bowlingball.com BowlVersity Q & A Part 7
bowlingball.com continues to share with our readers a few of the many questions we receive relating to articles posted on our site. This
bowlingball.com BowlVersity Q & A Part 7 article features three questions sent to us by our community guests. We would like to address these questions and provide the seventh in an ongoing series of articles known as
bowlingball.com BowlVersity Q & A Part 7.
We hope our responses to these questions below lead to helping you improve your bowling game. Most of the responses are to questions we received from bowlers ranging from beginners to 180 average players.
As we indicated in our first articles in this series, if you are an advanced player or a highly skilled and experienced player, you are most welcome to join in and offer your comments with the intent of sharing your knowledge from your personal experiences on the lanes with our fellow bowlers. We cannot possibly keep our responses to questions short and direct in content without likely omitting information which could expand the range of answers to a more acceptable level, thus another reason we invite you to share your thoughts by making a comment under the posted article and help us pass along useful ideas.
Here are the three questions for this article addressing issues many bowlers encounter:
Money Ball Viz-A-BallQ. As a new bowler considering purchasing my first performance bowling ball, what are basic differences between solid reactive and pearl reactive bowling balls?
A. Both solid and pearl reactive coverstocks are sub-classifications of the reactive-resin coverstock group.
Solid reactive coverstocks have the greatest amount of microscopic reactive pores on the ball surface compared to other reactive coverstocks. The solid coverstock comes in a polished finish, sanded finishes, and with a rubbing compound buffed finish so the degree of surface friction can be controlled within the sub-category of solid reactive bowling balls. Solid reactive coverstocks, coupled with symmetric core designs ,are normally the choice for heavy or medium-heavy oil lane conditions and are also very controllable balls in the mid-lane and from the break point to the pocket.
Pearl reactive coverstocks have the addition of mica material blended into the reactive coverstock material. The inclusion of mica roughens out the microscopic pores causing the ball reaction on dry lanes to be extended in length. Reactive pearl balls have the ability to react quickly to high friction portions of the lane and when matched with asymmetric core designs, produce the long skid motion in the front ends of the lanes and strong, angular reactions from the break to the pocket. The mica adds some sparkle to the bowling ball's surface appearance.
Q. Although I am a league bowler, I bowl only in the fall/winter season and I travel with my family every summer. Are there any quick tune-up tricks I can practice after summer vacation and before the next league season?
A. Think about a good start and then a good finish to your approach.
Use on a consistent pace or tempo of footsteps without hurrying the final two steps of your approach.
Use a similar tempo of arm swing back and forward to the delivery area. Minimize arm and leg tension to help you get a consistent swing pace. Relaxed muscles move smoothly, quickly, and effectively.
Hold your form at the foul line after releasing the
bowling ball. Balance during and after the critical release of the ball is vital to accuracy and good results.
Keep it simple. Success comes from developing good physical game fundamentals and then applying them in competition.
Q. I am considering joining my first ever bowling league. Are there any tips I should be made aware of?
A. Shop around for the right
bowling center for you before committing to league play.
Check with the control desk personnel when you decide on a center and ask to speak with the league coordinator or a league manager who is responsible for organizing bowling leagues and getting people signed-up for the coming league season.
Ask the league manager at your center of choice for a list of leagues scheduled to begin the next season. Try to find a league which needs a new bowler with your relative experience or skill level so you can join a team of compatible. Normally, joining a lower team average handicap league is a great place for new adult bowlers to start.
Handicap leagues make competition fair and equitable for all league members. Leagues assign you an average until you establish one or apply your initial average retroactively as soon as you bowl a few games. Handicap leagues allow you to plan and to compete against other bowlers with varying levels of skill and ability and have an equal chance of winning.
Once you decide to join a league, try and get together with your new teammates and practice a few games to familiarize yourselves with one another. Bowling in competition is easier when you are friendly and relaxed around your teammates. Invest in your own personal bowling ball,
bowling shoes, and
bowling bag,bowling ball coverstocks.
We thank the bowlers who shared their questions with us for this article. We hope our responses serve a useful purpose. Feel free to offer your comments; they are most welcomed. Be sure to check the "Improve Your Game" link in "BowlVersity" on the home page of our site for future posts. Thank you.
Rich Carrubba
bowlingball.com
