You, like many bowlers, likely started out bowling by using a point and shoot technique, or a "straight shot". This simple technique can be surprisingly effective, and you can, in fact, bowl an excellent score using it.
Even so, if you want to be more serious about bowling, or further improve your score, you'll need to learn more advanced techniques, adding more skill than luck to your game.
The hook ball is one of the first advanced techniques that bowlers learn.
With the hook ball in your bowling technique toolbox, you will gain more control over both the travel of the ball, and the pins it knocks down.
The reason straight bowling can only get you so far is because you have to send the ball down the center of the lane, and hit pins straight on, while avoiding the gutters (and the dreaded gutter ball).
While there are some people that can regularly throw strikes using the simple straight ball technique, it's often more due to the luck of how fast the ball rolls, the spin on it, and how the pins fly once they're hit.
More often than not, by sending the ball down the middle of the lane, you'll end up with a nasty split that is difficult to convert into a spare. Even if you do manage to nail the spare, you still won't be able to win a game against others that are able to hit strikes consistently.
That's where the hook ball comes in.
A hooked ball has spin on it, and that spin is what controls where the ball goes.
The way you release the ball is what creates the "hook".
In general, you want to release the ball while your thumb is at the bottom. Your fingers roll the ball as you release it to add spin. With the right amount, the ball will follow a straight path until it reaches the "break point".
The break point is the spot in the lane when the ball begins to turn towards the target, leaving it's straight path. When the ball hits the break point, it should arc outwards slightly, then curve back toward the pins you were targeting.
To get the perfect hook ball, you'll need to analyze your bowling habits. You need to figure out your typical axis rotation and axis tilt -- or the amount of vertical and horizontal spin you usually put on your shots.
To better determine your axis tilt and rotation, have a friend watch you (or take pictures or a video) as you throw several balls, so that you can see the position of your hand when you release the ball.
The information you gain will help you to make corrections to improve your hook ball game. You'll also have a better idea of the right bowling ball for your style.
For a hook game, urethane balls are perfect. The texture of these bowling balls helps to add just the right amount of spin to your throw.
Once you have the right ball, practice, practice, practice. The only way to learn how to hook the ball is to throw the ball a lot. You will have to become comfortable with each part of the hook ball throw -- spin, speed, rotation and location.
By investing time into learning the hook ball, you'll have a skill that can help you throw strikes more consistently, and make difficult spares, turning into a higher score. It's also a technique that looks really cool!
Even so, if you want to be more serious about bowling, or further improve your score, you'll need to learn more advanced techniques, adding more skill than luck to your game.
The hook ball is one of the first advanced techniques that bowlers learn.
With the hook ball in your bowling technique toolbox, you will gain more control over both the travel of the ball, and the pins it knocks down.
The reason straight bowling can only get you so far is because you have to send the ball down the center of the lane, and hit pins straight on, while avoiding the gutters (and the dreaded gutter ball).
While there are some people that can regularly throw strikes using the simple straight ball technique, it's often more due to the luck of how fast the ball rolls, the spin on it, and how the pins fly once they're hit.
More often than not, by sending the ball down the middle of the lane, you'll end up with a nasty split that is difficult to convert into a spare. Even if you do manage to nail the spare, you still won't be able to win a game against others that are able to hit strikes consistently.
That's where the hook ball comes in.
A hooked ball has spin on it, and that spin is what controls where the ball goes.
The way you release the ball is what creates the "hook".
In general, you want to release the ball while your thumb is at the bottom. Your fingers roll the ball as you release it to add spin. With the right amount, the ball will follow a straight path until it reaches the "break point".
The break point is the spot in the lane when the ball begins to turn towards the target, leaving it's straight path. When the ball hits the break point, it should arc outwards slightly, then curve back toward the pins you were targeting.
To get the perfect hook ball, you'll need to analyze your bowling habits. You need to figure out your typical axis rotation and axis tilt -- or the amount of vertical and horizontal spin you usually put on your shots.
To better determine your axis tilt and rotation, have a friend watch you (or take pictures or a video) as you throw several balls, so that you can see the position of your hand when you release the ball.
The information you gain will help you to make corrections to improve your hook ball game. You'll also have a better idea of the right bowling ball for your style.
For a hook game, urethane balls are perfect. The texture of these bowling balls helps to add just the right amount of spin to your throw.
Once you have the right ball, practice, practice, practice. The only way to learn how to hook the ball is to throw the ball a lot. You will have to become comfortable with each part of the hook ball throw -- spin, speed, rotation and location.
By investing time into learning the hook ball, you'll have a skill that can help you throw strikes more consistently, and make difficult spares, turning into a higher score. It's also a technique that looks really cool!
About the Author:
Are you looking for ways to improve your bowling technique? The Lost Art of Bowling is packed with bowling tips and techniques, including topics like how to buy a bowling ball. Click here to learn more about the Lost Art of Bowling.
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