Expert: Russ King - 2/11/2007

Question
Hi, Im 19 and have been playing close 8 monthes, with a pretty low 150+ average. Funny enough, after adapting to throwing hooks im now having a great problem throwing straight balls. Usually this is not a problem unless i get like a 6-10 baby split with is hard with a hook. What I wanna know is - what adjustments and changes to i need to do when i wanna make the ball not spin? Because I heard from many people that i should still keep my hand behind the ball as if i were to spin, so i figured its about the release - but what about it?  

Answer
The best way to make ALL makable spares is to get a hard plastic(polyester) or a hard rubber ball drilled straight up (no weights) & have the same grip as your strike ball.This way even if you tear off the cover, it has minimal hook.
Now, the next thing to make it go even straighter,as you stand there ready to throw at the spare, release all the tension in your arm all the way down into your fingertips.You don't need power to hit a pin! JUST ACCURACY!Straighten out your wrist from the cupped position.Rotate your thumb up to the 12 o'clock position keeping the weight of the ball centered in your palm. Aim your thumb at the very right of the 3 pin so it deflects into the ten(I THINK YOU MEAN THE 3-10 BABY SPLIT).I think it is better to aim atleast far enough down the lane as to have the target pin in sight while looking at the mark( I look at the target pin & adjust to witch side I want to hit it on. You point you thumb straight at it all the way thru the follow thru & continue you thumb up to the sky.NO ROTATING AROUND,NO SPINNING,NO LEFT OR RIGHT/SIDE TO SIDE MOTION AT ALL.All motion goes straight into your target line. This way, if you mess up, the ball is still on target.Opening up your pinkie (spread it out) also helps it go straighter.
  DO NOT CUT THE FOLLOWTHRU SHORT!STRETCH IT OUT!keep your elbow locked.
 LESSON;
       ONCE YOU GET A GOOD STRAIGHT GOOD GRIP SPARE BALL,PRACTICE THIS METHOD OF ACCURACY. THERE ARE 3 MAIN SHOTS. 2 WITH THE SPARE BALL,ONE WITH YOUR STRIKE BALL.FIRST 2, WHILE STANDING CENTER DOT, AIM AT THE 7 PIN. WALK TO IT WHILE THROWING TO IT. THEN THE 10. SAME WAY, CENTER DOT AIM TO THE 10.FOR THE STRIKE BALL SPARE, STAND ON YOUR STRIKE LINE & THROW A STRIKE SHOT.
1ST 7 PIN
         IF YOU WANT TO HIT THE 4-7 SPARE, YOU AIM ALLWAYS AT THE CLOSEST PIN & THE SIDE WHICH THERE IS ANOTHER ONE BEHIND THE LEAD PIN.YOU CAN PRACTICE THIS BY AIMING AT ONLY THE 7 PIN BUT HITTING THE VERY RIGHT SIDE OF IT.THIS WAY YOU COVER THE 7,4,4-7 AIMING STRAIGHT ON THE 7 YOU CAN MAKE ALL SPLITS LIKE THE 4-9,4-10.
  2ND 10 PIN
            JUST LIKE THE 7, YOU AIM RIGHT AT THE 10 TO MAKE 10,6-7,6-7-10. JUST AT THE LEFT SIDE OF THE 10 PIN YOU MAKE THE 10,6-10.
 STRIKE SHOT CENTER
            IF YOU LEAVE THE 8,9,5,3 OR MISS THE POCKET ON THE FIRST BALL,YOU CAN THROW A SORT OF PRACTICE STRIKE TO MAKE THE SPARE.
 THESE ARE THE 3 MAIN SPARE LINES. YOU ADJUST A DEGREE OR TWO TO, MAKE A MULTIPLE PIN SPARE (NOT BOARDS! DEGREES!) REMEMBER, YOUR LOOKING & WALKING STRAIGHT ALONG THE TARGET LINE STRAIGHT TO THE TARGET. ABOUT THE SAME ACTION AS TO WALK UP TO YOUR CAR & LIFT UP ON THE DOOR HANDLE.YOU DON'T WALK UP TO THE REAR TIRE & STRAIN TO REACH OUT TO OPEN THE DOOR. RIGHT? PIVOT OFF OF THE CENTER DOT . YOU CAN STAND THERE, POINT YOUR TOES,FACE,EYES,SQUARED HIPS,SHOULDERS TO THE TARGET & WALK ALONG THAT LINE THRU THE TARGET & TO AN EASY SPARE.
 ACCURACY NOT POWER FILLS THE FRAME.
A good spare game will bring you from a 150 to the mid 70's just like that!