Bowling Lessons for Intermediate Techniques

Wednesday, 25. August 2010

Everybody loves bowling. It is the game where a person can experience fun and excitement. The game is played by aiming and rolling the ball down a lane in an attempt to knock down all the pins standing at the other end of the lane (target). When the attempt was good enough to knock down all the pins that is when it is called a strike. If there are pins left standing and they are knocked down with another roll of the ball, he made is a spare. Most beginners tend to make a low score because their attempts railed on the lane and did not knock down any pins.

As a beginner, it is important to first have lessons to learn the intermediate techniques.

1.    A person must know how to be comfortable in swinging and releasing the ball. He must know how to relax and take a deep breath for a more focused attempt. This is a technique that will help execute a free flowing arm swing.

2.    He must avoid an early drop of the ball by having a good grip on the ball, although it is not advisable to make a tight grip, because he may not create a spin or a smooth release of the ball. He should be comfortable with the ball in his hand to create a more decisive swing and releasing movement.

3.    If the attempts are always spares – or less, he may change his starting position by giving a slight angle to his previous starting position. This could help him lessen the number of pins he is missing. He must know how to adjust his shots to make to improve.

4.    The timing is important in making an attempt. There has to be good coordination between mind and the body. To make a good score, he must learn how perfect timing in the swing and release will improve delivery of the ball.

5.    He needs to be patient in practicing how to convert spares. He must take some time and learn how to aim the release. He should remember how his change of timing has affected his attempts. If there are positive results, he may want to continue the process that he is doing.

A person must realize that bowling also requires creativity. To be very good at this game requires mental conditioning. What matters most is continuing to try to improve the game.

Bowling Kingpins for Leagues and Tournaments

Wednesday, 18. August 2010

Most bowling pins used in a casual game of bowling are pins that were specified by the American Bowling Congress. Kingpins in bowling are one of the most popular pins used in tournaments and leagues. They are much bigger than the normal sized pins. Professional bowlers use a big ball to knock down these pins.

In ten-pin bowling, they also use a big ball to knock down the pins. Ten-pin is more popular in European countries like England and Germany. In the United States, cities in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and Brunswick have popularized this game and exported it to neighboring states and cities.

This game uses candlepins as their target. They are not removed from the lane after each attempt as they are in kingpin bowling. The lanes that are used in candlepin bowling are not oily compared to kingpin bowling, where the lanes are heavily oiled to meet professional tournament regulations.

Another kind of bowling that was also accepted by many people is the duckpin bowling. The game was popularized on the East Coast but originated in Baltimore as a summer sport when other bowling had declined in popularity. Duckpin bowling reached its peak of attraction in the 1960’s where it had spread its popularity along the Atlantic Coast from the states of Georgia to Maine.

When manufacturers of pin machine settings stopped producing the equipment, duckpin bowling waned in popularity. There are still bowling alleys for duckpin bowling in several cities in the states of Massachusetts and Connecticut.

Kingpin bowling is sanctioned by most bowling organizations for tournaments and leagues. It is the standard game for many professional bowlers in every bowling event held by Brunswick, because of the big size pins and balls, which are standardized by the American Bowling Congress.

For the casual players that just want to knock down kingpins in kingpin bowling, here are some tips to improve your scoring:

1.    He must find what he thinks to be the best starting position in front of the lane.

2.    He may walk towards the foul line with the dots that mark his starting position.

3.    He must turn around facing his back to the kingpins.

4.    After relaxing, he may face the pins and concentrate on his aim.

5.    Roll the ball to the lane and follow through with the arms and hands.

These few basic steps would help give a better performance in kingpin bowling.

Bowling Balls : Choosing the Right Coverstock

Tuesday, 10. August 2010

Bowling balls are available in a variety of coverstocks, top weights, pin locations, weight blocks and more.  Choosing the proper bowling ball to best suit your game can prove to be a challenge.  Fortunately, there are quite a few resources available online to research your bowling ball decision.

Below, is a brief breakdown of how the coverstock of a bowling ball can determine the reaction of the bowling ball on a specific lane condition.

Coverstocks refer to the surface of the bowling ball.  For example, most bowling balls will have either a dull surface or a shiny surface.  From the manufacturer, the new bowling ball will already have this characteristic.  However, you can alter the surface to your liking by adding a bowling ball polish to the ball or simply dulling the surface by using a dulling compound or even a scotch brite pad.

When a bowling ball is shiny, the reaction of the bowling ball tends to have more length before it reaches the breakpoint and hooks.  When it is dull, the ball will roll up earlier, giving the appearance of more hook.  In reality, the bowling ball just reaches it’s breakpoint sooner when it is dull compared to when it is polished.  Depending on the lane condition, you will be able to determine which bowling ball surface is right for you.

If the lane is slick (more oil on it), you will want a reaction from the ball that will roll earlier.  The reason being is that the oil delays the rotation of the ball being able to reach its mass bias, the point of where the ball flips and begins to hook.  By using a coverstock that is dull, it creates more friction between the surface of the ball and the oil on the lane, in turn having the ball reach its breakpoint sooner.

When the lane condition is on the drier side (less oil on the lane), you will want to use a bowling ball with a little more shine to it.  A shiny ball will have less friction in a sense that the shine makes the bowling ball skid further down the lane before it starts to turn.  However, it should be noted that on dry lanes, the bowling ball will want to naturally go into its roll sooner because of the small amount of oil that is on the lane.

The coverstock is one important aspect of bowling balls and being able to properly match up your game to the lane condition.  Ideally, you will want to speak with your local bowling ball pro shop operator about your next bowling ball purchase.  It is best to have them watch you bowl as well as talk about what bowling balls are currently in your bag.

If a bowling ball pro shop is not located in the center you bowl at, many excellent resources are available online.  One such resource for www.birddogbowling.combowling balls is BirdDogBowling.com.

Bowling Balls

Tuesday, 3. August 2010

Bowling balls are available with a wide range of options.  Such options as coverstock, weight block, top weight, and pin location to name a few.  With so many variables, how do you choose the right one for you?  Many factors, should be considered when making a decision on your next bowling ball purchase.

Let’s briefly breakdown what each of the above mentioned terms mean in reference to bowling balls.

-Coverstock is essentially to outer surface of the bowling ball that creates the shell.  Typically, the coverstock can either be dull or shiny on a bowling ball.

-A weight block is the core of the bowling ball.  Depending on the shape and density of the weight block, it can influence the reaction of the bowling ball.

-Top weight is the core variation within the bowling ball.  If the core is higher in the ball, it produces a higher top weight.  If the core is lower, then the bowling ball will have a lower top weight.

-Pin location simply designates the location of the top of the weight block in a bowling ball.

These definitions simply apply to the bowling ball itself.  What factors not related to the makemodel of the bowling ball?  For this we are referring to factors such as your bowling game itself.  Things such as ball speed, track flare, axis tilt, etc all play an important role in bowling.  Each person has their own unique way of bowling.  Knowing your game and style will make it easier for you to make the proper selection when buying a new bowling ball.

Below is a brief breakdown of a few key definitions.

-Ball Speed is simply the speed at which you roll your bowling ball.  Many of the newer scoring systems measure the speed of your bowling ball.  However, not all are 100% accurate, but it can give you a general idea of what the speed is.

-Track flare is the “oil rings” that appear on your bowling ball after you throw it.  These rings show the progression of the rotation of your ball as it is rolling down the lane and the ball changing its axis of rotation while seeking its preferred spin axis.

-Axis tilt is the angle of rotation of the bowling ball.

Depending on your style and lane conditions, making the right decision can be tricky at times.  The easiest and best way to decide which bowling ball is right for you is to visit your local bowling pro shop.  Many pro shop owners have been around the game of bowling for quite some time.  With their knowledge and experience, as well as watching you bowl, they can give you strong recommendations on which bowling ball will suit your game.

However, not every bowling center has an on-site pro shop.  Luckily the internet provides a plethora of information regarding bowling balls.  Many of the manufacturer sites provide in depth analysis of reactions and characteristics and even a few videos with the bowling balls in action.  Customer reviews found on various bowling ball message forums can also provide real life insight as to what a particular bowling ball can do on certain lane conditions.  There are even a few retail sites that provide bowling ball reviews, which are customer reviews for various products.

As you can see the internet can be an excellent resource in helping you determine which bowling balls will take your game to the next level.