Anyone a Bowler?

[Reverend Al]

...I'm terrible however, I still struggle to throw the ball straight, haven't even thought about trying to learn to hook until I can master the spare throw...

I'm far from being an expert, but pay attention to the line your throwing arm and hand make as you roll, even after you've released the ball (i.e., "follow through").  If your arm/hand is pointing more in the direction of the lane on either side of you than where you wanted the ball to go, odds are your ball will be rolling in that direction.

Years ago the father of the girl I was dating at the time gave me the strangest sounding advice I've ever received:  "Give the middle finger to the ball as you watch it roll away from you."  This was essentially his way of saying, "Make sure your hand is pointing where you want the ball to go," but it helped.

[Rev Nicholas Rehfeldt]

...I'm terrible however, I still struggle to throw the ball straight, haven't even thought about trying to learn to hook until I can master the spare throw...

I'm far from being an expert, but pay attention to the line your throwing arm and hand make as you roll, even after you've released the ball (i.e., "follow through").  If your arm/hand is pointing more in the direction of the lane on either side of you than where you wanted the ball to go, odds are your ball will be rolling in that direction.

Years ago the father of the girl I was dating at the time gave me the strangest sounding advice I've ever received:  "Give the middle finger to the ball as you watch it roll away from you."  This was essentially his way of saying, "Make sure your hand is pointing where you want the ball to go," but it helped.

Give it the middle finger, eh? That some sort of eastern thing?

Actually that sounds like good advice, I think my other problem is I keep trying to throw the pro-weight balls (15 LBS) and my wrist keeps breaking (bending backwards) under the weight. Curse with some very limber joints man.

[Reverend Al]

Give it the middle finger, eh? That some sort of eastern thing?

Actually that sounds like good advice, I think my other problem is I keep trying to throw the pro-weight balls (15 LBS) and my wrist keeps breaking (bending backwards) under the weight. Curse with some very limber joints man.

That is another issue--finding the right ball (assuming you don't have your own, of course).  I tend to prefer lighter bowling balls myself, but they don't quite have the "punch" that makes the pins scatter the way heavier balls do.  And then there are the finger holes; being able to hold the ball properly helps.  Or maybe you just need a little advice from someone who actually knows what they're doing.  A lotta ins, a lotta outs, a lotta what-have-yous.