decided you might be the best to ask on this. I'm starting to work with a guy who will be bowling with me this year in one of my scratch leagues. He drills his own equipment and helps out in a local shop. He can be overly technical and sometimes out thinks himself. Question I have is, he insists he can only drill pin over layouts because of his high track. Anytime he has tried pin under it hits holes. What can he do?
A. There are some bowlers who track closer to the fingers than their thumb. If the pin is under the fingers or closer to the midline, it might flare over the finger holes for high track players. They must remember to position the pin on or above a line drawn from the PAP to the finger holes. Because they are limiting themselves to specific drill patterns, it would be wise to change the ball release. He needs more axis of rotation (side turn) to bring the ball back to the pocket. He also needs more axis tilt (spin) to lower his track. Think of throwing an underhand spiral with a football. Your hand is behind and under the ball. The hand and fingers turn from under and behind and up off the side. If, with practice, he could incorporate some of this technique in his release, his track should lower and his side roll should increase.
Q. Where is the best strike line to attack a synthetic lanes gutter to gutter light oil 28 feet long oiling pattern?
A. Not knowing how you throw the ball makes this tough. But if you hook the ball pretty good then I have to believe that you need to play them deep inside. Seventeen board to 4th arrow. With short oil trying to play out side if you miss a little you miss by miles. At least inside you should be able to find a place where you get some consistent reaction.
Q. I recently started learning the game of bowling. I bought two high performance balls from the same pro shop. My problem is that after playing regularly I found that my balls were drilled wrong. They took out the weight block without telling me why or waiting to see how I played, my fingers are spread too far apart and my thumb is too far out, which doesn't allow me to slide it all the way in. Instead my thumb is goes in to the first joint and is now causing pain/ and a knot on my thumb from rubbing the ball. Because of this overall drilling I'm having to work/muscle the ball down the lane instead of allowing it to work for me. I'm now upset, out of $400 bucks for two balls and now don't know whom to trust! I don't understand how the sport/pro shops have unqualified people drilling balls. As someone new to the sport this is very disappointing. I've joined two leagues and practicing every chance I get. I've talked to several good local bowlers who pointed me to another pro shop that's known for drilling properly. Should I take my ball in for redrilling or are my balls damaged beyond repair, which now means I have to buy new balls.
A. Great question, as with any business you can sometimes run into one who is incompetent. So it is always best if possible to ask around for recommendations. I am truly sorry you had such a bad experience. Now what do you do?
First I would go back to that Pro Shop ask for the owner and show him/her the problem. Give them first chance to fix things for you. Maybe the owner had someone working for him that is not as experienced as he thought. Tell the owner what you feel is wrong with the way they are drilled; maybe they can explain why they drilled the balls this way.
Be as reasonable as you can, they can be fixed (plugged) and re-drilled. but you could first try to get them replaced. If they get replacements for you consider taking them elsewhere to be drilled. This will cost you new drilling fees. If the Pro Shop refuses to stand behind their work contact the owner of the bowling Center if the shop is in a center and tell him/her about the problem. Maybe the Center will help you with the shop. Sometimes the shop is owned by the Center.
If they still don't take care of you. Take the balls to the pro shop that was recommended and have them fix the balls. They are not ruined they can be fixed but they may need to be plugged. This does not hurt the ball but you can sometimes see the repair. Still this is cheaper than replacement.
July 1, 2007
Q. Hi, I bowl straight and hit the pocket, but a lot of times 1 or 2 pins will remain standing, I have a storm 14lb polyester ball now, average mph is 17.5. Right hand bowler hitting the 1-3 pin at a slight angle. Average score on the nights are 160-165. Would getting better ball help my performance? For example something with a core and have it drilled for straight bowling, or up the weight of the bowling ball?
A. Better carry is achieved by the entry angle of the ball at the pocket. That is why a hook ball has better carry. You could take some lessons and learn to throw the hook ball this would be the best solution if you want to improve your game long term. If you are in it more for a fun evening then stay with the straight ball and try to move as far right as possible. This will gain you entry angle with out a hook. A better ball a reactive or particle will help because the deflection would be less at the pins. For the straight player the heavier ball you can use the better this will also cut down on deflection.
Q. What exactly does top weight mean, and how important is it when buying a new ball? Also what ball adjustment has the most effect?
A. Top weight is placed in the ball so that the finger holes can be drilled into the ball and keep a bottom weight imbalance from happening. Drilling the holes takes out weight being heavier on the top allows for the taking of this weight. Extra top weight is not as important as it once was. Pin placement is the most important thing now. The most important ball adjustment these days is altering the surface of the ball by polishing or sanding.
Q. I am thinking about dropping down in weight on my balls. I am throwing 15lbs but I want to go down to a 14lbs. Now what I want to know would that give me more hook?
A. I can't tell you absolutely you will gain more hook. There are many variables to getting hook. You could gain some hook because the lighter weight is easier to turn. The problem is you can also throw it harder. Speed can take away hook. What going down in weight does do is increase control, and without giving up carry. The new bowling balls carry just about the same in 14, 15 or 16 lbs. After going down to 14 if you aren't gaining hook take a couple of lessons to find out why your hook is down. This can probably be fixed with some minor changes and practice.
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