That really depends on your definition of success.

This really depends on what you want to get out of the game. Someone averaging 200 doesn't mean they're accurate. Unfortunately easy house conditions make accuracy less important that it should be. I've seen plenty of people who really don't know where they're throwing the ball and spray it all over and average 200.

If you're happy with a 200 average, enjoy yourself. If you want to get better at the sport and raise your average, you should work on your accuracy. In order to work on your accuracy, you need to focus on a board and know if the ball rolled over that board at the point where you were looking.

my definition of success is a 200 plus average on a THS and I've easily been able to do that.

And I'll admit that I have a lot that I really need to work on. Bowling Thumbless is my style and I'm going to stick with it. I'm happy with averaging around 200...Lately I've been able to be in the 210's and I'm satisfied with it. I've gained respect from the bowlers at my local bowling center which means a lot to me. BTW...the 2nd highest average at the house I bowl at is a thumbless bowler...and he finished last years season with a 237 average. Succeeding with out using the thumb is possible as you all know. I'll make sure to post a video sometime soon. So you all can critique me. =]

Reconbbs,

If you are happy, averaging good, and you are not feeling any physical problems from bowling the way you do, that is what is important. You are doing very well for not using a thumb in my opinion.

At the house I bowl out there are a few guys who do not use their thumbs but they cannot handle it well at all. They will rarely make a spare, chuck a few balls a game in the gutter, and are wildly inconsistent. You just have to ride out their hot spells when they get into one.

You are young so you have plenty of time to change your game later which I am sure you will eventually do but if you are happy now with where your game is at and not hurting yourself I say more power to you.

I see more thumb in bowlers with a tense swing and very exaggerated body positions than those bowling thumbless. I'm thinking it was this guy's way of looking down on thumbless bowlers.

I agree with Scott. Most of the thumbless bowlers that you see do things in a way that will cause injuries sooner rather than later. There is a way to bowl 2 handed and thumbless that doesn't put that kind of stress on your arm and wrist, but that's a very small percentage of the bowlers that I've seen who are throwing the ball that way.

So when you guys talk about spot bowl, its pretty much the same as shooting at aarows? Well kinda I guess, your just aiming somewhere else than the aarows? lol if that makes any sense

I see just as many bowlers using their thumbs doing the same things and sometimes worse things than the thumbless bowlers. I've seen some thumbless bowlers that unless you really watch their hand you can barely tell they bowl thumbless. Also Scott mentioned back, shoulder and knee issues, all of which can be hurt just as easily by a bowler with the thumb in the ball with bad form and lets face it there are more bowlers like that than thumbless bowlers.

Many people told me how nice of a ball I throw and I was like, "Yea, and I don't use my thumb" Almost everyone was suprised. They thought I used my thumb the whole time haha.