In this section of the
bowling coach, you'll learn how to create a bowling hook on a ball. The bowling
ball’s direction is determined by your arm swing and hand action, but it also
contains some spin or revolutions in it. Putting a side-spin on the ball is done
intentionally by better bowlers. For beginners, you may not do it intentionally
but it's there most of the time.
In the past bowling
balls were made of hard rubber or plastic. Nowadays, urethane coverstock balls
have become popular. In general, urethane balls react more to the spin on the
ball. That means they hook more and deflect less when they hit the pins. Since
most coverstock for bowling balls are now made of urethane, they will react a
little more to the amount of spin you put into the ball. Plastic balls still
exist today, however they are mostly used for spare balls (balls that are used
only to make spares).
Even though a powerful
hook is important, you must not underestimate the importance of timing, balance
and overall accuracy. The number one point to remember in bowling is
consistency. No matter how high a score you get one day or night, you will not
be able to continue that high-scoring streak without being consistent. However,
it is a good idea to start learning how to hook to get your bowling game up to
the next level.
It is a fact that
rolling a straight ball and hitting the pocket time after time will not get you
a high strike percentage. Hitting the pocket at an optimum angle, however, will
help you achieve the highest strike percentage.
To get your bowling ball to hook, you have to develop and work on a good
release. Try to get the ball off your thumb and use your fingers to put a side
rotation on the ball. That way, the ball will skid down the lane and the
rotation that you put on it will start to move the ball towards the pins, hence
creating a "hook" action. Releasing your thumb first should be natural
because your thumb is shorter than your fingers, but having a well-fitted ball
is certainly important. And so is making a good approach to the foul line.
Let's get into more details about how to get more hook with your bowling ball.
Making the swing is where the magic happens. During your approach, hold the ball
with your arm at a right angle pointing straight out in front of you.
Make sure that your palm is facing up and underneath the ball. Place your thumb
so that it is point at 10 or 11 o'clock (if you are a left-hander, use 2 or 1
o'clock). With the thumb in a hook position, keep the wrist relatively firm
throughout the release. You should feel some pressure or tug on the fingers as
the release occurs. This should create the rotation and get you started! Again
this takes some practice and adjustment so don't give up on it too early. You
can even get a coach to help you figure out what works best for you. Eventually,
when you get better at this, you may want to increase the rotation and the power
of your hook by applying a stronger hand action.