I mentioned before that I bowl each Tuesday with 7 others. We each watch each other and make recommendations freely. The last couple of weeks, I have felt tired and have not scored as well as usual.
Last night, our last meeting of the Summer, one of the bowlers asked, Why am I struggling? He said I am not smooth on the approach and am taking too much energy to deliver the ball.
This could be why I am tiring and not scoring as well.
I bowled for another game and sensed that my dilema is between the top of the back swing and the release. At this time, on bad balls, my back seems to stiffen on the downswing, sometimes muscling the ball, sometimes picking up speed, and sometimes ending up too erect and lose sight of my target.
I have been working on slowing my approach, 5 step, slide on the first, small second. But seem to pick up speed from 3 to slide.
Could I have caused myself to be off balanced or my timing off?
Could my backswing be too high? Could I lean too far forward on the 3rd step? What other problems could I look for to smoothen my approach?
Only one more chance to practice before leagues start. I have to fix it.
Any thoughts?

I usually score high in the first game, but have noticed lower scores the more I bowl, and spares become increasingly difficult in later games. Balls don't finish either leaving more spares to shoot at.

I keep Track of average strikes per game on the House computer. I average 6+ per game. First game last night, I had 8. By the fourth game, I had 2. 8 spare shots and missed 3.

It really sounds like you are ‘muscling’ your arm swing and release IMO, witness your inability to continue to make shots as you tire. I have much the same problem when I try too hard (physically). The pro I have help me got me through this by having me throw a game(s) without trying to impart any revs on the ball during the release. Simply push the ball out, let it swing and most importantly make sure that I ended balanced on my left foot only for the release. He said that by being able to end in that position, my timing at the line would improve. I was amazed, I was throwing a harder hitting ball and was able to hit my mark much more easily. All the revs I was trying to impart on the ball by forcing my swing and hitting up hard on release suddenly came without much effort. Anyway, your specific issues may differ from mine but it certainly sounds like your pressing and not relaxed during your delivery. Good luck this winter.

Sounds to me like you are not making any adjustments for when the lanes break down, so the shot goes away for you. Then maybe in frustration you start muscling more then you were when you felt secure about the shot.

Erin

Brian and Erin
Spent a short time with a trainer who was giving a lesson to another bowler. I asked him the question on my problem. Without a formal lesson, He watched me bowl a few balls and asked if my thumb hole was too large. He recommended I have that changed. In his opinion, I have been gripping the ball to hold on to it, causing tension in my arm, bent elbow and the resulting muscling of the ball. This would be tiring. I have noticed an occasional ball slip out of my hand recently.

Now that I think of it, this problem seems to be consistent with time of the drilling of my 2 new balls, Total Shock & Awe and Scorchin Inferno. I usually start with the TS&A, and when oil breaks down, switch. The drilling patterns and hole sizes, I have been told are the same.

What are your thoughts?

The thumb holes maybe too big if you have lost weight recently.

But people that knuckle or squeeze the ball, seem to be brainwashed into over gripping the ball. And if that's the case with you, then you grip the ball, the hole is too small or you bring it into the shop to have it opened up....they open it up and you just squeeze more to compensate then bring it back the hole is too small.....then you just go to the beginning again. But if they do not open it up in an oval shape then the hole just gets bigger and bigger.

Those that squeeze and knuckle the ball will never find a thumb hole that fits. If you have a callous on the top of your thumb knuckle....you are a knuckler.

Also there's a common habit out there to not put your thumb in all the way. This is not always noticed by a "coach" but should be noticed by a certified coach. Even when you are fitted sometimes people do not put their thumbs in all the way. YOu have to tell them time after time to put their thumb in all the way. Then they reply "but I don't bowl like that". And you fit them with a full thumb fit, and then when they bowl they pull their thumb out to knuckle level out of habit. This ALWAYS causes a bent elbow in the swing.

Erin

The thumb holes maybe too big if you have lost weight recently.

But people that knuckle or squeeze the ball, seem to be brainwashed into over gripping the ball. And if that's the case with you, then you grip the ball, the hole is too small or you bring it into the shop to have it opened up....they open it up and you just squeeze more to compensate then bring it back the hole is too small.....then you just go to the beginning again. But if they do not open it up in an oval shape then the hole just gets bigger and bigger.

Those that squeeze and knuckle the ball will never find a thumb hole that fits. If you have a callous on the top of your thumb knuckle....you are a knuckler.

Also there's a common habit out there to not put your thumb in all the way. This is not always noticed by a "coach" but should be noticed by a certified coach. Even when you are fitted sometimes people do not put their thumbs in all the way. YOu have to tell them time after time to put their thumb in all the way. Then they reply "but I don't bowl like that". And you fit them with a full thumb fit, and then when they bowl they pull their thumb out to knuckle level out of habit. This ALWAYS causes a bent elbow in the swing.

Erin

Hmm, well Dennis, if someone with a good eye for fundamentals watched you and told you you were gripping the ball from a larger thumbhole then that very well may be. A firm indication of this would be blisters at the joint or dropping the ball. Definitely get your grip checked out. In addition to making sure your equipment is up to par, a good technique to get you back into rhythm is to practice your approach and swing before you pick up the ball. It may feel a bit wierd at first, but you will gain a better feel for what your body does to get to the line. Good luck!

Practiced tonight and took into account what you have said.
I was gripping the ball, bending my elbow, and muscling the ball.
I was also, NOT inserting my thumb all of the way in, possibly what caused all of this.
I consciously inserted the thumb , and things became smoother. Never dropped the ball. Practiced swinging from the shoulder, not the elbow, ball rolled much better.
Took a practice swing before each shot which gave me a referrence. Just like taking a swing with a golf club before I hit. And, I didn't tire. Had fun instead.

Will try again tomorrow. Thankx all.

Great Dennis, glad you had a good night and thought of some things that had not occured to you before.

Erin