Expert: Chip Aki - 1/2/2008

Question
QUESTION:  Due to injury I started this year bowling strictly lefty. I purchased a used 14lb roto grip oracle which seems to fit me perfectly. My problem is that when I feel I'm throwing the ball correctly, the oil rings on the ball have no flare & are located outside the finger holes & through the thumb hole. I stand with my right foot centered on bd 28 & throw my ball over bd 37 @ the arrows, my normal ball speed is around 16mph. I have used your football drill constantly but can't seem to translate the motion to my ball. Also, if you were to imagine a rod passing through the ball in with the center of pin, how would the position of the rod relate to the lane or my target? Would it be in line with the boards, 90* to the boards, 45* to the boards, or if you like the clock analogy; is the clock on the floor, or is it on the wall above the pins? or both?

ANSWER: Was the Oracle plugged and redrilled for a left hander?  If not, that may be part of the tracking problem on the ball.
The clock would be facing you .
If using the rod anology, the rod would be at a 45 degree angle.

Good luck,
Chip

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

QUESTION:  the Oracle has the fingers drilled to the right of the pin. Above the fingers there is 3 filled holes that are in a straight line parallel to the fingers. (I have no idea what they are for.

Answer
The pin is by your ring finger?  Where is the CG marking?

It may be that  you are just turning your hand too early in the release.  This can cause the ball to roll over the thumb hole and not have much reaction.  Keep your thumb as close to 11 oclock as  you can and then as the ball nears  your sliding heal, rotate your thumb to 2 oclock.  Make sure you have a clockwise rotation of your hand.

Good luck,
Chip