Expert: Warren Friedl, Pro Shop Owner/Operator, - 6/28/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hello Mr.Friedl,
Looking at the picture of the ball travel at any of the ball manufacturers, the travel is from the center arrow moving right towards the gutter and curving back to the pins. What type of release is this depicting? I personally rotate from the bottom counter-clockwise to the top and can only get a small curve into the 1/3. I cannot hold the cranker style due to broken wrist. My current ball is a mid-level Columbia FlipSide and Brunswick Power Groove Reactive. Lane conditions are dry to slight oil. Will sanding either help?
Thanks a whole lot!

ANSWER: Henry,
You may be getting to the side of the ball too quickly in your swing, limiting how much turn you get.

The typical graphic depicts an axis rotation of about 45 degrees, typical ball speed and average rev rate on one of America's cake house shots where bowlers aim at the dry boards instead of the pins.

Sanding may only cause the balls to burn up early. How hard do you throw the ball? What line do you roll?

Let me know. Thanks for the questions.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks Warren! In reply to your questions: I throw a "medium" speed;12-15 mph. My "line" is vertical to the #2 arrow.
You say i'm getting to the side of the ball too quickly;please break that down to "non-bowler" terms. The same for which line i roll and what burning the ball up too early means. For the groove arc pic earlier,what approach gives those patterns? Many thanks, Henry

Answer
Henry,
(i'm getting to the side of the ball too quickly)
Your hand is rotating around the ball at release. Try to hold the ball with your palm behind it at release. If you see the top of your hand after release, you are over rotating.

You are on the slower end of average ball speed. Sanding isn't going to help if lanes are all ready dry (drier).

Sanding the surface of a bowling ball changes the potential for friction. The energy imparted to a bowling ball pushes it down the lane (momentum). When the ball contacts the lane (lane conditioner is supposed to delay this from happening), friction helps slow it down. The rougher the surface of a ball, the earlier it can contact the lane, the earlier it slows down. If it slows down to early, the energy needed to knock down the pins is burned off (lost).

Try playing just inside the second arrow, a board or two, with the same up the boards line. Move your feet and your target left a couple boards and let me know how it goes.

Thanks for the question.