Expert: - 1/22/2010

Question
I,was reading an answer to another bowling question when it occured to me what i may be doing wrong and what may be impeding my bowling skill improvement so here goes:
I, was trying to use a breakpoint system which works ok for me but it does not give me the pin carry I really need. It starts with my feet on 27 board, my release is set down early on 17 board
and my target is the 12 board, since my ball hooks so much,I usually start on the 27th board to compensate. my question is:
is this too much of a drift and my pin carry suffers as a result-or am I targeting incorrectly? I,am using my own system of seeking breakpoint angles thusly.
If my target is the 7 board, I release on the 12 board and stand on the 22nd board and get tapped.What's wrong? I'm not really secure with the break point method in calculating exit,entrance etc.
Thanks in advance.

Answer
William,
A breakpoint system will help you determine how to traverse the lane optimally. You need to have a good angle to the pocket to strike. Tell me about your game (average, years bowling, equipment, skills)?

Lots of questions. Let me get some idea of what's happening. Where do you set-up? What board is the tip of your slide foot on? RH or LH? Do you drift? Where are you at the foul line (tip of slide foot)? As you slide, is your head over the slide foot? Measure the distance from center of your chest to the center of your arm at the shoulder, how many inches?

Tell me a little about your hooking ball: what ball, what weight, (do you throw) hard, average or slower, do you know your rev rate, axis tilt, axis rotation, can you describe the layout of the ball, do you bowl on wood or synthetic lanes, do you bowl on a league condition or do you open bowl? Please help me get a feel for what's going on. Not sure from your description.

It sounds from what you mention, that some stuff is not matching up for you. Either drift, swing, ball, lanes, ball layout or surface, or your skills (rev rate, tilt, rotation and speed) or some combination of these things, are causing you to struggle. Not being able to see you, is a problem. So, I'll need much more information. Can you video tape your approach and delivery?

Your problem may be as simple as your ball hooks to early on the path to the pocket that you've chosen, loses to much energy and you don't strike, or ball layout, lane condition, ball surface isn't working with the way you deliver the ball and it hooks to early, too late or too much. Don't really know from the little you mention. (Drifting would cause you to miss the pocket or hit it ineffectively not not strike.)

Is there a coach available near you? Getting some trained eyes on you would be very helpful. Thanks for the questions. Sorry to make this more involved, but I'd like to help.