If you hit up on the ball during the realease what does that make you stylewise?

For example when I release the ball my thumb is at about 10-11 o clock(RH) and I rip straight up through the ball at the release point, which generates revs. Sometimes I keep the arm locked out all the way through the follow though and project the ball further down the lane to take something off the ball. Other times I will break the wrist slightly and point the thumb towards the target to kill the rotations for spares.

Also lets add a twist to this, I do not have a middle finger so I use my ring and pinky fingers which natyrally keeps me under the ball more.

They plant their foot and force/pull the ball through and chuck it down the lane. I refer to them as "plant and spray" crankers.

This is much different than the pro's who have a much freer arm swing and still manage to get a lot of revs on the ball. They are fluid, smooth and under control. These others force the ball all over the place and try and rip the cover off of it.

That makes you similar to what people did in the days of plastic and urethane. There's no need to do that at all anymore. The pros don't do it either. Jason Couch said that in the old days he used to feel the ball on his fingers as he ripped through it. Today, he feels absolutely nothing on his fingers. Hitting up on the ball is counter productive today. On tougher patterns it will be even worse. You'll get nasty over under.

So, what exactly are you supposed to do? Suitcase the ball?

Where did you get to suitcasing the ball from? Are you saying you can't stay behind and under the ball without hitting up on it? Follow through long and low; instead of ripping up on the finger holes, just let the ball roll off your hand. The people you pointed out - PDW, Sean Rash, PA, Jason Couch, etc. all have long, low follow throughs. Robert Smith is the only one that hits up on it, and he is trying to reduce that. He also has the fewest titles (aside from Rash, give him time) of anyone on your list.

It seems like you want to argue for argument's sake - if so, there are other boards you would fit in on, and you should go there. Apologies if I am mistaken.

Honestly, that's the impression I've gotten so far as well.

If thats the way you want to take it, I cannot change your mind. I am just trying to figure out, what the experts on this board are saying is the proper way.

Remember I haven't bowled much since 1988, so its a little hard to take when people tell you, that you don't know how to bowl, even though I can shoot 220+ nearly everytime I go practice.

So when I ask what is wrong you have to expect that I will be skeptical. Espescially when your advice goes against everything that I learned was correct. Not hitting the ball means no carry as far as I know, but now I am being told NOT to hit the ball and just dump it off my hand.

The sport has changed a lot since then.

First off, I'd recommend subscribing to Bowling This Month.

A couple good sites by really good coaches are Ron Clifton's and Joe Slowinski's:

http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/roncarchive.htm
http://www.bowlingknowledge.info

Here is one specific to follow through and not hitting up:

http://bowlingknowledge.info/images/stories/mt_follow_through_like_a_pro_sept_1_2006.pdf

And one about how the pros get such revs without hitting up or forcing the shot:

http://www.bowlingknowledge.info/images/stories/slowinskiapr08.pdf

Re: 220+, are you practicing on a house shot? House shots mask myriad flaws, and many that carry 200+ averages on a house shot struggle to hit 170 on a sport shot. If you want to see how good you are, join a PBAX league.

So what I consider killing the ball is the proper release now. Straight arm follow through down the lane as opposed to the bent elbow to the right ear. How is the carry when you do this? Used to be that you may bang the pocket but not carry corner pins without hitting the ball.