“ – bowlers may have up to five holes for gripping purposes and all gripping holes must be used on every delivery. A bowler who chooses not to use a thumb hole would need to mark by scribe, engraver, or tool their intended center of palm with a plus (+) mark to indicate their grip orientation.”
Changing Bowling Balls During the Game
According to official bowling rules, it is permitted for a player to have more than one ball available for use during a game. However, these balls must meet certain standards. Additionally, the balls cannot have their surfaces altered once the game begins. Surface altering includes sanding and polishing.
There are pretty strict standards around the bowling ball itself. For non-professional players, however, these rules may not matter so much. It is up to the players in leisurely and recreational games how strictly they wish to follow the rules.
For beginners especially, it may be necessary to change balls once or a few times during a game. This is because a new player may need to try a few different balls in order to find which is best suited for them. There are some important indicators that you may be using the wrong ball for your needs. You should watch out for the following three signs:
- Your best hits knock down most of the pins but leave the corner pins intact/
- The lane conditions, such as the level of oil dispersion, have changed throughout the game.
- Your ball hooks at the incorrect time. A hook is when a ball rolls in a curving pattern and is a standard and commonly seen type of throw.
Swinging the Bowling Ball Correctly
Choosing the correct ball is an important factor in starting a bowling game. It is equally important to know how to properly swing the ball as you roll it down the lane. Proper swings can impact both the power and direction of the ball. They also affect the strain on the body.
The key to a good swing is being mindful of your tempo and direction. You want to have good and consistent speed control, as well as consistent accuracy. There are four basic types of swings that any regular player should try and master. They are the straight ball, the hook ball, the curve ball, and the back up ball.
- Straight balls are thrown slightly off-center and roll down a straight line from the angle at which they are thrown. The goal is to hit the front most pin at an angle that causes the other pins to fall as well.
- Hook balls are achieved through a specific gripping style only using the fingertips. Hooks balls are achieved by causing the ball to spin while rolling. This makes a curved trajectory and can take out all the pins easily when aimed properly.
- Curve balls are similar to hook balls. The arch of the curve during a curve ball is typically wider and can be more difficult to control.
- Back up balls are thrown in the opposite way as hook balls. Hook balls require a counter-clockwise hand rotation, while back up balls use a clockwise hand rotation.
Fast vs. Slow Swings
The speed of your swing when rolling a bowling ball plays a crucial role in how impactful and successful your throw is. In general, faster swings are regarded as being more effective. However, a slower speed-controlled swing can also produce the desired results. While speed is important, proper technique is arguably more crucial.
The ideal speed for a ball is 21 mph when the ball is released and around 17 mph as the ball rolls down the lane. Professional bowlers typically average between 20 -22 mph release speed and 17 – 18 mph lane speed. Oil conditions on the lane can also greatly impact the ball’s speed. More heavily oiled lanes provide more velocity. As the game progresses, the lane will become drier, requiring more powerful throws to achieve and maintain certain speeds.
Slower swings are much more impactful when performing hook or curve shots. When the ball is moving too fast, achieving a proper hook becomes much more difficult. Comparatively, a slighter slower but still powerful roll can result in a much more precise hook or curve. This is part of why technique matters just as much as speed. A fast roll without any technique can easily become a gutter ball.
Lining up the Shot
The method for lining up your shot is also known as aiming. Aiming methods can vary depending on what type of roll you are trying to achieve. However, there are still some general basics to keep in mind when trying to properly line up your shot.
For beginners, it may be instinctual to look at and aim for the pins when rolling the ball. Looking at the pins while rolling is actually an incorrect and less successful method for aiming a bowling ball. Instead, you should aim closer to yourself. You should aim for the arrows that are about 15 feet down the lane, or for the dots between the foul line and the arrows.
Your stance is also critically important when aiming your ball. It is important to pay attention to the lane markings in the area before the foul line. Ideally, the ball should be released onto the lane right at the foul line. This means you must give yourself enough space to approach the line as you wind up your roll.
