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Practice Q&A [1-20] [41-60] [61-80]  Kenneth March 23, 2004 Flushing NY comments: My name is Kenneth. I am 17 years old and have been bowling for roughly 12 years. I bowled completely straight from when I started up until my freshman year in high school. I joined the bowling team at my school and noticed that everyone's score were higher than mine and they all bowled with a hook. So I decided to practice hooking the ball. My average as a straight bowler was a consistant 193-198. When I started hooking, my average dropped to roughly low 170s. I try to go back to throwing it straight, but I cannot. My first questions is why did my average drop so much? My second problem is I cannot string together strikes more than 3 in a row. After getting that third one, I seem to get an 8 or 9 or something like that. Why does this happen? If it helps, I am righty and I bowl exactly like Pete Webber except I do not have that huge back swing that he does. Thank you so much for the help. Hi Kenneth, Usually a little bit a hook will help a bowler improve, but sometimes there is a learning process to adjust to it. It sounds like you might want to have a coach or somebody to help you out a bit. Keep working on it and I am sure that it will come around. Jason February 22, 2004 Oneida TN Walter Ray, I am 17 years old and on a youth league in Oak Ridge. I currently have an average of 170. My ultimate goal in life is to join the PBA. My current schedule is bowling Friday (5 games), Saturday (5 games), and Sunday (5 games). I was just wondering if that is too much and if I need to space the days out more. Thank you, Jason Hi Jason, If you want to be a professional bowler, then 15 games a week is probably not enough. 5 games a day isn't too much. As a professional you would be required to bowl up to 18 games a day at times. James March 5, 2004 Dunnellon FL Walter Ray I noticed in one of the question someone asked if you would practice with them and give them some advice on there game. You said you didn't do that very often but if you did you would probably have to charge them for the help. I understand this completly. So I my question is how much would you charge to give for advice on my bowling game? I live near Ocala, so if you were serious please email what your fee would be for your help. Hi James, I don't normally give lessons, but if I decide to do that I will put a notice on my website and contact you. Jeff February 13, 2004 Lake Zurich IL An honor. If you or Paige truly read this, I'm honored. I consider you the best bowler on the planet. Your career stats say it all. I'm hoping for a pointer on better picking up a 9 pin. It is probably a very unusual pin to have trouble with but I am doing just that. On an average night I start at the 15 board and swing to about the 7 or 8. By the end of the night I'm usually at 20 to about 12. I'm not a cranker but probably more than a stroker. I can flatten the ball with acuracy at the 10 pin but I just can't seem to find a comfortable line for the 9. Sounds kinda goofy right? If I leave a 7 or 4 I move right and stay aggressive to convert. Hope you can help. (847) xxx-xxxx is my home phone number. I would love to get a call from you. Otherwise keep on rollin'. Jeff. Hi Jeff, You should be able to pick up the 9 pin by moving your target about 2 to 3 boards left of you 10 pin target with your feet in the same place. Everybody is different so you should practice what would work best for you. Abed Downriver MI Hi my name is Abed and im 13 years old.My dad is arabic so my name is a little wierd.If you didnt know im a boy.I got my first perfect 300 game just a little after i turned 13. Im in 3 leagues and my averages are 194,199,and 181.The average of 181 is on wood dry lanes and i have a lot of trouble on those lanes.The bowling balls that i use are the superfreak and the crunch time.And i just got an inferno. The first day and bowled with it on my league i shot 173,267,and 160.Which is a 600 seris which isnt that bad or isnt that good.I need help with dry lane conditions and the 10 pin.As you just found out im right handed.You are one of my favorite bowlers other than Pete Weber and Chris Johnson. So if you could please respond back to me as soon as possible.Thanks Walter Ray. Hi Abed, It sounds like you are bowling very well, especially considering that you are only 13. For really dry lanes, you might need to get a polished ball or even step back in time and use an older ball which doesn't hook very much. The same goes for picking up the 10 pin. You might also want to practice a 10 pin on really dry lanes with a hooking ball so that you learn how to throw the ball as straight as possible. Then use a plastic ball in competition and you should be able to pick up all of those 10 pins. Good luck. Josh December 24, 2003 Dewittville NY Walter Ray, I know that you live in Ocala, Florida and I was wondering where you practice. I know one place because I saw you there last night. It was at AMF East Galaxy Lanes in Ocala, Florida. I live in Dewittvile, NY but am down here in Ocala visiting my grandparents for the holidays. If I see you again when you are practicing, could I get your autograph??? You're a great bowler and I hope that you make some telecasts this next half of the year and win some more titles!!!!!!!!!!! Thanks again! Joshua Moss Hi Joshua, I normally practice at AMF West as it is a bit closer to where I live, but sometimes they have something special going on so I go to one of the other bowling centers to practice. I don't devote a lot of time to practice, but I am trying to get in a few days of practice before I leave on my trip to Tacoma, Washington. I normally don't have a problem with giving out autographs when I am practicing. Thanks, I hope I do better this 2nd half. Erik December 22, 2003 Ocala FL Hello, On Sunday, December 21, 2003, I was at AMF Central Lanes in Ocala, Florida. My friend and I got a lane you got one right next to us. Being new to bowling, I didn't know who you were. I just remeber telling you that I was glad you weren't keeping score, because it would embarras my measly score. By the time I found out who you were you were leaving and I didn't want to bother you. I was just wondering if you bowl there often? And if so, do you want to bowl a game or two? :) -Erik Hi Erik, I normally practice at AMF West as it is a bit closer to where I live, but sometimes they have something special going on so I go to one of the other bowling centers to practice. It is nice to know that many people would like to bowl a game or two with me, but since I really can't accommodate everyone I just practice by myself. I hope you understand. Joe November 15, 2003 Toms River NJ How many games a week do you practice? Hi Joe, When I am on tour I usually get in about 40 to 60 games per week. But a fair amount of that is tournament play which I think is better 'practice'. When I am off of tour I may go a month without bowling, but when I am getting ready for a tournament I will bowl 10 - 20 games and 40-50 games when getting ready for the tour. Antoine November 1, 2003 Bloomington MN Hi Walter Ray, My name is Antoine and I am 17 years old from Minnesota. I have been bowling seriously for about 3 years now and have really improved alot; right now I average 185-190. I still do have one problem though. I can string together a lot of strikes in a game, but my spare shooting is horrible. I don't know if I should use my spare ball strike ball or what? I just can't seem to make spares (especially right side spares, like the 10 pin or 6-10. I bowl for my highschool team and don't want to let them down by missing spares all the time. What do you reccomend I do to get better? Thanks for answering my question, and I look forward to seeing you on a telecast soon! Hi Antoine, You need to practice those spares. I would learn how to throw the ball straight and also use a plastic ball to help you go straight at most of your spares. Take a couple of games to shoot at the 10 pin over and over. Good luck. Chris September 20, 2003 Loxahatchee FL Hi Walter Ray, my name is Chris I've been bowling for 2 1/2 years now I really enjoy it. I am currently sitting on a 207 average and last saturday I shot my first ever 700 series in league. However, over the last few months I've noticed that my shot has been hitting the pocket good but I keep leaving solid 8 and solid 10pins constantly. What you suggest to me for correcting this problems. I think it might make some difference I bowl right handed. Hi Chris, If you are leaving the solid 8 or solid 10, there isn't a lot that I would recommend doing. To me, hitting the pocket is most important. On the average, I would say that I get strikes on about 70% of my pocket shots. I don't know the % when I hit the pocket 'solid', but it must be a bit higher. It does seem that solid 10's are very common, while solid 8's don't happen quite as often. If you are good enough to hit that fraction of an inch higher or lighter in the pocket to get the solid 10 out, then make that slight adjustment, but me, I keep trying to hit the same spot. It is very frustrating, but most of the time you will not leave a solid 10. Keep it bowling well. Don July 8, 2003 Truxton NY Walter Ray, My problem has to do with a neutral starting point at the beginning of league,practice or tournaments??Im not sure where to start,as I have yet to figure out what my "A" game is.I like playing "outside 5" (down and in) and anywhere between the 2nd and third arrows.I probably have a little more side turn than you,but not much.Can you offer any advice or suggestions? Thank You very much.........Don P.S. Congrats on your excellent season! I always enjoy watching you "kick Rear" on TV....... Hi Don, A starting point should depend on where you are most comfortable playing. I really can't tell you where you are most comfortable. That is a very personal thing. It should also depend on where you are bowling and whether or not it is a fresh oil condition. You also need to watch other players and where they are playing. Of course then you need to make the appropriate adjustments for getting lined up. Hang in there and you will start to be more comfortable! Mike June 10, 2003 NC Subject: bowling school Want to go to bowling school. Avg.185 am 53 yrs. young. Been away from bowling for 15 yrs. Won singles in roll off in 1978. Going to join at least two leagues this fall. Any suggestions to where I could get coaching or school. I live in eastern north carolina. I admire your skill and style, keep it up. thank you, mike sullivan Hi Mike, I am sure that there are coaches in your area. I would contact a local pro shop about that. I found some info on www.bowl.com at http://www.bowl.com/bowl/usa/common/static.shtml?page=coaching_index . There is the Kegel training center down in Florida and I believe that Ebonite and Track also have coaching programs. I hope this helps. Wilson April 19, 2003 Richmond I know balance is a very important issue, but i suck with balancing and arm swing. So how can i improve when i practice????????? How to make stikes???? Hi Wilson, It might be that you are rushing a bit. It sounds like it might be good for you to seek the advice of a good coach. It is very difficult to give exact advice on what someone needs without seeing them bowl. Striking is best achieved by having the ball enter the 1-3 pocket with a slight angle coming from right to left or the 1-2 pocket from left to right. The ABC says that a 6 degree entry angle is optimum. But a strike can occur with any angle including an angle which goes away from the pocket. Joe March 25, 2003 Hoffman Estates IL Hello W.R, I started bowling seriously about 8 years ago. I am 45 years old and started with about a 145 average for about two years. I bowled in leagues where the competition was fierce. I learned very quickly that practice was very important to get to the level of the competition. Currently I am about a 190+ bowler. I guess the best complement that I had came from Brad Snell when he mentioned that I had a good work ethic. I have enjoyed watching you in TV tours and pretty much have modeled myself after your style of bowling. I only use one ball and do well with it whether it be league or tournaments. a lot of my bowling buddies carry about 2 to 3 to even up to 6 different balls. My question is: On average, how many different balls do you use during the course of a tournament? And: Is it dependent on lane conditions? Thanks Joe Villafane Hi Joe, I probably average about 2 to 3 bowling balls per tournament. Different balls are sometimes needed for different lane conditions. One ball might be ok, but having one or two others wouldn't hurt. But I would try to have one ball kind of dull, maybe a particle ball, a shiny reactive, and a plastic or urethane ball for spares or really dry lanes. If you bowl at the same place all of the time and don't ball tournaments, then you might not need to have more than 2 or 3 balls. Good luck. Gerry March 24, 2003 Media IL Hey Walter Ray, Hey congrats on your world championship! You deserved it. Also thanks alot for answering my question, it was appeciated alot. Two weeks from now I have the Illinois State Tournament and I was wondering what you would recommend doing to practice for the tournament? Also if you have any other tips too possibly help me advance in tournaments I wouldn't mind if you told me but if you don't, don't worry about it. Thanks. Hi Gerry, I would practice on tough lane conditions if possible. Worry more about your form and hitting your target than knocking the pins down in practice. It would also help to practice with someone if you feel comfortable with your game to give you a little bit of pressure. Try to have a good time. Of course I have a much better time when I do well. Steve January 17, 2003 Grand Rapids MI Hi walter ray it's steve, I just wanted to know if you could help me in anyway, well i'll just get right to the point. I take a 4 step delivery and at the end of the delivery i always have this stutter step at the end of my swing and it's messing my game up, it seems that the ball is getting to the downswing before i can get my right leg out of the way, what can I do to get rid of this, or should i change to a 5 step delivery? If you have any commment's or suggesetion's id appreciate it very much, thank you and have a good day!! Hi Steve, It sounds like you should search out a coach, preferably a good one. It sounds like you have a timing issue and that might take some time to fix, plus plenty of practice. A 5 step delivery could help, but probably you will do the same thing. Good luck. Jamie January 10, 2003 Round Lake Beach IL Hello Walter Ray, I just got done watching The Earl Anthony Classic rerun on ESPN 2. I was watching it on its original showing but switche ding Dukes 300 to wtch a football game. (stupid me) But what my question is I ave been bowling for 8 years now, I hae increased my average every year and last year it was 188. But this year it is down. The biggest reason for this is because I have not been able to practice as much as I have in the past, but I was wondering if there is anything that I can do just at home to fine tune anyting, or if there are other exercises that I can do to improve my bowling game. P.S. After you break Earl Anthony's career wins mark, I will be the one to break yours...Kidding but I can dream, right! Hi Jamie, There aren't too many good substitutes for practice. I played horseshoes before I really got into bowling and I think it can help your arm swing. Visualization is a good tool, but takes some concentration. Good luck. Tim November 19, 2002 Cranberry Twp. PA Hey Deadeye, What's up? I am a 15 yr old bowler. I am averaging around 215-220 in different leagues/tournament tours this year. However, I am getting frustated by walking into the local bowling center to practice and finding a shot that gives me 10-15 boards to hit the pocket. I was wondering if you thought that this years tour patterns are harder or easier than the sport conditions used last year. Would they be good to practice on? The sport shots are not readily availible, but I was hoping that the PBA shots might get put out at a local center that some pros practice at. Hi Tim, I think you are doing the right thing by looking for more challenging places to practice. I do think that the oil patterns that the PBA has been using for the last year are a bit easier than most sport conditions. I don't think that they are as easy as most house shots except for one of the patterns. But they would be better to practice on than a typical house shot. Normally when I practice in Ocala I will play around the 4th or 5th arrow to get away from the easy house shot. That is something else you can try, play inside or play off of the corner with a plastic ball. Keep up the good bowling and we should see you out on the tour when you are a bit older. Steve November 19, 2002 Nashua NH Hey Walter Ray, Been a fan for years, and I hope you keep up your dominance for years to come.... Actually the question is picking up pins on your average....I have a 193 right now, and I've held about a 190 over the last couple of years. I was wondering what I have to do to pick up those extra 10 pins to be completely dominant? Just looking for some feedback.... thanks Steve Hi Steve, I don't know that picking up 10 pins to a 200 average bowler will make you completely dominant, but it should put you above more bowlers. There could be a couple of things keeping your average down. Shot making is usually the biggest priority, which comes with good practice. Playing the lanes correctly with the right ball could be another factor. That comes from experience. Knowing that if you have a bit of room to the right or left usually means that you are playing the best part of the lane. Picking up your spares is a must. If you can hit the pocket more often, then you are normally left with simple single pin spares. Practice, practice, practice is a great way to improve. Good luck. Jeff November 18, 2002 Fairbanks AK Hi Walter Ray & Paige!!! I have a couple of questions and I will try to make them short. I have been bowling for about 25yrs and have had some great coaches along the way. My wife has just started learning to bowl and wants me to coach her. Do you have any suggestions for her to approach the game? She has a very competitive nature and its hard to keep her from getting frustrated because she isn't doing well right off the bat. Any hints would be great! Second question is for me. I normally do not change balls from strikes to spares, just change hand positions. Is this still an accepted practice or do you find it better to maintain hand position and throw a plastic ball? Thanks for the advice and good luck this year! So far so good.. Hi Jeff, It can be very difficult to teach a loved one how to do anything, but if you are patient enough and know what you are talking about it can be done. The toughest thing for most people teaching some else is that it is sometimes hard to understand why the student has trouble with a concept which is 2nd nature to the coach. The reason for that is because the coach has been doing it so much longer. Also people need lots of replication for it to be ingrained in our brains. I would suggest on working on technique and try not to worry about score. Most people have trouble with getting lessons because they expect immediate results, but it takes a lot of repetition for those lessons to become part of that persons game. I like to alter my hand position and throw a plastic ball so that it goes that much straighter. But if you can change your hand position so that it doesn't hook then you are probably alright. Good luck to both of you and remember patience! Practice Q&A [1-20] [41-60] [61-80] | ||