# Bowling became too easy?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-became-too-easy/553234>\
**Category:** The Game Room\
**Created:** [September 9, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-became-too-easy/553234 "2010-09-09T22:36:42Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![sevenwood](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/6de8d8/32.png) [@sevenwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sevenwood)\
**Post date:** [September 13, 2010, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-became-too-easy/553234/21 "2010-09-13T18:14:49Z")

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> [@want2know](#):
>
> you can’t buy skill

You realize, of course that you’ve just dashed the hopes of millions of bowlers (and golfers, for that matter) everywhere…

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**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\
**Post date:** [September 14, 2010, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/bowling-became-too-easy/553234/22 "2010-09-14T04:33:23Z")

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> [@sevenwood](#):
>
> > [@Robot\_Arm](#):
> >
> > I’d kinda like to learn to throw a hook.
> 
> I was in your position two years ago, and the only thing that worked for me (as someone with virtually no hand-eye coordination) was using a **suitcase grip**.
> 
> Basically you hold the bowling ball like you’d hold a suitcase, with your thumb pointed at your body instead of at the pins. When you release the ball your thumb tends to come out first and your fingers second, promoting a (for right-handers) counter-clockwise spin on the ball. To get more counter-clockwise spin, try starting the downswing with your hand cupped slightly and then moving your fingers away from your body (and your thumb towards the floor) slightly during the release.
> 
> The suitcase grip is supposed to **lessen** your natural hook, but for those of us that don’t have a natural hook it seems to generate one.

I learned that when I started league bowling way back when. It worked great for me, giving me a predictable slight hook, about the width of the ball down the lane. I can drop the ball on a dot and it goes where I want it to. I bowl infrequently now, but it still works. I get fewer strikes without practice, but I’m picking up spares just as easily. Being right handed, its easier to pick up the pins on the left.

Before I start doing that, I had to roll it straight, or get a curve I had no control over.

Thanks for showing me how to do that Jack. RIP

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