The Pro Shop guy who drilled my last ball watched me bowl and told me I had a suitcase grip. He tried to tell me to stay behind the ball, but I just can't seem to fix it. Anyone know of any techniqes to get rid of a suitcase grip? Any comments would be appreciated. Thanks.

streakymike.... I have the opposite situation wher I throw a full-roller. By suitcase, if you are right-handed, your thumb is pointed somewhere between 9 and 11 O'Clock and ypour fingers at about 4:30 if I understand correctly. This causes you to come out the side of the ball somewhat and probably decreases your roll and hook. If you turn your wrist counter-clockwise so that your fingers are at about 6 O'clock and directly under the ball you will create an earlier roll and possibly more hook on your shots if you lift through the ball. Depending on the ball you are using, the lane conditions, the drilling and a host of other factors, you may or may not want to switch your hand position. I found that I could get a lot of lift on a conventional drill ball when I was underneath it, but with my aggressive fingertip balls I am now trying to release closer to a suticase release to cut down on some of my early roll, hoping for more of a semi-roller result. Hope this helps a little. A wrist brace might help you stabilize your wrist position so you might want to give that a try as well.

Streakymike,

Mike D did an excellent job of describing the hand position and resultant ball motion characterisitics for a suitcase release.

Allow me to add a few suggested 'remedies'.

As Mike D stated, your thumb is around 9 O'clock. This would indicate your elbow is moving away from your body and pointed in the opposite direction. Try tucking that elbow in and keeping it there. Think of keeping a towel under your arm without dropping it until the follow-through.

Keep in mind that the two fingers that are not in the ball have a definite effect on your release. The pinky and index finger apply pressure to the side of the ball when the wrist is trying remain straight at the release. Not applying pressure or curling the pinky allows the wrist to 'break down' at the release preventing you from staying behind the ball.

If you do decide to get a wrist support, any device that goes across the palm could change the ball fit which would require re-drilling.

Thanks guys, I appreciate your advice. I will defenitely try the techniqe of pretending to try and keep a towel under my arm. I think you are right in that my elbow does go in the opposite direction. I believe the Pro Shop guy said I was a full roller (I'm almost positive he said that). Does this change your advice that you would give me? Also, when trying not to get my wrist to break down, where do I want my index and pinky fingers to apply pressure? Any advice would be appreciated. I'll let you know if I have any success in league on Wednesday. Thanks again.

Hi this is joel with a little something I would
like to add to the suitcase case.
Sunday the 5th I bowled in a tournament in tinley
park Ill. centenial lanes. I used the suitcase
release even though I never bowled in this place
before. It was a team event and my team is looking
good for third place. My games were 214-148-202
Ouch that 148 was brain work. I moved a board
left from 21 and never should have. The suitcase
release works, thanks everyone, rich,judy and all
you gave me some help in the past. joel

The guys here did a great job explaining that, I would just like to add one thing. The "suitcase grip" is actually, for me, a great way of throwing a straight ball. The suitcase grip, coupled with my spare ball, have actually helped me go from about 35-50% of my 10 pins, to now making like 90%. You might want to think of keeping that grip when you have to throw a straight ball for a single pin spare.

Hi Mike,
I'm not a pro and not sure I could give you any
good advice, BUT just want you to know,
there aren't many of us that have the
'suitcase' grip.

I learned to bowl late fifties, the person showed
me one grip.....'suitcase'. I never realized
there were other ways to throw the ball.

Sorry, I'm not one to learn new things if the
old ones work.

I throw a great straight ball and when the ball
hits the pocket, the pins fly. I've had people
question me as to where I learned the grip, and
they are amazed with the results.

I'm glad I didn't change my technique over the
years. I can't explain how or why it works for
me. I know, thru practice and patience, as in anything one tries to accomplish, eventually the results will show.

I'm 59 years old and love to bowl!! Some might
call be a fanatic. I'm the "cheer leader" on
my two leagues.

I noticed on your profile you have a 203 average,
741 high series and bowled 299 twice. I'd say
if your doing this well with the 'suitcase',
I wouldn't change.

I've observed many bowlers, and noticed this past
year, some are going back to throwing
the straight ball.

Judy
Phoenix, Az