Throughout the course of any day in my store, I hear so many off-the-wall comments about bowling that I finally decided to clear up some of the more popular misconceptions. Ranging from grip-fitting to the philosophy of bowling, it would appear that there is a great deal of misinformation still floating around. I hope this article will clarify at least some of the myths that leave bowlers bewildered.
The new "reactive" bowling balls take the integrity out of the game by creating higher scores.
This myth places all the blame for bowling's scoring explosion squarely on the shoulders of advanced technology. While it is true that reactive balls create better pin carry and give some bowlers the ability to "hook" the ball more, they are not the only reason for false or inflated averages.
As long ago as 1960, advocates such as Bill Taylor have expounded at length about the loss of bowling integrity due to the "double-voided" bowling pin. By placing the center of gravity of the bowling pin higher, it tips over more easily, thus producing higher scores. By utilizing single-void or solid pins, scores would lower significantly, even with reactive bowling balls.
My personal belief is that the scoring explosion is a case of simple economics. Bowling proprietors today are competing not only for your dollar but for your time. Therefore, they will do what is necessary to keep you coming to their centers. They accomplish this by providing very "soft" lane conditions, in the hope that you will choose their center. By giving the bowler increasingly easier lane conditions, such as the famous "10-to-10" wall, they believe that your average increase will keep you coming back. This fact is proven every day as bowlers quit leagues due to "bad" lane conditions and go to centers where they score higher.
What bowlers must realize is that score has nothing to do with ability. I've bowled 190 games that were better than some 250s. The ability to repeat quality shots under pressure will determine who are the best bowlers, not who has the highest average.
Local scratch player Lee Brosius bowls out of Fort Meade, where he carries an average of 192 to 197. However, Lee is probably the best money bowler in the area, and he proves it every week. His average is low due to the difficult lane conditions on which he bowls every day. He regularly takes money from 220- and 230-average bowlers on their own lane conditions.
What the league bowler must understand is that scores are relative. Given the proper environment, scores can be very high or correspondingly very low. What is important is that you learn the game from a qualified instructor, make the best shots that you can, and take the pins as they fall.
Using a stretched grip or finger-tip inserts will give you more lift and rotation.
I hear it every day at my pro shops. A bowler comes in and wants to stretch his/her span because someone told them it would give them more lift and power. This is simply untrue.
Lift and rotation come from the proper timing of your feet, arm swing, and the motion of your hand through the ball. A bowling grip is meant to accomplish only one thing: fit the construction of your hand properly. Every other aspect of your bowling game comes from the consistency and power created by you!
If your grip fits properly, and you feel you're not getting enough power, seek a qualified instructor such as Phil Hiob, Maryfran Milbank, Bob Pendergraft, Gary Parsons, Lisa Rand, Steve Trimble, or myself. They can do a lot more for you than can be accomplished by changing your grip.
The same goes for finger inserts, which are meant for comfort and some level of feel. They do not provide a quantifiable increase in lift ability, and in some cases can hinder a proper release by not allowing the fingers to exit the ball properly.
For some bowlers, thumb inserts or slugs will allow the thumb to exit the ball more cleanly, thus providing a slight increase in revolutions.
Static balances are an important factor in today's bowling balls.
With the advent of "reactive" and "mass bias" technology, static balances such as positive/negative side weight, and finger/thumb weight have very little, if any, effect on today's equipment. These balances are important in traditional three-piece pancake weight blocks because the "RG" (radius of gyration) values of each of the three axes are so close, you cannot create dynamic imbalance any other way.
But in the heavy mass/asymmetrical core designs of current technology, the differential RG values are so large that a half of an ounce of positive side weight will offer no direct influence on the ball's reaction.
I know that this is in direct conflict to what bowlers have been force-fed on the Professional Bowlers Association telecasts, during which commentators Mike Durbin and Nelson Burton Jr. have stated that viewers should experiment with side weight to create more hooking action. I do not know why the PBA allows them to make such ridiculous comments, but I have been in contact with the PBA administration and am awaiting a reply.
I realize that bowling ball motion potential can be very confusing for the average bowler. It would be impossible for me to clear the confusion in an article this short, but if you would like a more in-depth explanation, please contact me at 703/ 560-BOWL. I will be glad to answer any of your questions.
Coming in "behind" the head pin will cause a 10-pin tap.
This myth is most amusing to me because of the irony involved. The majority of bowlers that I work with on a daily basis all want the same thing: longer skid and a sharper-hooking angle.
It is safe to assume that the longer a ball skids, and the sharper it hooks on the back-end, the more the ball will enter the pocket "behind" the head pin. This being the case, it stands to reason that having a sharper hook will cause you to leave more solid 10-pins.
The irony is that if this were true, than these bowlers are paying me help them leave more 10-pins.
Proper pin carry has many variables, including, but not limited to: ball speed, rotation angle, axis tilt, surface texture, lane condition, proper pin spot, depth of gutters, etc.
One thing is certain: Not carrying a pocket shot has absolutely nothing to do with luck. Every time a bowler leaves a pin standing on a solid pocket hit, there was a physical reason why it happened. The difference between a good bowler and a great one is the ability to read the pin reaction at contact and make the necessary adjustments to achieve good pin carry.
The examples above are just a few of the many myths regarding bowling today. As I learn of more, I will relay them to you ASAP.