3 ms·

>Unless you're a bowling expert you wouldn't even notice it. Having just watched a clip of it, I'm very skeptical of this remark.

soligern 3y ago
I’m a good control. I watched the video linked in the comments and couldn’t tell the difference until I read the article and rewatched it again.
- devjab 3y ago
  I clicked the video without reading anything but your comment, and, well, he's using both hands... I'm sure you missed it, but I'm not sure you're a good control.
  - soligern 3y ago
    [dead]
  - soligern 3y ago
    Haha right. I guess I’m a control. I’ve never really watched bowling before though so maybe that does make me a good control.
- gwern 3y ago
  I think your mistake is that you don't know what bowling looks like to begin with. Skip to the regular guy at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEKI5iL-Ok&t=50s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEKI5iL-Ok&t=50s - he looks like he's melodramatically performing in _Swan Lake_ with his spare arm swinging way out. (Which is less dramatic than many bowlers.) Then go back to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEKI5iL-Ok&t=25s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEKI5iL-Ok&t=25s and see how he's just sort of hunched over and casual.
Graffur 3y ago
Just watched it on youtube. He doesn't use the fingerholes but I wouldn't expect all pros use them. The second hand just remains on the ball longer before the throw. My verdict: not that different
- mulmen 3y ago
  The holes are custom drilled to each bowler. If they weren’t being used why drill them?
- retsibsi 3y ago
  He uses the finger holes (you can see this in the front-on shots), but not the thumb hole.
jjallen 3y ago
It took me a few watches to notice the difference myself even after being aware of the difference
usrusr 3y ago
Arguably a language issue. What exactly is the threshold to be called "bowling expert"? You apparently consider the knowledge to regard the difference as obvious more baseline than expert, perhaps not even considering anyone "expert" who wouldn't feel at home commenting bowling on TV. Perhaps that threshold isn't all that unreasonable in American English (no idea how widespread the game is over the demographic spectrum). But there are plenty of people who'd consider baseline bowling knowledge to know that it's a game where you throw a ball at pins and if you can correctly name the number of pins you're already on the threshold of beyond baseline. Yeah, technically you might still name levels of expertise below "expert" that would clearly see the difference, but that's not how the term is colloquially used. From the baseline perspective, shades of expertise are experts-only. In any field.

soligern 3y ago

I’m a good control. I watched the video linked in the comments and couldn’t tell the difference until I read the article and rewatched it again.

devjab 3y ago
I clicked the video without reading anything but your comment, and, well, he's using both hands... I'm sure you missed it, but I'm not sure you're a good control.
- soligern 3y ago
  [dead]
- soligern 3y ago
  Haha right. I guess I’m a control. I’ve never really watched bowling before though so maybe that does make me a good control.
gwern 3y ago
I think your mistake is that you don't know what bowling looks like to begin with. Skip to the regular guy at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEKI5iL-Ok&t=50s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEKI5iL-Ok&t=50s - he looks like he's melodramatically performing in _Swan Lake_ with his spare arm swinging way out. (Which is less dramatic than many bowlers.) Then go back to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEKI5iL-Ok&t=25s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EfEKI5iL-Ok&t=25s and see how he's just sort of hunched over and casual.

Graffur 3y ago

Just watched it on youtube. He doesn't use the fingerholes but I wouldn't expect all pros use them. The second hand just remains on the ball longer before the throw. My verdict: not that different

mulmen 3y ago
The holes are custom drilled to each bowler. If they weren’t being used why drill them?
retsibsi 3y ago
He uses the finger holes (you can see this in the front-on shots), but not the thumb hole.

jjallen 3y ago

It took me a few watches to notice the difference myself even after being aware of the difference

usrusr 3y ago

Arguably a language issue. What exactly is the threshold to be called "bowling expert"? You apparently consider the knowledge to regard the difference as obvious more baseline than expert, perhaps not even considering anyone "expert" who wouldn't feel at home commenting bowling on TV. Perhaps that threshold isn't all that unreasonable in American English (no idea how widespread the game is over the demographic spectrum). But there are plenty of people who'd consider baseline bowling knowledge to know that it's a game where you throw a ball at pins and if you can correctly name the number of pins you're already on the threshold of beyond baseline. Yeah, technically you might still name levels of expertise below "expert" that would clearly see the difference, but that's not how the term is colloquially used. From the baseline perspective, shades of expertise are experts-only. In any field.