Need help getting back into bowling

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BowlingRedux
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Need help getting back into bowling

Post by BowlingRedux »

New user. Hi all!

Long story short. Bowled every Sat from when I was a little tike through high school. Was fairly decent back then with 170 + average. Haven't bowled in 12 years

I just signed up for a bowling league and have some questions. First, I need to find a ball. I have a friend who has a used Reign Supreme that has already been drilled out and plugged once (i.e....it would have 2 sets of plugs if I got it and had it drilled to fit me). Would this be a decent ball to get back into things with? What would a fair price be $50?

Technique: Up until my last 3 years of bowling, I was a pretty basic line up at third arrow, throw 2/3 arrow, thumb at 10-11 "straight" bowler. My last three years, I started to start my approach in the middle, shoot between 1/2 and hook the ball.

Should I just start again with the basic "straight" technique?
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Triplicate
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Re: Need help getting back into bowling

Post by Triplicate »

BowlingRedux wrote:New user. Hi all!

Long story short. Bowled every Sat from when I was a little tike through high school. Was fairly decent back then with 170 + average. Haven't bowled in 12 years

I just signed up for a bowling league and have some questions. First, I need to find a ball. I have a friend who has a used Reign Supreme that has already been drilled out and plugged once (i.e....it would have 2 sets of plugs if I got it and had it drilled to fit me). Would this be a decent ball to get back into things with? What would a fair price be $50?

Technique: Up until my last 3 years of bowling, I was a pretty basic line up at third arrow, throw 2/3 arrow, thumb at 10-11 "straight" bowler. My last three years, I started to start my approach in the middle, shoot between 1/2 and hook the ball.

Should I just start again with the basic "straight" technique?
Hi BowlingRedux... welcome to the forum.

Work with your proshop guy and have him look at your game. I'd go for a new, urethane, entry level ball if you can afford it with a control layout to start off. Again have your proshop determine your delivery specs and get a new ball to start up again.

After some time you may know better what the next ball may be for your compared to your fist selection.

I hope this helps and most of all have fun :!:

BTW... what's with that username? Reply here viewtopic.php?f=3&t=3978" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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kajmk
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Re: Need help getting back into bowling

Post by kajmk »

I'm glad you decided to return to the sport. You've also found one of the best if not the best internet bowling neighborhood.

Striking up a good relationship with your local pro-shop guru (IBPSIA I hope) is a very good first step as Mr. Trips indicated. When you do visit your pro-shop, discuss this website and it's resources. It is a good thing for he or she to be aware of any other resources you may be using as well as for that person to chime in, agree, disagree, or augment.
I suspect that you already know how important it is to attain and maintain an optimum grip.
One can neither out bowl or out coach a bad fit, it's like driving with 1 foot on the brake and the other on the gas, you may move along the road, but not well.
http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/index. ... on_Johnson" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Discuss proper use of tape and types of tape.

To learn and rekindle, empty the cup (the mind of preconceptions) so to speak.

I encourage you to visit the wiki. Treat your visit as a tour of a library, see whats there and where it is located. You will also find that there are references to other websites that often have a lot to offer, articles and videos.

If you have video recording equipment -
You will find a tip on how to video tape yourself for analysis on the wiki.
If you are serious about your game create and maintain a video archive of yourself.
This can be a resource and a slump buster.

P.S. There seems to be an issue with the wiki right now, check back if it appears a bit unusual.
May all beings everywhere be happy and free,
and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life
contribute in some way to that happiness
and to that freedom for all.

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LookingForALeftyWall
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Re: Need help getting back into bowling

Post by LookingForALeftyWall »

kajmk wrote:When you do visit your pro-shop, discuss this website and it's resources. It is a good thing for he or she to be aware of any other resources you may be using as well as for that person to chime in, agree, disagree, or augment.
Triplicate and John, coming through with the good advice as per usual...however I want to discuss the part I quoted.

Some drillers don't like it when you've obtained knowledge elsewhere...their egos cant take it. I have learned this from personal experience. Although I agree with John's sentiments completely in theory, I would try to find a driller who does not have a "I know everything about bowling attitude" and feel out that driller to make sure you won't have a problem presenting them with the other resources you are using.
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Re: Need help getting back into bowling

Post by JimH »

Some drillers don't like it when you've obtained knowledge elsewhere...their egos cant take it. I have learned this from personal experience.
Sorry to hear that you have had problems with some drillers. Drillers regularly get asked to drill a ball a particular way for a bowler even if the way requested may not be correct for the bowler. For example a bowler may ask for a pin to be placed above or below the ring finger. The reason being that the customers friend has a ball drilled that way and it works ok. Just because it works ok for the friend does not necessarily mean that it will work ok for everyone.

Jargon is also a problem. Unless the driller and the bowler agree on what a particular word of jargon means then the bowler will not be happy with the result

A potential customer may ask for something to be done a certain way, such as the placement of the mass bias, or to have a ball layed out at 75 degrees using the degree method. All because someone has suggested it.

Most drillers that I know will attend a few seminars every year in order to stay on top of the latest methods of drilling and also the newest technologies in bowling balls. None of these seminars are free and most drillers will decide which method or ball appropriate for a particular bowler.
LookingForALeftyWall
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Re: Need help getting back into bowling

Post by LookingForALeftyWall »

Jim, it was just one driller in particular that I had an issue with. He thought the layouts I wanted were too strong. Based on a lot of information that I learned from BowlingChat, for a Frantic, I asked him to lay it out 50*3.25*30 (which is surpisingly close to the benchmark elgavachon just gave me) and to doublethumb it. It ended up being 60*2.75*30 with a double thumb. Not a big difference..and definitely in the ballpark. I was pleased. The driller was not. He did not like that I did not take his recommendation.

He told me good luck and that the ball was going to hit like crap because it was drilled way too strong. The first night in league with the ball I shot 246-289-240 (It was the first night of the BowlingChat internet tourney - ask Jakester about it - he called me a sandbagger!!!). And it wasn't just that night that I bowled well with it - I used it all the way to the finals of the BC tourney last year and it still has a spot in my arsenal.

I have a great driller now. I go in and tell him exactly where I want the pin, cg, and or mass/bias and then after testing without a balance hole, I tell him where I want a balance hole if one is needed. He does not have an ego and after drilling numerous balls for me, he knows I will not complain about a single layout. He also knows that I don't look at bowler X's layout and say I want the same. I recently went in for a pin down IQ Tour that for me ended up being 35*3.25*60. He did question it because it was very different than other layouts I've given him before (I like smaller VAL angles). I told him I wanted something that was not going to snap at the end and that I wanted something that was going to super smooth. Although he doesn't to my knowledge use the dual angle system, he knows ball motion based on pin and mass bias positions and weight holes. So he completely understood that I understood what I was asking for. Which to me, as long as you can replicate fit after fit, that is the best driller I can have.

Jim, I agree with your post though for the most part. Most bowlers are uneducated in the art/science of laying out a bowling ball to maximize their own personal game. For the most part, drillers will in most cases know more than the bowler. When I got back into bowling after a long layoff, I certainly trusted the driller to give me something that he thought would work for my game. Since being back I've gotten myself a good education from here and from other sites #bowlingnerd.

Sorry BowlingRedux for highjacking your thread!!! It wasn't intentional.
BowlingRedux
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Re: Need help getting back into bowling

Post by BowlingRedux »

So, I went out bowling with my wife last night.......BOY I have a LOT of remembering and re-learning to do. The first game was horribly frustrating. I went back to basics on the 2-3 game and did better.....nowhere near as good as I used to be.....but it felt good to be throwing the ball again. My biggest problem is going to be "trying to hard" with this, rather than just having fun.

Best part of the night was when my wife told me I looked like a ballerina.
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kajmk
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Re: Need help getting back into bowling

Post by kajmk »

BowlingRedux wrote:So, I went out bowling with my wife last night.......BOY I have a LOT of remembering and re-learning to do. The first game was horribly frustrating. I went back to basics on the 2-3 game and did better.....nowhere near as good as I used to be.....but it felt good to be throwing the ball again. My biggest problem is going to be "trying to hard" with this, rather than just having fun.

Best part of the night was when my wife told me I looked like a ballerina.
While your body is re-acclimating: try softer, un-clenchiht thy brain, and let it flow let it roll.

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Roll de ball mannnnnnn, let-tit roll like de tide ...

At least you look like a ballerina.

Here I am, back in my heyday ...
Yours Truly on a good day!.jpg

Going back to the SuperBowl ...
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May all beings everywhere be happy and free,
and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life
contribute in some way to that happiness
and to that freedom for all.

John
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