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YABowlingT: Can't get a good hook.

P

polm

Diamond Member
Ok, I've only been bowling for about 3 months. I take a lesson once-a-week, and I practice 2-3 more times a week.

I bought a used NIB Track Hexplosion ball ( http://i18.ebayimg.com/04/i/06/ca/81/96_1.JPG ) and had it drilled to fit from the local pro-shop.

I've been working on mastering a pendulum swing (unmuscled) and I'm making some progress in that area.

My major frustration these days, is that I cannot get much hook on the ball. I only get about 5 - 10 boards of hook at best.

So I start with my right foot (I'm right handed) on board 15 - 18, and I targe the 8 - 10 board. This can usually put me in the pocket.

But I want more hook. I'm trying different grib techniques, different wrist positions, different finger placement, etc. etc. Nothing seems to be working.

Any advice for getting more hook?
 
Honestly, if you are taking lessons, that would be the best place to ask. I have only been bowling for real the past 3 months and I get more hook than I really want. My issue is that I don't get as much velocity on the ball as I need.

How fast is your ball moving?
 
Wow I didn't realize that there was this much science to rolling a ball to hit pins. (This coming from a guy who sucks at bowling)
 
Originally posted by: eLiTeGoodGuy
Wow I didn't realize that there was this much science to rolling a ball to hit pins. (This coming from a guy who sucks at bowling)
Click to expand...

It is insanely complicated to get good(average 200).

I am too embarrassed to mention my average but it isn't even close to 200.
 
You can either try and generate more spin by accelerating and snaping your wrist upwards durring your follow through. Or you can take the easy route and have your ball weighted on one side.
 
Originally posted by: Codewiz
Originally posted by: eLiTeGoodGuy
Wow I didn't realize that there was this much science to rolling a ball to hit pins. (This coming from a guy who sucks at bowling)
Click to expand...

It is insanely complicated to get good(average 200).

I am too embarrassed to mention my average but it isn't even close to 200.
Click to expand...

My mom's boyfriend is a very good bowler. He bowls in tournaments, he averages 230-240. I'll ask him for you when he wakes up.
 
Codewiz: I bowl at a very very old lane. No elecronic scoring, or ball speed gauge. I do have a pretty fast throw, though. My instructor is always telling me to "Slow it down".

My instructor feels that focusing on the hook release now would be putting the cart before the horse. He want's me to develope a totally unmuscled swing and to work on my timing. I'm just eager to play with hook techniques, as well.

My instructor encourages me not to score, but I played 3 games with my brother the other day. My average was 120.
 
Originally posted by: polm
Ok, I've only been bowling for about 3 months. I take a lesson once-a-week, and I practice 2-3 more times a week.

I bought a used NIB Track Hexplosion ball ( http://i18.ebayimg.com/04/i/06/ca/81/96_1.JPG ) and had it drilled to fit from the local pro-shop.

I've been working on mastering a pendulum swing (unmuscled) and I'm making some progress in that area.

My major frustration these days, is that I cannot get much hook on the ball. I only get about 5 - 10 boards of hook at best.

So I start with my right foot (I'm right handed) on board 15 - 18, and I targe the 8 - 10 board. This can usually put me in the pocket.

But I want more hook. I'm trying different grib techniques, different wrist positions, different finger placement, etc. etc. Nothing seems to be working.

Any advice for getting more hook?
Click to expand...

Looks like the ball is made for drier lanes. If you are trying to bowl with heavy oil, it won't give you the hook you want.

 
Originally posted by: GuitarDaddy
You can either try and generate more spin by accelerating and snaping your wrist upwards durring your follow through. Or you can take the easy route and have your ball weighted on one side.
Click to expand...

I definitley don't want to take the "easy route". I think my problem lies more in the release than in the follow through.

I'm just not sure what my fingers should be doing to generate the revs.
 
Originally posted by: Rock Hydra
Originally posted by: Codewiz
Originally posted by: eLiTeGoodGuy
Wow I didn't realize that there was this much science to rolling a ball to hit pins. (This coming from a guy who sucks at bowling)
Click to expand...

It is insanely complicated to get good(average 200).

I am too embarrassed to mention my average but it isn't even close to 200.
Click to expand...

My mom's boyfriend is a very good bowler. He bowls in tournaments, he averages 230-240. I'll ask him for you when he wakes up.
Click to expand...

On my good days I can get 100. My best ever was 140. Like I said I'm not very good at it
 
Originally posted by: brandonbull

Looks like the ball is made for drier lanes. If you are trying to bowl with heavy oil, it won't give you the hook you want.
Click to expand...

My instructor mentioned that I might need a new ball for more hook.

I "cooked" my ball the other day to get the built-up oil out of it. I also rub it down with a scotch pad before I practice. That can help a bit, but not much.
 
Originally posted by: brandonbull
Originally posted by: polm
Ok, I've only been bowling for about 3 months. I take a lesson once-a-week, and I practice 2-3 more times a week.

I bought a used NIB Track Hexplosion ball ( http://i18.ebayimg.com/04/i/06/ca/81/96_1.JPG ) and had it drilled to fit from the local pro-shop.

I've been working on mastering a pendulum swing (unmuscled) and I'm making some progress in that area.

My major frustration these days, is that I cannot get much hook on the ball. I only get about 5 - 10 boards of hook at best.

So I start with my right foot (I'm right handed) on board 15 - 18, and I targe the 8 - 10 board. This can usually put me in the pocket.

But I want more hook. I'm trying different grib techniques, different wrist positions, different finger placement, etc. etc. Nothing seems to be working.

Any advice for getting more hook?
Click to expand...

Looks like the ball is made for drier lanes. If you are trying to bowl with heavy oil, it won't give you the hook you want.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I was guessing the lanes themselves could be the problem.
 
This might make you feel a bit better... back in college, my old roommate who graduated and got a job working for the college would go out with a couple other guys (and sometimes myself) to go bowling on Mondays. Well, the one guy was pretty darned good, let me tell you. I used to be a decent bowler... nothing spectacular, but not bad. But that wasn't how well I was bowling that night...

The good bowler that I was talking about ended up with 1 spare and the rest were strikes and I ended up with like a 60-something (lol). He just looks at me and says, "Wow... I've never beat someone by over 200 points before."

He had the perfect hooks as well, tended to stand a bit off-set toward the right and his balls generally broke in toward the end. Another guy with us had a much more angled path (larger hook) on his balls. This seemed to actually make him do worse, as any slight issue could easily send his ball a tiny bit to the right and directly into the gutter. Personally, I'd say (based on what I've observed), you're probably best off with refining what you've got.

It may also give a bit of a laugh that some of my bowling terminology came from proofreading the manga Bowling King 😛. Although, trying to mimic some of the moves from the manga sure made bowling a bit more fun, but that's probably why my score was so bad 😛. My friends also seemed to enjoy making fun of my lavish maneuvers as I tended to drop down after I released and I'd throw my left hand up ( kind of like balancing my movements using my free hand ). They'd call it the "Olé!" :laugh:.
 
Originally posted by: polm
Codewiz: I bowl at a very very old lane. No elecronic scoring, or ball speed gauge. I do have a pretty fast throw, though. My instructor is always telling me to "Slow it down".

My instructor feels that focusing on the hook release now would be putting the cart before the horse. He want's me to develope a totally unmuscled swing and to work on my timing. I'm just eager to play with hook techniques, as well.

My instructor encourages me not to score, but I played 3 games with my brother the other day. My average was 120.
Click to expand...

Trust me, listen to your instructor. I am not talking lessons and I am learning on my own.

I throw about 13mph. Not fast in the least. I am definately muscling my ball down the lane and that leads to complete inconsistency. Just to give you an idea on my night in league

Last week, I bowled a 138 first game. A 206 second game. 102 third game. The difference? My throw was nailing the pocket in my second game and I got a lot of strikes. The other two games, I was getting a lot of open frames because I am not consistent with my throw to pick up spares. If my throw was consistent then I could pick up spares and my average would be 170-180 EASY.

Since I am all over the place depending on my strike ball, I am averaging in my league a 134.

I have learned that your strike ball will come over time with practice but picking up spares is much more important. The key to picking up spares is being consistent with your release.

But if you want more hook slow your ball down. I play on synthetic lanes with medium-dry oil.
 
Your instructor would know way more than we would. Ball does make a huge difference...using my cousin's custom ball (I'm not an elite or even good bowler at all, I do the teenage two-fingers-in curve) I've hit mid-200's, and average a hell of a lot better than with house balls. That's kind of a "duh!" statement, I know.
 
You shouldn't be snapping your wrist to introduce spin. It should be a smooth wrist turn at the end of the throw with a smooth follow through. I use a fingertip ball which helps with the release.

Not sure what you mean by finger placement. You should be putting your fingers in where the holes are drilled.

Your first step is to get a good ball and it looks like you got an appropriate one for a hook.

The lanes and how well they oil the lanes will affect your play as well.
 
Originally posted by: Crucial
Not sure what you mean by finger placement. You should be putting your fingers in where the holes are drilled.
Click to expand...

Your kidding...right? In the holes? Then were am I suppoed to put my M&M's?

Seriously, though. I am talking about the fingers that don't go into the holes. Spread far apart, close together, etc.
 
Originally posted by: Crucial
You shouldn't be snapping your wrist to introduce spin. It should be a smooth wrist turn at the end of the throw with a smooth follow through. I use a fingertip ball which helps with the release.

Not sure what you mean by finger placement. You should be putting your fingers in where the holes are drilled.

Your first step is to get a good ball and it looks like you got an appropriate one for a hook.

The lanes and how well they oil the lanes will affect your play as well.
Click to expand...

Finger placement could mean two things.

How the ball is drilled.

OR

His pinky and index finger placement(spread out or close together). They do play a decent role in how much spin you can get on the ball on release.

 
make sure your ball is made to hook, some balls are weighted diffrenly so that they hook better.

as for your release, finish with your thumb at 10:00. what's what the guy at the proshop told me, and he used to be a professional bowler.

also, how is your ball drilled? is it like a standard bowling ball or do you use finger grips?
 
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