How to bowl a proper hook

[Numbat24]

I have been trying for some time to throw a hook ball but i can never seem to get it right. I've read in many books and been told to hold the ball so that your hand is at the outer side of the ball and your fingers are facing 3'o'clock (since i'm a leftie). I have done everything you are supposed to do, releasing my thumb and then my fingers to get side spin, but i rarely get the desired result. Usually, the ball begins hooking too early and 'weakly', often resulting in the ball veering too far to the right. Sometimes it even goes to the left into the gutter. When I do manage to get a hook, it hooks way too early and goes way to the right.

I have several questions. Firstly should you rotate your hand when delivering a hook ball? Some sources say tell you to rotate your hand, while other's don't.

What are some methods/techniques to get a delivery which hooks more strongly but further down the lane?

 

[Brett]

I haven't seen you bowl so I can't really be certain of the solutions to your problems, but I'll try anyway. Something that might help is polishing your ball. This will allow the energy to be retained until it goes far enough down the lane. Also, the more side roll you put on the ball, the later it will react. Another possibility may be to play more in the oil (which is in the centre of the lane), if you aren't doing that already.

As to your other question about rotating your hand, I find that it creates more hook when you rotate your hand instead of "hitting" the ball (going through the shot, not rotating around it). However, I do see a lot of the higher rev players hitting the ball, so I guess it's just a matter of whatever works for you.

Also, you said that when you do get it to hook, it goes way to the right. If the problem is the amount of hook you are getting rather than the ball reacting too early, you should consider releasing your ball at 4-5 o'clock to reduce the hook you are getting. This may not sound like a good thing, but if you aren't able to control your hook, it's probably better to bowl a bit straighter.

I hope I've come close to answering your questions and good luck with your bowling.

 

[Numbat24]

Re: hook

I just bought a new Brunswick Quantum ball and it is getting some crazy hook! It basically hooks by itself. I tried it out yesterday, and found I often got too much hook, so I had to stand on the other side of the lane. As I suspected it was to do with the ball, which is just isn't really suitable for a strike ball.
Now I've consigned my old $20 Olympic ball as my spare ball.

 

[Numbat24]

pesky 7-9

Now that I am bowling a hook with my new ball (Brunswick Quantum, 13lb), I am consistently leaving some annoying splits. When I bowl a seemingly flawless ball into the left pocket, i often leave the 7-9 split. This happened at least 4 times in one game and in all occaisions I hit the pocket. What could be the cause of this? It seems I was getting more strikes bowling a 'spinner' with my plastic ball than I am hooking it with the quantum.

 

[MinusZero]

I started bowling about 16 years ago and have been using hook most of the time. its not difficult to do with just the basics.

i dont bowl a big hook and mainly rely on ball rotation more than boards.

I have two key things

1. Deliver the ball with my hand under the ball and my fingers facing down the lane
2. make my follow through go all the way through and up

Its the going up of the follow through that gives me the most rotation. my fingers come out of the ball and sort of "flick" the ball off my hand

i run about a 178 average with this technique. only problem, i get ripped off with the 10 and 6 pin quite a bit, but very few splits.

i am happy being a pretty average bowler, but am about to update to a reactive ball to hopefully improve my average.

 

[Gail Torrens]

Getting hook - Coachng

Boy this is an open question:

Things that assist hook -
1. Not doing anything - relax your swing - keep your thumb down
2. not pushing the ball
3. Keep your shoulder leverage going
4. Keep your wrist firm my pressing gently on the outside fingers - this facilitates thumb first then 'wait for it' fingers.
5. Keep eyes focused on the area of the lane that allows you to get the best feeling of release.

There are several degrees of teaching a release - from basics - which would be 7 and 8 o'clock finger position (left hand) - to rotation and axis tilt outcomes.

Things that assist ball reaction
1. Use the correct ball - correct coverstock.
2. Bowl in the area of the lane that gives you the greatest length of shot while still retaining hooking action and energy on the ball at the pins.

Things that retard hook
1. Bowling on the 'up' in your swing - this tends to blow your thumb out after a while.
Also the opposite of all the points mentioned above.

GET A COACH - There is easy to do drills that will give you the feelings of what you want to achieve. Person to person coaching - there is no substitute - you cannot do these things via video or information transfer - not as good as good old hands on coaching used by good coaches! I hope you can use the information to assist.

Best wishes
Gail Torrens

 

[markw]

What most people think is if there hand is
at the side of the ball at the point of release
they will hook the ball...not true
the most important thing is the point of rotation
you need to turn your hand and lift as your thumb comes out of the ball to get the 45 degree axis of rotation
if you turn to early you will just forward roll the ball and it wont finish

 

[dazgore]

I have not bowled for 10 years, and my ball is still in NZ, will be getting it early January, and starting up again.
Anyway, i was taught to imagine that you a bringing your hand up to shake someones hand, this allows the the thumb to release, and the fingers put the rotation on the ball.
It worked for me, i dont recall having any "clock" releases, and bowled a 190+ average.

cant wait to get my ball

 

[hsv]

rotate the fingers and not the forearm,
rotating the fingers allows you to put more revolutions on the ball, while still being able to follow through properly, giving you a more consistent shot
rotating the forarm can make the arm swing across the body, releasing the ball inside the line of the intended target. a wide crossover shot or gutter ball.
if you release the ball to early in the swing it may go outside the line of the target , a light hit or even an outside gutter ball
i was taught to relax the thumb have an unforced backswing allow the ball to roll of the fingers and a straight and relaxed follow through
watch the ball down the lane and if neccessary adjust your starting position to get the ball to the pocket.

hope this helps
regards