INDEX
Technique
Technique Q&A  [1-20]   [41-60  [61-80]  [81-100]  [101-120]  [121-140]   [141-160]  [161-180]  [181-200]  [201-220]  [221-240]  [241-260]  [261-280]  [281-300]  [301-320]  [321-340]  [341-360]





Sam
Monroe
Mi

Comments: Good seeing you in Taylor Mi I know you won't remember me but it was still good to see you in person. Question I have a problem with my release it's never consistent and I'm always changing it. I've gotten myself confused how should I hold the ball at delivery?? I have a moderate hook but I seem to pull the ball a lot. I would be grateful for any help. Good luck next week just remember bowling is supposed to be fun just stroke the ball nobody will beat you.

Walter Ray Replies: There is no one "right" position at delivery. The most important thing is to do the same thing consistently. Since you say that is part of your problem...I will tell you a couple of keys (for me) that help me be consistent. First, concentrate on having a consistent hand position at the start of your approach. Then make sure you have a good follow through at the end. If the beginning and the ending are consistent, the middle (release) will tend to be also. Good Luck.



PATRICK
GREENVILLE
SC

Comments: I have been a big fan of Walter Rays for a while now. My question is that I have im proved my average somewhat but sometimes I can start off a with a bang but end with a bad game or at least not what it should have been. How do I overcome the problem that I am having closing off a good game. Pat Corn

Walter Ray Replies: Thanks for the support Pat!

I think the first step to trying to "finish" is to determine why you are struggling at the end. Are the lanes breaking down and you aren't making the right adjustments? Are you losing your concentration? Getting tired? You need to keep track of the late problems for a while and see if you can determine a pattern. If you can figure out what the problem is...it will be much easier to determine how to fix it! Hang in there. It sounds like you are headed in the right direction.




Vincent    October 20
Port Clinton
OH

Comments: Walter, I feel my weak part in my game is shooting spares, and that I need to work harder to make all of them to become an all-around player. I have a question, when shooting spares what is the most efficient way of making them? Please respond. Thanks.

Hi Vincent, For most spares I would recommend throwing the ball as straight as possible. Here is a way to help you with that. I would take a ball that hooks a lot and use it to shoot at your spares (in practice) on lanes that hook quite a bit. That should help you to learn how to throw the ball as straight as possible. Practice picking up those spares that you have trouble with on both the first and second ball. After you figure out how to throw the ball staighter, use your spare ball and get used to where you should stand and target for each spare. Good luck.



Daniel    August , 2001
Corsicana
TX

Comments: Dear Walter First of all I'm one of your best fans. I love watching you bowl. I also (if you don't mind) have a few questions. How do you prepare for you first shot of a frame? What do you do you stay focused?
Thanks Daniel Golmon
P.S. Also what is your favorite coverstock and oil pattern?

I really don't do anything special to prepare for my first shot. I concentrate on my target while going through my approach. I guess I have pretty good concentration, but it doesn't seem to be as good as it used to be. It depends on the oil pattern as to what coverstock I like. For lots of oil I like the particle balls, if I need a little bit more skid and flip a reactive ball is good and if there isn't much oil I have urethane balls to help me out. Plus I can slow down and hook it a little bit and speed up and throw it pretty straight if I think I need to.



Jeff
Lake villa
IL

Comments: hello Walter or site makers, I have a bowling questions about bowling. I have bowled for years and have fallen into a big slump or rut. my brother and other bowlers have said to stay behind the ball. I just have not caught on to that. what does that mean exactly? they say stay underneath the ball also. do you know of a way to stop spinning the ball? my ball spins and loses the power or hook. my shot is much like yours (not as good though of course) but not a real huge hook. could you help a fellow bowler? thank you. also, very cool site. I am watching the tour now on ESPN. Walter was bounced but still love to see the form and calmness you show. thanks, bye for now. Jeff

I am glad to hear that you care enough about your bowling game to try to work out your problem. Unfortunately, without ever having seen you throw a ball, it would be very difficult for me to diagnose or fix your problem. Spinning the ball is more a problem with what you are doing at the point of release, rather than with whether you are staying behind the ball. Also, spinning the ball isn't necessarily a "problem". Tom Baker spins the ball and is a very successful player. I would suggest you find a local teaching professional in your area and get some lessons from him.

Thanks for your support of the pro bowler's tour - and me personally.




Vincent
Port Clinton
OH

Comments: Walter, I feel my weak part in my game is shooting spares, and that I need to work harder to make all of them to become an all-around player. I have a question, when shooting spares what is the most efficient way of making them? Please respond. Thanks.

Hi Vincent,

For most spares I would recommend throwing the ball as straight as possible. Here is a way to help you with that.

I would take a ball that hooks a lot and use it to shoot at your spares (in practice) on lanes that hook quite a bit. That should help you to learn how to throw the ball as straight as possible. Practice picking up those spares that you have trouble with on both the first and second ball. After you figure out how to throw the ball staighter, use your spare ball and get used to where you should stand and target for each spare. Good luck.




Larry    July , 2001
Mayfield
Ky

Comments: I was reading a thread on the PBA site where someone was less than complimentary to you. Someone on the thread talked about how your speed variation over a period of games is a very small fraction in mph and the variation on hitting your target was one fourth of an inch. That said, it's incomprehensible to me how anyone could question your bonafides and is a sad commentary on the state of scoring conditions in bowling today that some casual observers can't tell the difference between an all time great and a league bowler. Where do you weigh in on the scoring issue?

You can't please everyone. I would rather see lower scores, but I don't always perform well on all of those types of conditions (Masters this year). I don't think that I am normally as accurate as you mention, but when I am bowling well I can usually be fairly accurate. The person who isn't so complimentary of me must have some reason for my having won 33 titles. Oh well.



Bill    July , 2001
Albany
New York

Comments: I have a question: I like to play straight down the boards , the less boards the better. But I have trouble when they are dry. When you are bowling on tour how do you keep your line so direct when others are way left? Is it the drilling of the ball? Or hand position? Can you give me some help on this one?? I can move left, but I'm much more consistent down and in. Thanks!! Hope to see you at Bowlers Club in Latham NY!!

I don't have the revs that most of the other players have. That in itself allows me to play a straighter line. If you really want to play straighter, you can use urethane or plastic balls to achieve this. Also good speed helps. When the lanes hook a lot, I don't mind hooking the ball a little bit. But it helps to stay within your game.



Richard
Brooklyn
NY

Comments: Hi Walter I have have problem with staying behind the ball.One facter that causes me not is that i drift 6to7 boards to my left. Being that you stay behind the ball so well, how can I cure this problem.


Hi Richard,

I don't know that drifting is a problem. Many top players drift left. When I play left on the lane I tend to drift more left. I would say that your hand position has more to do with this and what your hand is doing in your backswing and release. Maybe a camera can help you see what it is you are doing and a pro might be able to help you correct it.




James
Montreal
Canada

Comments: hi Paige and Walter from montreal. this might seem a little off the wall to you but here goes: what do you do with the old bowling balls you use in various tournaments ? do they end up on your shelf, do you give them back to the ball reps , or do you sometimes give/sell some ? im asking because my second half and i are your no 1 fans and it would be a real collectors piece to us to obtain one of those balls you actually threw on our shelf !! my daughter is also a great fan and we constantly argue about who is the best... walter or parker bohn. i say you she also says you but she says parker is hot on your heels..anyhow please look into my request about the ball and please give me one tip: i have a 200+ average but still have trouble with 10 pins.. i trow at it cross lane but still miss them 4 or 5 times out of 10 . tried straight ball and my reactive with no real change any tricks you might provide would be greatly welcome. thanks in advance and i wish you a great !fall season, we will be watching the best on tv!! regards to you and paige from james in montreal

Hi James,

My extra equipment is given away to charities. Some pros sell their old equipment, but I feel that isn't quite right.

Take a couple of games of practice to shoot your first shot and second shot at the 10 pin. You might want to use your most hooking ball on lanes that are really dry. This will help you 'learn' how to throw the ball straighter and then you should be able to pick up the 10 pin 19 out of 20 times. Especially if you are able to average over 200.




Brandon    June 18, 2001
Parma
MO

Comments: Walter,
I want to start by congratulating you on your website, it looks very good. I am a right hander and I have an average of around 170. Anyway, I'm sure you get this question frequently. It's the 10 pin, it's my "Achilles Heel". It seems that every time my shot seems flush, I leave the 10 pin. Do you have any advice on how to get maximum carry and just shooting at the 10 pin in general?
Thanks
Brandon Walker

The 10 pin is a normal part of bowling. It can be very frustrating at times. My basic philosophy is to hit the pocket as often as possible which should leave easier spares and give you a better chance to strike. Hitting the pocket 'flush' is even better, but not a guarantee for a strike. To pick up a spare, learn how to throw the ball as straight as possible. Using a plastic or urethane ball can help in the task. If you need to, practice shooting at the 10 pin for a couple of games, not going for score, but shooting your first and second shots at the 10 pin area.



Cole    June 28
Mille Isles
QC
Canada

Comments: Since you are one of the best, I would like to ask you a question. I can hit the pocket with no problem; however, I can't get over the 215 hill most of the time, it gets to a point where the pins just won't go down, I get 10's and 7-10 splits or a 6-7-10 split, I can't seem to get any pin action like I used to. Can you think of anything I might be doing? Do you have any videos of you playing, just wondering?

10's and rip 7-10's can be bad luck, but a 6-7-10 isn't in the pocket. If the pin action isn't what you would like, then you might want to try getting a coach to work with you. It is virtually impossible to suggest anything specific since I have never seen you bowl. You might be able to find somebody who collects videos of tour tournaments that you could borrow.



Zach ,
Silver City
NM

Comments: Dear Mr. Williams, I'm a youth bowler in the great southwest with two scratch title on the junior bowlers tour. I'm in the hunt week in and week out, but I struggle on oily conditions when others open up the lane. I have been called "little Walter" in my home center because my game is very similar to yours. What do you do when others open up the lane to be more competitive? Thanks for your time!
Zach Taylor

Hi Zach,

It definitely wouldn't hurt to learn to hook the ball a little bit while still being able to have a down and in game. I also tend to struggle on oily lanes and sometimes try to 'open' the lanes up myself, but it is nothing compared to what these power players can do. Sometimes I think that I would be better off with just one game and play it where it should be played. But it would be great if I could do everything great. Good luck and keep bowling well.




Charles
Redondo Beach
CA

Comments: Okay so you haven't got a book yet. If you do, I hope it has explanations like why hitting low in the pocket leaves 10 pins. I can see why in slow motion on the VCR (the 3 pin goes straight back and the 6 pin is hit so thin, it goes around the 10). Since everything in nature seems to be a compromise, (low mileage goes with high horsepower, high mileage causes low horsepower) what is the trade-off for more accuracy? Low ball speed? High ball speed? Visualizing? Aiming at the pins? Not looking past the foul line? Closing your eyes? None of the above? All of the above? What's your opinion?

Hi Charles,

When you say 'low in the pocket' do you mean light or slightly right? A solid 10 pin is slightly left or right of a strike, left would be 'flush' and right would kick the 10 out. The same is true of a weak 10 pin, left would kick the 10 out while light might be a 'rip' shot.

The trade off for accuracy (straighter ball) is that the pin action doesn't seem to be quite as good as the 'power' balls of most of the younger players. But in more difficult lane conditions the straighter players sometimes have an advantage due to their balls not jumping on them. There is a lot to be said for keeping the ball in play.




Jason
Jacksonville
FL

Comments: Hi Walter, Paige and family,

I have been stuck between a 190 and 200 average for a couple of years now. I use all ZONE equipment (16 lbs) and I pick up 95% of my spares. I hardly ever leave a split cause I'm always hitting the pocket. My question is what do I need to do to break into the "professional" range of 210 + average? Thank you for your time,

Hi Jason,

I am a little bit confused. If you are always hitting the pocket and picking up most of your spares you should be averaging over 200. Is your ball speed fairly slow? Do you throw the ball with very little hook? Those could make a difference, but you should still be able to score even with these traits. I would keep practicing. Maybe a local pro could see something that you are not doing and help you.




Andrew   May, 2001
Melbourne
FL

Comments: Hello I'm 12 and my average is around 150-155 and I know the basics about bowling. I have a question about my form, all of my friends and my local YABA coach are all telling me different things about where my hand position should be all throughout my approach. One day my friend said his opinion would be to have my hand at a 12 o'clock position and go out to be a 10 o'clock position. While another of my friends say it should be at a 10 o'clock position all the way through. Please tell me your opinion about this problem because I wish to improve my game. Thanks! - Andrew

Hi Andrew,

First you need to define what those hand positions are. I will use the hand position at or near the point of the release while the hand is under the ball. If you are looking down at your hand and consider the pins in the 12 o'clock position then the thumb is probably at 4 to 5 o'clock. The bigger key is what happens at the point of release. The guys who really rev the ball tend bring their fingers from a 9 or 10 o'clock position to near a 3 o'clock position after the thumb was out of the ball as opposed to somebody like me who lifts the ball with the fingers going from 10 or 11 o'clock to about 5 o'clock.

If I were you I would just keep bowling. Being a young bowler I am sure that you will try many things. And some of them will give you a desired result. You will probably try those again and learn how to do those with a higher degree of proficiency. Keep practicing and having fun.




Charlie
Manila
Philippines

Comments: Hi. Great site. In our family, I'm the only one who bowls. I had to learn everything from books. One particular book influenced me most. Bowling 300. Your insights helped me a lot. If you don't mind my asking, how do you create side roll without sacrificing a high track? I am most effective releasing the ball end over end. With this release, I am accurate, and I can maintain a high track. As soon as I turn my hand to create side roll, the track moves to about 2 inches or more from the holes. I need this release to be able to play other lane conditions. I've been watching you for years and you seem to be able to do everything with the bowling ball. How do you get side roll while maintaining a high track? Just one more interesting thing I noticed. I was flipping through my old issues of Bowling Digest and I saw a picture of you following through your shot with your palm facing the ceiling and yet your ball had a 90 degree side roll, once again maintaining a high track. I was in awe. My wife jokingly said you must be an illusionist. How were you able to do that? Thanks, Charlie

Hi Charlie,

I don't know that it would be so bad to learn the other release to create more of a side roll. If you want to cover more boards you will need to have some side roll. Accuracy is a great asset, so I would keep that release in your arsenal. For some reason my track doesn't change much except when I throw my spare release.

I am not sure about the picture that you are referring to. I doubt that my ball had a 90 degree side roll. I can put a fair amount of side roll on my ball. I don't know which way my palm is when I do this, but I suspect that it wouldn't be facing the ceiling.




Mark
Middleton
NH

Comments: I bowl on a league and I play horse shoes every day so I want to know, What is harder, getting a strike or getting a ringer? I thought about it forever but your the perfect one to ask, cause I struggle in horseshoes, personally I think getting a strike is easier, but that's because I bowl more than I play horseshoes. -thank you-

Hi Mark,

I would say that as a beginner it is more DIFFICULT to get a ringer than a strike. But as a person would reach the "professional" level of each sport, it would be EASIER to get a ringer than a strike! If you continue to play horseshoes and improve you should find it easier to make a ringer than a strike.




Larry Sunday,
Mayfield
Ky

Comments: I hope you get back to the top of your game soon and win another POY. My problem is with consistency. I bowl 12 to 18 games a week in a house where you have to make good shots to score. I hit the head pin almost ever shot, but hit the pocket less than other bowlers with similar averages. Any suggestions?

Hi Larry,

Thanks. My game has been pretty decent lately, but the true test is out on tour.

If you are hitting the pocket less than other players with similar averages then you must be making more spares. Consistency is something all players are striving for. I would practice on hitting your target with emphasis on practice.


Shawn    April, 2001
Cortland
NY

Walter, I noticed in the Toledo tournament you struggled with "tugging" your shots. I also have this tendency, and as a relatively new bowler, have not been able to overcome it some nights. Can you provide some insight as to how to fix the problem? Shawn

Hi Shawn,

Yes I did have a couple of blocks where I was 'tugging' the ball. It was rather frustrating to me as good shots were a premium, but I did manage to throw plenty of good shots. I would say the best thing to do is follow through to correct the bad shots, no matter what they are.


Technique Q&A  [1-20]   [41-60  [61-80]  [81-100]  [101-120]  [121-140]   [141-160]  [161-180]  [181-200]  [201-220]  [221-240]  [241-260]  [261-280]  [281-300]  [301-320]  [321-340]  [341-360]





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