Expert: Chip Aki - 7/17/2006

Question
how does the angle of a person's high backswing affect the speed of the bowling ball which indirectly affects the chances of the ball reaching the pocket(1,3 pocket)?can you please reply ASAP, i need this information to do my project which is due next week( 26th july 2006)

Answer
If everything else is equal,(rev rate, axis tilt,and bowling ball), the higher the ball speed, the less the ball will want to hook.  With this in mind, usually the higher the backswing, the more ball speed that is produced.

As with everything, there are always exceptions to this.  If the lanes are really dry or hooking, the higher speed and backswing will  be needed to get the ball to hold the pocket.  There are bowlers, such as Pete Weber, that can have a high backswing and still produce a slower ball speed.

For the normal or average bowler, the higher the swing, the higher the ball speed and the more difficult it can be to hit the pocket.

Some of the best bowlers ever had a shor backswing........Don Carte and Earl Anthony are 2.

Good luck,
Chip