I started bowling about two and half years ago, and took last year off due to money issues(getting married drains the pocketbook). I was extremely excited coming into the league this year.

I just switched from a conventional drilled 14# Ebonite Ice to a fingertip 15# Playmaker, and am constantly amazed at the pin action. 199 avg after two weeks. I'm told I've got too much upper body in my delivery, and we'll see what a coach can do. I've got my first session with a Silver level coach tonight.

Lord knows what just reading tips on the internet without any direction has done to my delivery.

Welcome to the site.

Sounds like you are muscling the ball. A coach should definately be able to help you with that.

Oh I know there's a ton of problems, I grip it a little bit, I muscle the ball, I fall off my shot half the time with balance issues. I aim for a target, and tend to throw two boards right of it.

I'm lucky playing on such an easy house shot, I miss outside, the dry brings it right back to the pocket.

Cryssen:

That is with most people who play on house shots. You have a board or 2 either way and you hit pocket. Pull it a touch? Holds in the oil. Push it out too far? Dry boards save the day.

One of the first things that a good coach should go over is your fit. A properly fit ball will do wonders.

Welcome to the site Cryssen and good luck with the coach.

It was a good session, I've begun to stop throwing my elbow out from muscling the ball. I'd have never thought my ball speed would go up when I stopped muscling. He's got me waiting until my slide foot heel hits the floor before I try to hit it. That was the biggest help to stop two or three of my bad habits. I've got a bit less hook this way, but the pin action's about doubled.

Let's hope I can keep things going once league night starts and I feel pressured to strike

When you use muscle you actually slow the ball down. The tightening of the muscle isn't conducive to speed. You are probably getting less hook since you generated more speed. Now its learning to slow the ball speed some to allow the ball to react.

One of the reasons the house I bowl in is tightening the shot is because, as the manager said to me, "there were way too many people with averages well above their abilities", and he was right about that. There must've been, oh, 10 or so people in the scratch league I bowled in who were well above their ability in terms of their average. For them, if they weren't striking, they weren't making spares, either. That just shows you their true colors.

Trying to improve on a house shot is difficult, but it can be done. With an "eagle-eyed coach" you can be critiqued down to a board grain if need be. If you can manage to hit a small area 90% of the time, you can literally kill a house shot. If you can hit a small area 90% of the time, you will find yourself atop many an average board on most conditions regardless. But your body has to be mechanically sound for that to happen. It's not an easy game, but if you're willing to work at it, it has its rewards.

Wow, I'm impressed. Not many managers around who think that way and will actually say and do something about it.

Mark

I don't have any problems with spares, in the first two weeks this year, I've left 4 opens, two of which were splits. I'm comfortable with spares, my mechanics are much better, I trust the ball more on spares than when there's 10 left standing.