# Is spinning a bowling ball the key to high-scoring games? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 1, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877 "2005-11-01T07:16:28Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/1 "2005-11-01T07:16:28Z")
I’ve bowled maybe 10 times in my life, but recently gave it a go again. Whenever I managed to nail the center pin, I typically knocked down no more than 8 pins. Professional bowlers on TV send the ball along an optimized curving path that nails the pin just to the side of the center pin. In short, they throw curve balls. While I’ve never actually seen them twist their wrists, they must be, to create that signature hooking action. In fact, it seems that, without hooking the ball, it’s physically impossible to consistently exceed scores in the 175-200 range. It also seems likely that the dividing line between novice bowlers and accomplished bowlers is the ability to throw a controlled curve ball. Generally speaking, how hard does a pro bowler twist his/her wrist? Is it a quick, hard twisting motion or slower and softer? It seems evident that the twisting motion is horizontal to the lane’s direction. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 7:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/2 "2005-11-01T07:22:25Z")
It does seem to be the key, since the good bowlers all do it. I rarely spin the ball that way, and I also can’t score that high. Spinning the ball properly means that it makes contact with more pins, and also hits them in such a way that it pushes them more directly into the other pins. To me, it looks like they hold the ball steady and then do a hard, quick twist. ---
**Author:** ![cardsfan1975](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/5f9b8f/32.png) [@cardsfan1975](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cardsfan1975)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 7:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/3 "2005-11-01T07:38:06Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > Generally speaking, how hard does a pro bowler twist his/her wrist? Is it a quick, hard twisting motion or slower and softer? It seems evident that the twisting motion is horizontal to the lane’s direction. In all honesty, they don’t twist their wrist at all. The key to making a ball hook is having it drilled so that you have a fingertip grip. On the downswing, you keep your hand behind the ball, instead of letting your hand get on top of the ball. At that point, as long as your thumb gets out of the ball first, your natural hand motion will have your fingers put a side lift on the ball. That’s what makes it hook. I don’t twist my wrist at all, and my ball hooks. Take a look at some releases [here](http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/kennmelvin/kVideo.htm#Release). > [@Marley23](#): > > Spinning the ball properly means that it makes contact with more pins, and also hits them in such a way that it pushes them more directly into the other pins. It’s not the spin of the ball that makes it contact more pins. Typically, a bowling ball from a right handed professional bowler comes into contact with only three pins: pins 1, 2, and 5. Sometimes the ball will hit the 9 pin. But, it is the spin (or number of rotations or revs) on the ball that will cause the pins to contact each other more. The angle of entry on the ball is also important, because that’s what determines if a bowler leaves a lot of 10 pins (like me) for a right handed bowle, ror 7 pins for a left handed bowler. cf’75 ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/4 "2005-11-01T12:12:27Z")
While I was never a pro bowler, I did average over 190 for a while. No, wrist twisting will not do you any good. All pro bowlers (and many good amatuers) use a fingertip grip as **cardsfan 1975** correctly states. With a fingertip grip, the bowler maintains a firm wrist, staying behind the ball and lifts with his/her fingers as the ball is delivered. This gives the ball the “spin” that you see. With a conventional grip ball that you will find at the bowling alley for use, it is not possible to get a release that will allow you to do this. ---
**Author:** ![Xema](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/9de053/32.png) [@Xema](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Xema)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/5 "2005-11-01T12:21:15Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > While I’ve never actually seen them twist their wrists, they must be, to create that signature hooking action. As cardsfan notes, you don’t need to twist your wrist to spin the ball. One of the most common methods is simply to lift your fingers as you release the ball. Since they are normally to the “outside” of the ball (e.g., to the right, for a righthander), a spin in the opposite direction (e.g. left) is imparted. > [@](#): > > it seems that, without hooking the ball, it’s physically impossible to consistently exceed scores in the 175-200 range. I wouldn’t say it’s physically impossible - straight balls cand and do produce strikes. But the percentages certainly lie with a properly controlled hook. > [@](#): > > It also seems likely that the dividing line between novice bowlers and accomplished bowlers is the ability to throw a controlled curve ball. I think this is correct. Anyone who can consistently score well with a straight ball will almost certainly improve by learning a hook. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 1:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/6 "2005-11-01T13:46:30Z")
How many people saw the Thread title, & thought about the Harlem Globetrotters? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Goob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c77e96/32.png) [@Mr.Goob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Goob)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 2:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/7 "2005-11-01T14:03:20Z")
Picture your hand at the bottom of the swing (right hand) your thumb is facing foward and your fingers are facing to the rear. When you bring your arm forward your hand turns that if you stopped you arm straight out in front of you, your thumb is at the 9 o’clock and your two middle fingers at 2 o’clock. Another thing to try is keep your arm on the same plane next to your body. If at the end of your swing your arm is in front of your face the ball is going to go that way too, across the lane not down it. Hmmm- All this o’clock stuff, how to teach kids that only read digital? ---
**Author:** ![yabob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yabob/32/2821_2.png) [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/8 "2005-11-01T15:00:52Z")
Personally I don’t think I could throw the ball WITHOUT curving it. My problem is I throw a so-called “backup ball” all the time - it curves the wrong way. I don’t bowl often enough to bother with figuring out how to do otherwise - I just go for the “wrong” pocket, and can get the occasional strike if I hit it. ---
**Author:** ![Pushkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ee59a6/32.png) [@Pushkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pushkin)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/9 "2005-11-01T15:12:08Z")
> [@Bosda Di'Chi of Tricor](#): > > How many people saw the Thread title, & thought about the Harlem Globetrotters? > > 😃 I thought “The Big Lebowski” its where I first noted the effect. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/10 "2005-11-01T15:17:46Z")
I once saw a guy bowling with some kind of hand brace that supported his little (pinky) finger straight out; he was able to consistently put a terrific spin on the ball - it would teeter right over the right-hand gutter, then come all the way back and strike the king pin at just the right angle to guarantee a strike. What is this device called? ---
**Author:** ![Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ccd318/32.png) [@Carnac\_the\_Magnificent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carnac_the_Magnificent)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/11 "2005-11-01T15:23:25Z")
> [@Mr. Goob](#): > > Picture your hand at the bottom of the swing (right hand) your thumb is facing foward and your fingers are facing to the rear. When you bring your arm forward your hand turns that if you stopped you arm straight out in front of you, your thumb is at the 9 o’clock and your two middle fingers at 2 o’clock. > > Another thing to try is keep your arm on the same plane next to your body. If at the end of your swing your arm is in front of your face the ball is going to go that way too, across the lane not down it. > > Hmmm- All this o’clock stuff, how to teach kids that only read digital? I’m not visualizing this very well. In fact, I just called my EA in and we both tried to replicate your movement. (Much laughter.) It sounds like you’re twisting the ball somewhat, while releasing. Seems you’d have to, to get your thumb in the 9 o’clock position you’re in. When I release the ball–admittedly a bowling alley generic ball–my thumb releases from the ball in the 12 o’clock position and my two fingers between 5 and 6. For those above who are suggesting releasing my fingers late, are you suggesting that the fingertips are pressing against the side of the ball, which then imparts the spinning motion? If so–and given my release of the ball at between 5 and 6 o’clock–it seems the fingertips would cause the ball to spin in the same axis as the bowling alley. If so, how would this cause the ball to spin? Wouldn’t you need a slightly off-axis release to produce the appropriate spinning motion? ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/12 "2005-11-01T15:24:03Z")
Wrist braces, wrist supports… whatever. [http://www.bowling.com/productsbycategory.asp?ID=22&CategoryName=Wrist+Supports](http://www.bowling.com/productsbycategory.asp?ID=22&CategoryName=Wrist+Supports) ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/13 "2005-11-01T15:26:18Z")
Are they legal for professional play? ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/14 "2005-11-01T15:31:58Z")
> [@Carnac the Magnificent!](#): > > I’m not visualizing this very well. In fact, I just called my EA in and we both tried to replicate your movement. (Much laughter.) It sounds like you’re twisting the ball somewhat, while releasing. Seems you’d have to, to get your thumb in the 9 o’clock position you’re in. When I release the ball–admittedly a bowling alley generic ball–my thumb releases from the ball in the 12 o’clock position and my two fingers between 5 and 6. > > For those above who are suggesting releasing my fingers late, are you suggesting that the fingertips are pressing against the side of the ball, which then imparts the spinning motion? If so–and given my release of the ball at between 5 and 6 o’clock–it seems the fingertips would cause the ball to spin in the same axis as the bowling alley. If so, how would this cause the ball to spin? Wouldn’t you need a slightly off-axis release to produce the appropriate spinning motion? Well… I bowled for about 10 years and quit as I was getting good… but… The ball does not spin. The ball should never spin. I would have to show you… but maybe I’ll find something on line. [http://members.tripod.com/Tips\_4\_Tenpin/coaching/Roll/basics\_of\_grip\_and\_roll.htm](http://members.tripod.com/Tips_4_Tenpin/coaching/Roll/basics_of_grip_and_roll.htm) Okay, this is the best I can do on short notice. A straight ball is usually a full roller. You can see on the bowling ball that the track on the ball goes between the finger holes and the thumb hole. A hook ball is _usually_ a semi roller and because of the track on the ball… the ball _appears_ to be spinning while it never really does. Read the linked page. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/15 "2005-11-01T15:33:13Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Are they legal for professional play? Legal for the pros and for league play. ---
**Author:** ![diku](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4af34b/32.png) [@diku](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/diku)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/16 "2005-11-01T16:00:24Z")
In our league, there are one or two good bowlers that roll a straight ball. Meaning 150-175 average. Anyone above that (including me at the moment) rolls a hook. The angle of hitting the pocket means I can mess up and not hit perfectly and still end up with a strike. With a straight ball, if you miss the pocket in anyway, you’re not going to strike. The key to any high scoring game though is to have your own equipment. Have your own ball and shoes. Makes a huge difference. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/17 "2005-11-01T16:35:14Z")
> [@diku](#): > > The angle of hitting the pocket means I can mess up and not hit perfectly and still end up with a strike. With a straight ball, if you miss the pocket in anyway, you’re not going to strike. I think this is the key to the hook. It isn’t that the ball is rotating in any special way, it’s the angle of attack to the pocket. It’s actually harder to get a consistent hit with a hook, because variations in the oiling of the lane will change how hard the ball hooks. This is why most pros have one ball for the first shot (bigger hook) and a “spare” ball that goes much straighter. It’s more accurate, and you don’t need the angle of attack anymore. A straight ball rotates around a horizontal axis perpendicular to the alley, or has a very slick surface that doesn’t get traction. A “spinning” ball rotates around a vertical axis, and is completely useless because it just goes straight and spins like a top. A “big hook” will rotate around a horizontal axis parallel to the alley, when this ball hits the un-oiled end of the alley, the ball will grip the wood and change direction rapidly. I believe that some hooks are also created by the internal weighting of the ball, even if you don’t have the “big hook” style spin, the offcenter weight in the ball will generate its own spin and change direction when the dry wood is encountered. ---
**Author:** ![Who\_me\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/958977/32.png) [@Who\_me\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Who_me_1)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 5:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/18 "2005-11-01T17:26:57Z")
> [@Cheesesteak](#): > > I believe that some hooks are also created by the internal weighting of the ball, even if you don’t have the “big hook” style spin, the offcenter weight in the ball will generate its own spin and change direction when the dry wood is encountered. A bowling ball is not uniform in weight distribution. There is a weight block in the ball and a ball can be given different weight characteristics when drilled by a professional. There is side weight in which the ball on one side of the holes is slightly different weight than the other. This will cause the ball to hook a little more. Finger weight will delay the hook of a semi rolling ball… and thumb weight is the opposite and will cause the ball to start hooking a little earlier. All these weight offsets are in the range of 1 ounce or so. Here is how the drilling is done… [http://www.bowlingball.com/info/layout\_drilling.php](http://www.bowlingball.com/info/layout_drilling.php) ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/19 "2005-11-01T19:55:04Z")
> [@diku](#): > > The key to any high scoring game though is to have your own equipment. Have your own ball and shoes. Makes a huge difference. My 11 year old son agrees with this. He has been a bowling fanatic for years, and his current average is 175. I watched him bowl this weekend and he had a 242, 202, 180 series. He usually takes 2 balls to the alley (not sure why) and he tells me that the game is 95% mental (I just nod knowingly). ---
**Author:** ![vetbridge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b5e925/32.png) [@vetbridge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vetbridge)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2005, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877/20 "2005-11-01T19:56:53Z")
> [@vetbridge](#): > > 242, 202, 180 series. Actually the numbers were reversed. . . 180, 202, 242. He almost always bowls 3 games with each score higher than the previous one. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-spinning-a-bowling-ball-the-key-to-high-scoring-games/328877.md?page=2)