Get Your Non-Bowling Hand Off Your Ball Quickly
Updated 7/1/2020If you are prone to bowling with late timing or are a very methodical, slow moving bowler, you may have to get your non-bowling hand off your ball quickly.
It is surprising how many bowlers keep their non-bowling hand on the ball too long of a time once the ball begins moving into the swing cycle at the beginning of the approach (with the exclusion of two-handed bowling).
The non-bowling hand has really only one purpose before you begin your approach and one additional purpose while you are walking to the foul line.
The non-bowling hand is used for support holding the bowling ball during your stance position on the approach.
Next, the arm and non-bowling hand is used as a balance mechanism on the opposite side of your body from your armswing.
Once you begin to move your ball into the swing, get that hand off of your bowling ball as quickly as possible.
If your non-bowling hand remains on the ball once you move the ball away from your body during the “pushaway” motion (beginning motion in your swing cycle), your feet pass the ball swinging and your timing becomes very late.
Your swing must move freely and swiftly once it begins. Keeping your non-bowling hand on the ball too long retards this movement.
At good technique is to move the ball into your swing and at the same time you remove your non-bowling hand from your ball. This is something that may be easily practiced outside of the lanes without fully releasing your bowling ball. Simply practice your first few steps of your approach, really focusing on your non-bowling hand.
The non-bowling hand best serves you when it is removed from the ball quickly and then moves to the side of your body away from your swing.
Your non-bowling hand can be extended fully away from your body about waist level and in a line with your shoulders to provide good balance while you walk and swing the heavy bowling ball.
If you are a bowler who hangs onto the ball with your non-bowling hand too long, practice removing that hand quickly and at the same time you move your ball into your swing cycle.
The two movements should occur together which encourages a free and swift backswing motion and also provides good body balance when your non-bowling hand moves away to counter-balance your swinging the bowling ball.
