Pinky Position
Posted: April 8th, 2018, 10:08 am
Back in the eighties, I decided to take my social bowling, into a more serious arena.
Not that I started competing for money or anything like that, but just decided that regular excercise should be part of my life, (at the time, I was the father of two little ones) and being on second shift at the factory, gave me lots of open-lane opportunities at my local Alley during the day, for not much money.
In town, we had a guy (Ken Dunbar) who owned and ran a bowling equipment store, and so I went down to see him, bought a polyeurothane ball, and had it fingertip drilled for my right hand.
What a difference it made, to have a ball (16 lb) that “fit” me, (as I’m sure you all understand) in comparison to throwing a “House Ball!!” That along with the development of a very meticulously repetitive “prep and approach” routine, made bowling a whole new experience for me.
It was during that time, that a “House Pro” at the Alley I went to regularly for these morning solo games, came to me and asked if I’d be willing to hear her (yes, she WAS cute) “suggestions about improving my approach.” Apparently my typical 3-step approach wasn’t “cutting the mustard.” Truth be told, all I was doing was throwing the ball. I didn’t HAVE a routine, or specifically-repeatable approach, so ANY help would be more than I was using at the time.
The pieces of what she taught me back then, that stayed with me since then, are a “five-step” approach, squared-shoulders, balance arm position, foot kick-out, wiping the ball off, keeping my throwing hand dry, and some other simple things that not only increased my Pin Count, but also gave my OCD personality something to satisfy my desire for repeatability!
I’m not sure I can peg the reason “why,” (I suspect it had to do with bowling alone, but I’m not sure) but after a few years, I stopped going to the Alley with any regularity. I would bowl with church groups that decided to have a social event at the Alley from time to time, but that was about it. That “Pro” that gave me those pointers a few years before, had said that I should consider signing up for League play, but I didn’t consider myself “good enough” to keep the more experienced and seasoned bowlers from becoming impatient with my amateurish play, so I never did.
I had bought my wife a ball as well, back when I bought my first, personally-sized ball. Her ball was sized for her as well, but I don’t recall more than twice that she ever used it, or came with me to the Alley (we could have brought the kids too). Perhaps THAT was why I eventually stopped going? It was around that same time, that I had gone out to get my motorcycle License, so that she and I could go on Touring Bike rides together. I DID get the License, AND the Touring Bike, but she didn’t participate in THAT activity much EITHER......I digress......
Fast forward to this year (2018). I had lost my first wife in 2016; the kids are now all grown, with husbands and kids of their own, (I have 9 Grandkids now), and I have re-married. This new wife LOVES to go Tour Bike riding, and we’ve logged tons of miles! She’s very athletic and likes various sports.
I thought she might like to go Golfing with me, but that didn’t fly; and the thought crossed my mind that perhaps she might enjoy Bowling, as a “she and me” activity. She turns out to be “game” for the idea, and so, having some background in the activity, and having long ago gotten rid of that Polyeurothane ball, I went to a local Pro Shop in a local Alley (Ken Dubar’s Shop had closed up many years ago) and re-familiarized myself with the Sport, and it’s current trends.
What does all the verbal diarrhea have to do with the Posting topic title? Hang on, I’m getting there! The background is useful as an introduction, and also helps you to know exactly what I DON’T know, (which is a TON) so you know just where you need to start, to FIX this old guy’s whacked out, left over from the sixties, self (lol).
At the local Alley (I don’t live in the same town anymore), I set out to find out what weight ball would be best for me THESE days. After all, I was in my forties in the 80’s, and now I’ve turned the corner past “61,” so I figure SOME things have changed!! I took a twelve pound ball, a 13, and a 14 to an open lane, (the place was empty, other than staff) and bowled a series of frames with each.
Obviously, bowling with “House” balls, creates a bit of a problem right from the get-go, but I was able to come to a reasonable conclusion that a 14 lb ball weight is where I needed to end up. The “House Pro,” a local Tournament player himself, and 45 year old son of the Owner of that Alley, was full of advice and information, from choosing a ball brand (I settled on a Storm, of course), to additional pointers about how to handle a semi-reactive “middle of the road” ball (for the first time ever, I have a ball that WANTS to hook, and I’m learning how to control it) to the cross-over step, keeping the ball at a 90 to my body, and in line with my shoulder, as I start mt approach, and other tidbits that I’ll carry with me forever, added to the lessons learned way back in the eighties.
As to the topic of this Post........
One of the things that I was doing in the early 80’s, was placing my pinky against the ring finger and even taping it TO the ring finger, near the palm, so that it wouldn’t interfere with the role of the ball. I realize now I’m using a different ball, but I wonder if I should still be taping off my pinky, rather than allowing it to spread out on the ball?
I know some people say they curl their pinky, but I guess the question I have, has to do with whether or not the pinky is a help or a nemesis? I’m sure we have a TON of different opinions, but I would think that maybe we could come to a consensus of whether or not the pinky NEEDS to be out of the way, or if it actually serves a purpose, being spread out.
It’s just one of those little topics that the Pro, back in the 80’s, and the Pro here locally, in most recent days, didn’t address; and I forgot to ask the question. So I’ll ask it here.
Thanks for hanging on till the end of this long diatribe. Hopefully it was an interesting and enjoyable ride!!
-Soupy
Not that I started competing for money or anything like that, but just decided that regular excercise should be part of my life, (at the time, I was the father of two little ones) and being on second shift at the factory, gave me lots of open-lane opportunities at my local Alley during the day, for not much money.
In town, we had a guy (Ken Dunbar) who owned and ran a bowling equipment store, and so I went down to see him, bought a polyeurothane ball, and had it fingertip drilled for my right hand.
What a difference it made, to have a ball (16 lb) that “fit” me, (as I’m sure you all understand) in comparison to throwing a “House Ball!!” That along with the development of a very meticulously repetitive “prep and approach” routine, made bowling a whole new experience for me.
It was during that time, that a “House Pro” at the Alley I went to regularly for these morning solo games, came to me and asked if I’d be willing to hear her (yes, she WAS cute) “suggestions about improving my approach.” Apparently my typical 3-step approach wasn’t “cutting the mustard.” Truth be told, all I was doing was throwing the ball. I didn’t HAVE a routine, or specifically-repeatable approach, so ANY help would be more than I was using at the time.
The pieces of what she taught me back then, that stayed with me since then, are a “five-step” approach, squared-shoulders, balance arm position, foot kick-out, wiping the ball off, keeping my throwing hand dry, and some other simple things that not only increased my Pin Count, but also gave my OCD personality something to satisfy my desire for repeatability!
I’m not sure I can peg the reason “why,” (I suspect it had to do with bowling alone, but I’m not sure) but after a few years, I stopped going to the Alley with any regularity. I would bowl with church groups that decided to have a social event at the Alley from time to time, but that was about it. That “Pro” that gave me those pointers a few years before, had said that I should consider signing up for League play, but I didn’t consider myself “good enough” to keep the more experienced and seasoned bowlers from becoming impatient with my amateurish play, so I never did.
I had bought my wife a ball as well, back when I bought my first, personally-sized ball. Her ball was sized for her as well, but I don’t recall more than twice that she ever used it, or came with me to the Alley (we could have brought the kids too). Perhaps THAT was why I eventually stopped going? It was around that same time, that I had gone out to get my motorcycle License, so that she and I could go on Touring Bike rides together. I DID get the License, AND the Touring Bike, but she didn’t participate in THAT activity much EITHER......I digress......
Fast forward to this year (2018). I had lost my first wife in 2016; the kids are now all grown, with husbands and kids of their own, (I have 9 Grandkids now), and I have re-married. This new wife LOVES to go Tour Bike riding, and we’ve logged tons of miles! She’s very athletic and likes various sports.
I thought she might like to go Golfing with me, but that didn’t fly; and the thought crossed my mind that perhaps she might enjoy Bowling, as a “she and me” activity. She turns out to be “game” for the idea, and so, having some background in the activity, and having long ago gotten rid of that Polyeurothane ball, I went to a local Pro Shop in a local Alley (Ken Dubar’s Shop had closed up many years ago) and re-familiarized myself with the Sport, and it’s current trends.
What does all the verbal diarrhea have to do with the Posting topic title? Hang on, I’m getting there! The background is useful as an introduction, and also helps you to know exactly what I DON’T know, (which is a TON) so you know just where you need to start, to FIX this old guy’s whacked out, left over from the sixties, self (lol).
At the local Alley (I don’t live in the same town anymore), I set out to find out what weight ball would be best for me THESE days. After all, I was in my forties in the 80’s, and now I’ve turned the corner past “61,” so I figure SOME things have changed!! I took a twelve pound ball, a 13, and a 14 to an open lane, (the place was empty, other than staff) and bowled a series of frames with each.
Obviously, bowling with “House” balls, creates a bit of a problem right from the get-go, but I was able to come to a reasonable conclusion that a 14 lb ball weight is where I needed to end up. The “House Pro,” a local Tournament player himself, and 45 year old son of the Owner of that Alley, was full of advice and information, from choosing a ball brand (I settled on a Storm, of course), to additional pointers about how to handle a semi-reactive “middle of the road” ball (for the first time ever, I have a ball that WANTS to hook, and I’m learning how to control it) to the cross-over step, keeping the ball at a 90 to my body, and in line with my shoulder, as I start mt approach, and other tidbits that I’ll carry with me forever, added to the lessons learned way back in the eighties.
As to the topic of this Post........
One of the things that I was doing in the early 80’s, was placing my pinky against the ring finger and even taping it TO the ring finger, near the palm, so that it wouldn’t interfere with the role of the ball. I realize now I’m using a different ball, but I wonder if I should still be taping off my pinky, rather than allowing it to spread out on the ball?
I know some people say they curl their pinky, but I guess the question I have, has to do with whether or not the pinky is a help or a nemesis? I’m sure we have a TON of different opinions, but I would think that maybe we could come to a consensus of whether or not the pinky NEEDS to be out of the way, or if it actually serves a purpose, being spread out.
It’s just one of those little topics that the Pro, back in the 80’s, and the Pro here locally, in most recent days, didn’t address; and I forgot to ask the question. So I’ll ask it here.
Thanks for hanging on till the end of this long diatribe. Hopefully it was an interesting and enjoyable ride!!
-Soupy