Most beginning bowlers simply try to bowl the ball straight down the lane toward the pins. Although this strategy can sometimes produce a strike, it is less consistent than more advanced bowling strategies, such as the hook. You can hook the ball to aim for a few remaining pins on one side, or you can use the hook to knock down all the pins with more force for a strike. Right-handed bowlers hook the ball from right to left, and left-handed bowlers hook the ball from left to right.
Step 1
Grip the ball with your middle finger and ring finger in the finger holes and your thumb in the thumb hole. Put your thumb all the way into the hole, but place your fingers only partway into the holes. You will use your thumb to control the ball, and your fingers to curve the ball.
Step 2
Keep your palm under the ball and slightly behind it as you bring the ball out of your backswing.
Step 3
Let your thumb slip out of the ball before your fingers do. You should release the ball with your thumb at the bottom rather than the top of the ball to minimize any spin on the ball in the vertical direction.
Step 4
Rotate your fingers forcefully just before releasing the ball to put spin on the ball. Your palm should move from its position under the ball to a position on the ball’s side. When you release the ball, your hand should be in a handshake position.
Step 5
Accelerate the ball as you follow through on your swing motion. If you decelerate, your hook will have less force.
Step 6
Watch the ball as it travels toward the pins. If it hooks too quickly and curves into the gutter, you have put too much spin on the ball. On the other hand, if it never hooks and travels mostly straight down the lane, you have not put enough spin on it. Adjust the rotation of your fingers the next time you release the ball to try to put more or less spin on the ball. Continue practicing until you feel that you can control the spin you put on the ball.
Tips and Warnings
- For a better hook, use a high-friction, reactive resin ball. These balls will grip more easily on dry and oily lanes, making them easier to hook. Plastic or polyester balls will not grip as well on the lane and will therefore be more difficult to hook. Look for a ball with a high RG, or radius of gyration; the weight of these balls sits closer to the outside of the ball than the center, making them more responsive to spin.
Things You'll Need
- Bowling ball
Member Comments