4 ms·

I was always disappointed that I can't get the ball to curve. I now know a bunch of things need to be exactly perfect for this to be controllable or even happe

I was always disappointed that I can't get the ball to curve. I now know a bunch of things need to be exactly perfect for this to be controllable or even happen at all. I no longer feel guilty on company bowling parties to just shoot straight:)

desmosxxx 5y ago
meh, just two finger hook grip it and you can spin any solid core ball. it's just not great for your wrist long term
nemo44x 5y ago
It's essentially impossible to hook a ball you get at the alley. They are made of polyester and just slide across the oil. You also don't have fingertip grips drilled in them. Pro's and bowling enthusiasts use the same type of ball (but fitted for their hand) for spares. You generally don't want a ball that can hook when trying to pick up a single pin. But strikes, a ball that can recover and angle towards the pocket and "roll over" right as it enters will store much of the energy you put into the ball and release it at just about the right time resulting in better strike odds.
- plorkyeran 5y ago
  It's not remotely close to impossible to hook a polyester house ball. You have to go out of your way to do it, but it's not even particularly difficult to get some movement.
  - nemo44x 5y ago
    I guess my point was to do it effectively and consistently in terms of scoring. I mean, serious bowlers and professionals use them specifically because they don't like to move.
- starky 5y ago
  Not true, if you get enough revs on the ball a urethane coverstock will curve no problem (IIRC most alley balls are urethane due to higher durability than polyester). Throw two handed with no thumb with your palm under the ball and axis rotation (i.e. the axis of rotation is at an angle to the direction the ball travels) and you will get significant curve.
  - nemo44x 5y ago
    They’re polyester. Urethane will hook much more easily but not as much as a reactive resin (polyurethane with plasticizers) ball. Yeah you can hook it if you throw it like that but the context of the comment is rolling it reliably and accurately. Polyester balls are made to go straight. Polyurethane is even difficult compared to modern resin.
    - starky 5y ago
      Looked it up because I was sure I heard this before. Brunswick house balls are indeed listed as being urethane [1]. I can say from experience that my polyester ball is both less durable than a house ball and curves less than a house ball when thrown two handed. There are plenty of professionals that bowl two handed like that, including the most successful bowler of the past decade. It is a completely valid and accurate method to hook the ball a lot. [1] https://brunswickbowling.com/bowling-centers/equipment-parts-supplies/center-environment/house-balls/myball-house-balls https://brunswickbowling.com/bowling-centers/equipment-parts...
      - nemo44x 5y ago
        And they all use reactive resin. No professional no matter their style uses a polyester ball for their first shot.
klyrs 5y ago
I'm terrible at bowling, but I've found that I can get kid-weight balls to curve by holding them in my palm (no fingers in holes) and tossing them with a gratuitous amount of spin. I'm sure that serious bowlers laugh or cringe, but I'm only there for the company of friends.
- jtwaleson 5y ago
  That reminds me of the Revisionist History episode "The Big Man Can't Shoot" which is about how Rick Barry shoots underhand free throws in basketball. It's a Malcolm Gladwell podcast, so take it with a pinch of salt, but his point is that the underhand method is far superior and still no one uses it because they're afraid it looks ridiculous. In short: keep doing it the ridiculous way and ignore the serious bowlers ;)
  - brewdad 5y ago
    I have no idea why someone like Shaq never tired underhand (maybe he did in practice). His free throw shooting was, by far, the weakest point in his game and no one is going to mock him, except maybe himself.
    - jccalhoun 5y ago
      Basically, it is pride that kept him and others from doing it. https://www.businessinsider.com/why-shaq-shaquille-oneal-never-tried-underhand-free-throw-percentage-2017-12 https://www.businessinsider.com/why-shaq-shaquille-oneal-nev...
  - dylan604 5y ago
    Most sporting skill is from repetition leading to muscle memory so you are able to do the skill consistantly every time. There are lots of examples of pros with "bad" form that still exceeded in their sport just because they had become accustomed to this "bad" form.
  - klyrs 5y ago
    It occurs to me that the 'palm ' technique I described is actually used in candlepin bowling. But, worry not. I'm not self conscious about doing my own thing :)

desmosxxx 5y ago

meh, just two finger hook grip it and you can spin any solid core ball. it's just not great for your wrist long term

nemo44x 5y ago

It's essentially impossible to hook a ball you get at the alley. They are made of polyester and just slide across the oil. You also don't have fingertip grips drilled in them. Pro's and bowling enthusiasts use the same type of ball (but fitted for their hand) for spares. You generally don't want a ball that can hook when trying to pick up a single pin. But strikes, a ball that can recover and angle towards the pocket and "roll over" right as it enters will store much of the energy you put into the ball and release it at just about the right time resulting in better strike odds.

plorkyeran 5y ago
It's not remotely close to impossible to hook a polyester house ball. You have to go out of your way to do it, but it's not even particularly difficult to get some movement.
- nemo44x 5y ago
  I guess my point was to do it effectively and consistently in terms of scoring. I mean, serious bowlers and professionals use them specifically because they don't like to move.
starky 5y ago
Not true, if you get enough revs on the ball a urethane coverstock will curve no problem (IIRC most alley balls are urethane due to higher durability than polyester). Throw two handed with no thumb with your palm under the ball and axis rotation (i.e. the axis of rotation is at an angle to the direction the ball travels) and you will get significant curve.
- nemo44x 5y ago
  They’re polyester. Urethane will hook much more easily but not as much as a reactive resin (polyurethane with plasticizers) ball. Yeah you can hook it if you throw it like that but the context of the comment is rolling it reliably and accurately. Polyester balls are made to go straight. Polyurethane is even difficult compared to modern resin.
  - starky 5y ago
    Looked it up because I was sure I heard this before. Brunswick house balls are indeed listed as being urethane [1]. I can say from experience that my polyester ball is both less durable than a house ball and curves less than a house ball when thrown two handed. There are plenty of professionals that bowl two handed like that, including the most successful bowler of the past decade. It is a completely valid and accurate method to hook the ball a lot. [1] https://brunswickbowling.com/bowling-centers/equipment-parts-supplies/center-environment/house-balls/myball-house-balls https://brunswickbowling.com/bowling-centers/equipment-parts...
    - nemo44x 5y ago
      And they all use reactive resin. No professional no matter their style uses a polyester ball for their first shot.

klyrs 5y ago

I'm terrible at bowling, but I've found that I can get kid-weight balls to curve by holding them in my palm (no fingers in holes) and tossing them with a gratuitous amount of spin. I'm sure that serious bowlers laugh or cringe, but I'm only there for the company of friends.

jtwaleson 5y ago
That reminds me of the Revisionist History episode "The Big Man Can't Shoot" which is about how Rick Barry shoots underhand free throws in basketball. It's a Malcolm Gladwell podcast, so take it with a pinch of salt, but his point is that the underhand method is far superior and still no one uses it because they're afraid it looks ridiculous. In short: keep doing it the ridiculous way and ignore the serious bowlers ;)
- brewdad 5y ago
  I have no idea why someone like Shaq never tired underhand (maybe he did in practice). His free throw shooting was, by far, the weakest point in his game and no one is going to mock him, except maybe himself.
  - jccalhoun 5y ago
    Basically, it is pride that kept him and others from doing it. https://www.businessinsider.com/why-shaq-shaquille-oneal-never-tried-underhand-free-throw-percentage-2017-12 https://www.businessinsider.com/why-shaq-shaquille-oneal-nev...
- dylan604 5y ago
  Most sporting skill is from repetition leading to muscle memory so you are able to do the skill consistantly every time. There are lots of examples of pros with "bad" form that still exceeded in their sport just because they had become accustomed to this "bad" form.
- klyrs 5y ago
  It occurs to me that the 'palm ' technique I described is actually used in candlepin bowling. But, worry not. I'm not self conscious about doing my own thing :)