Expert: - 2/27/2009

Question
I have been averaging 190 for a few years, but lately, I am leaving many pocket splits and don't know why.
I throw a nearly straight ball, rather fast speed and cup my wrist somewhat, which seems to add striking power. I tried moving further left, then lowering the speed--both to no effect.
Am I most likely releasing the ball with my thumb pointing too far down or probably something else?
Also, sometimes, I end the night of bowling with bruising on the lower third of my thumb nail--no blistering anywhere on the thumb--just what appears to be (and feels like) a bruise beneath the nail itself. Any ideas about what causes that?
Lastly, how does one find an expert pro shop?
The only bowlers that I know, use a shop where we bowl, whose work has been unsatisfactory for me, as well as for a number of other bowlers.

Answer
Loretta,
Pocket splits as a result of straight hard rolled ball is all about deflection. Striking is about angle of entry.

What weight do you roll? Where do you play (where do you start on the approach and where do you finish your approach at the foul line (drift?), and what target line do you aim and hopefully hit)? How do you hold the ball in your setup that the thumb is turned down at delivery? To change the rotation of a bowling ball you need a quarter turn at the point of delivery (from hand behind the ball to a slight, SLIGHT turn to the side). Hard to explain without pictures and only the starting point.

My thoughts about the bruising, if I can picture what is happening, your delivery is delayed (you're gripping) and as you release you hit up on the ball, lofting it out onto the lane (is this happening?).

I've found members of a trade association that I'm a Charter Member of, the International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA), seem to be a caring, knowledge seeking, industry aware bunch of independent business owners.

20 years ago when I bought my first store, you had to learn by doing, or get some knowledge from other shop operators (Ebonite started doing knowledge sharing, ball introduction seminars in the early '90's with the introduction of the Nitro. Other manufacturer's followed suit). Sharing business operations with others in your area is a little like shooting yourself in the foot. So IBPSIA is great.

So IBPSIA was started in 1990, and seeks to make all shops and coaches aware of current techniques and approaches to the business.

With about 700 members, we have a small voice in the industry, and a way to further the understanding of fitting, drilling and ball motion. Membership doesn't necessarily mean a highly trained professional, but IBPSIA certifications carry weight, and a member has access to the best in the business.

Where are you? Look on www.ibpsia.com for both members and certified technicians. Competitive markets like Chicago, demand you are capable. Unfortunately, many situations in small market areas have less attractive options. Anybody putting holes in a ball is an option if you have no other. The ball drillers with no competition often need training most. If your ball driller doesn't attend trade shows or ball intro seminars or has access to IBPSIA info and training, they may need some updating on technique and ball motion info.

But, the loss of many league bowlers, I believe, is directly related to the complicated balls available for the last 20 years and shop operators with no training putting holes into balls in the manner that works for them so it must work for everybody. A VERY BAD BUSINESS MODEL.

Not many years ago, bowlers spent upwards of $300 for a bowling ball. If it didn't help, because of bad fit, bad layout, wrong surface preparation, whatever, the bowler assumes nothing can help them, they will never improve, so they quit.

You must get what you pay for. Internet sellers have complicated the issue even more. The don't care what you buy or if it ever gets drilled, JUST that you buy. So, now choosing the right ball ends up in the hands of the least competent person (in my experience), the bowler.

So, as a value conscious person, if you buy a ball, because of price, color, brand name, whatever and it doesn't match up with your game (ball speed, rev rate, rotation, lane condition and preferred target line), you are trying to out perform BAD ball reaction. If you don't play at a high level, you are not going to like the results.

To get it drilled, you hand it to someone, you COULD have bought it from, they now have NO investment in the ball working. ("Didn't buy it from me, I don't know why it doesn't work, crappy internet ball", are some of the excuses people have relayed to me.)

I am invested in everything I sell doing what you expect. The key, is I need to know what you expect.

I've turned down drill jobs because the ball COULDN'T work, the way the customer wanted. But, my service guarantee got every single ball back, when it got drilled elsewhere, because I predicted the results. What I expected, occurred. It wasn't what the customer wanted. They brought it back to me, to fix it. In some cases something can be done, in other cases, the wrong ball is THE WRONG ball.

Sorry, I went on and on. Thanks for the questions. Let me know more and we can better assess the bruise problem and maybe get you to split less, or strike more.