How many times will bowlers continually go down to the lanes and just throw shot after shot, make note of their score and finish having learned nothing about their game?

Each practice session must be a goal driven event where you set forth to do something that you planned before you even arrived at the bowling center.

This year make an effort to include some drills and pick out some of the flaws in your game and work on them. Maybe learn the one-step drill and become proficient at it. Take a spare you struggle with and try some different techniques for knocking it down, whether it be a physical adjustment, or a lane play adjustment (or for some a mental adjustment, let go of that anger before you step up to shoot at the spare). This tip will lead to progression, rather than stagnation or worse, regression.

I hope all my readers have had a happy and safe holiday season, and I wish you all the best in 2012.

So what parts of your game are you going to work on in 2012? Please comment below.

I’d recommend starting by staring down your mark and counting to yourself (or aloud) 1001, 1002.  Then deliver the bowling ball.  If you use a focal point down lane to line up your shot you can do the same thing for this point as well.  So you’d go focal point for a 2 count, and then back to your closer target for a 2 count, then deliver the bowling ball.

Go ahead and try it and let me know how it works for you by leaving a comment below.

Bonus Tip: Take Your Time

I see a lot of bowlers who feel rushed when they get on the approach.  You should take an amount of time you need to get yourself set.  Don’t worry about what everyone else is doing, this is your turn.  Go through your pre-shot routine and make the most of each delivery.

The Wrong Way

This mistake stems from the fact that the thumb tip is shaped like the end of the tape and the assumption is that the tape is to be positioned like the shape of the thumb.  The real reason the tape is rounded at the top so you don’t feel or peel up the corners as your thumb is inserted or exiting the hole.

The Correct Way

When done correctly the round part of the tape should end up near the top of the hole.  I suggest placing the first piece just below (1/8″-1/4″) the beveled part of the thumbhole.

The Finished Product

As you can see from the pictures I personally use white textured tape in the front, but I also use 2 black pieces offset in the back.  Feel free to experiment with your tape textures and placement until you get a feel that is comfortable for you, but white in the front should be a good starting point for most people.

I am yet to meet a bowler that wouldn’t benefit by using bowling tape.  If tape doesn’t fit in your thumb hole (becomes too tight), get it opened up a bit so you can at least get a couple pieces in there.  You don’t want to be surprised the first time your thumb swells as it will inevitably happen during competition and you’ll have no easy options in place to fix it.  How delightful it will be when you can just remove a piece of tape and continue knocking down the pins effortlessly.

If you don’t have any tape you can grab some at your local pro shop or online here.

Before a big tournament, make sure you get ample sleep and hydration.  This starts long before the night before the tournament.  In fact if you are a professional athlete of any kind, this planning could be months in advance, but I’d honestly settle for just a few days for most bowlers.  Getting a good night’s sleep is critical because it can directly correlate with your performance.  Groggy bowlers make poor bowlers that physically don’t throw the ball well, and make mental errors.  Also make sure to leave enough time to eat a reasonable breakfast and set yourself up to get to the bowling alley at least 20 minutes before the start of the tournament.

You never know what check-in might look like at the tournament so getting to the tournament center early sets you up so this is not a problem.  Also it gives you time to double check the fit on all your bowling balls before the practice lights get on.  I can’t tell you how many people only bowl evening leagues only to find on the morning of the tournament their thumb is either huge or shrunken.  Then they scramble to adjust tape in practice when it simply could have been avoided with a little preparation.

Especially if you aren’t familiar with the center, you might check how tacky the approaches are by sliding your shoe on the approach and adjusting your slide sole before practice begins.

Lastly, arriving early will give you a few minutes to relax and collect your thoughts before you start throwing balls down the lane.  This might not sound like much to most bowlers, but there is nothing worse than being rushed and arriving right before practice or worse, during practice.  You’ll be forced to make decisions quickly, when you likely would have made better decisions if you had thought about a few things before you started.

Paying attention to these softer parts of the game are important for gaining that ever so important edge in competition.  If this preparation only helps you carry 1 extra strike, it could be the difference between making or missing the cut.

For further reading check out Kegel’s Joe Slowinski who wrote a great article on the implications of sleep and bowling.

Have a great weekend.  Thanks for your continued support of The Bowling Approach.

Watching the 2011 PBA Tournament of Champions this year was exciting for a few reasons.  The first was the $250,000 prize, which is the richest prize in all of bowlings history.  The second was Mika Koivuniemi rolling a 299.  The third was watching the lowest score ever on national television (100) by Tom Daugherty (sorry Tom, we still love you).  Lastly for me was a discovery that I’m not the only crazy one who is not afraid to try something different.  Check out this picture below, which was taken right after Mika shot a 299.

Major Mika After Rolling a 299 at the TOC

Though subtle you’ll notice that his slide sole isn’t just one color.  It’s made up of two different slide soles (from the looks of it likely a Slide 8 in the front and a Slide 10 in the back).  I’ve also been experimenting on acheiving the proper slide for a while and I had tried just about everything until I came up with the idea to cut my slide soles in pieces and achieve all kinds of alternative slides to what is considered the “standard.”  I later discovered Chris Barnes was using this technique, and was pleasantly surprised to see Mika doing it as well.

What led me to try this was that Dexter’s Slide 8 was not enough, and their Slide 10 felt like I was ice skating (too much slide).  I took half of Slide 10 and put it in the front, and half of the Slide 8 and put it in the back to create a slide that was slightly more than the 8, and slightly less than a 10.  I joke that I’ve acheived a Slide 9, but really there are only a few tricks to achieving more or less slide, but none as dramatic as what I’ve just told you.  Powders are good, but it’s hard to get the amount right and depending on tournament rules you can’t use them.  Shoe brushes are helpful, but can only fine tune the slide.  The best way to change your slide dramatically is to change the slide sole, and this is an extension of that.

After showing off my new found “Slide 9” I got mixed reactions from bowlers, but I’m glad to see others and now professionals are using this technique.  So there are two things we can learn here.  Never settle for a mediocre slide, and pay attention to professionals.  They can teach us a lot about what we should be doing.

Storm Virtual Gravity Nano Review

Length (1-20): 9.5

Backend (1-20): 16.5

Overall Hook (1-100): 100.0

Available Online with Free Shipping Here

What is interesting about Storm’s Virtual Gravity Nano is not the Shape-Lock HD Core that has been proven in the previously featured Virtual Gravity and Virtual Energy to provide a strong continuous motion throughout the lane.

What’s interesting is the new coverstock that wraps this already proven core.  Storm Calls it Nano Reactive Genesis (NGS), but let’s get real with the marketing hypey sounding acronyms. What does that actually translate to on the lanes? The cover is a solid reactive like nothing else ever released and provides more friction on the lane (and hence more hook) to bowlers of all types.  This ball eats up oil like nothing I’ve ever seen.  If you have trouble getting your ball to hook this is the ball for you.

This bowling ball will also join Storm’s Premier Line which features its top of the line pieces.  With that it will be the most expensive bowling ball Storm has released to date (at least in recent years).  The retail price on this ball is $269 but fortunately you can grab it through this link here for nearly 40% off.

Let’s take a quick look at the Virtual Gravity Nano Specs:

Cover: Solid Reactive (NRG Solid Reactive Nano)

Core: Shape-Lock HD

Finish: 4000-grit Abralon

Color: Look up at the picture

Fragrance: Orange Mint

RG: 2.48

Differential: .052″ (which translates to 6″ of Flare Potential)

Available Weights: 12-16 lbs. (only the balls >14lbs carry the true core)

The Good

The Bad

This ball is for:

1. A stroker or player with a weak wrist who doesn’t get much on the ball.
2. Someone looking to cover a ton of boards
3. A bowler who will only settle for the most aggressive bowling ball on the market
4. A bowler who bowls on longer and heavier oil patterns where they just can’t seem to get the ball to hook

This ball is not for:

1. A player who is rev dominant
2. A player who has trouble getting a lot of speed on the ball
3. Someone who bowls exclusively on short or light oil patterns
4. Fresh Sport Patterns (unless you tweak the layout/surface to accomodate)

Let’s see what others are saying about the ball:

“largest overall hook potential of any ball in recent history.”

– Bowling This Month, March 2011

“Virtual Gravity Nano, Get ’em while they’re hot!”

-Tom Hess, Winner 2011 USBC Masters; Using, you guessed it, the Virtual Gravity Nano

Order the Nano now at a huge discount, hopefully you can still get one.

Storm Victory Road Bowling Ball Review

Length (1-20): 12.5

Backend (1-20): 16.0

Overall Hook (1-100): 85.0

Available now with Free Shipping Here

The Storm Victory Road features a coverstock any Storm bowler should be familiar with (hint it’s the R2S).  The R2S is a reactive pearl that has been featured on the fast, 2fast, Reign, T-Road Pearl, to name just a few.  Storm continues using this cover because, well it’s proven and people like the reaction.  The core is a slightly modified version that was featured on the hy-road and is slightly lower in RG and slightly more in differential.  This translates to a core that will rev up a little bit faster than what we saw on the hy-road.

This ball will be very angular and produce that hockey stick reaction all the kids like to talk about, as this ball will just run amuck on a pattern with a defined hook spot.  Think skid snap and the ever popular phrase left turn .  With it’s warm maple syrup fragrance, every time you pull this ball out in league you’ll be dreaming of a good saturday brunch.  Can anyone tell me what makes a fragrance warm?  To think I didn’t even know that warm maple syrup smelled differently than those stored at room temperature.  I digress, back to the important stuff.

The bowling ball is part of Storm’s Thunder Line and it joins the ranks of all 3 Reign’s and the Hy-Road.  This is one of the most angular balls I’ve seen in a while and couple that with Storm’s continuous motion through the pins, you’ve got a real winner on the right condition.  You can snatch one up here with free shipping for a pretty reasonable price.

Let’s take a quick look at the Victory Road Specs:

Cover: R2S Pearl Reactive (featured cover on many Storm Balls)

Core: Fe3 (Symmetrical, featured in the hy-road, though slightly tweaked)

Finish: Box is 1500-grit Polished (super shiny, the kids will love it)

Color: Look up at the picture

Fragrance: WARM Maple Syrup

RG: 2.56

Differential: .052″ (roughly 5″ of Flare Potential)

Available Weights: 12-16lbs (only balls >14lbs carry the true core)

The Good

• Ball finishes strong through the pins
• If you want skid-snap reaction, this ball will do it
• This ball bends a lot and the back end reaction will impress you and anyone around you
• provides a cover that we’ve seen on a ton of balls, because it’s a cover that works
• Will provide a great look on medium type house shot conditions
• This ball will recover so don’t be afraid to throw it farther right than you are used to

The Bad

• The Victory Road’s strong suit will not be fresh sport patterns as a result of the skid snap reaction
• The fragrance makes me hungry every time I throw it and I end up spending more money at the snack bar than I anticipated.

This ball is for:

1. Bowlers who typically find themselves on walled up house shots of the medium variety (most house shots these days)
2. A sport condition after the lanes have broken down a bit and
3. Someone looking for that super angular hockey stick reaction (skid-snap)

This ball is not for:

1. A fresh sport shot, or any shot with a lot of oil length or volume.
2. Someone looking for an arcing or controlled reaction

What are other bowlers saying about the Victory Road:

“Wow, the Storm Victory Road is an amazing bowling ball. The length and hook on the backend were fantastic. This bowling ball pounded the pocket and exploded the rack.”

– John Congdon, Bowlingball.com

“If you’re looking for that ball to stand inside on a broken down pattern and send to the right knowing it will turn the corner and return, the VICTORY ROAD is your ball.”

– Jeff Richgels, Storm Staff, The 11th Frame

You can order a Victory Road for the best online price through this link.

Storm Marvel Bowling Ball Review

Length (1-20): 8.0

Backend (1-20): 17.0

Overall Hook (1-100): 97.5

Available now online with Free Shipping Here

The Storm Marvel features the R2X Solid Cover that was made popular by Storm’s best selling ball of all time, the virtual gravity.  Here the difference is in the core, as inside it holds the same core that was featured on the prodigy.  The low RG core revs up quick and provides a nice continuous motion through the pins.  Think of this ball as the offspring of the Virtual Gravity and The Prodigy.  Can two great balls make an even better one?

The Virtual Gravity was known for its ability to make even the rev challenged look like they hooked the ball a lot, so don’t expect anything different from this ball.  This ball handles oil with the best of them.  In fact the overall hook on the Marvel is a touch more and will react just a bit sooner than the Virtual Gravity due to the cover being more gritty with a 2000 Abralon Finish.  (The Virtual Gravity featured a 4000 Abralon Finish).  The core specifications are comparable in terms of RG and Differential (same RG, slightly less differential on the Marvel) so you can expect a pretty aggressive bowling ball here.

This bowling ball will join Storm’s Master Line alongside the Prodigy.  Since it’s not a premiere line ball you can get a stronger ball than a Virtual Gravity without the Virtual Gravity pricetag.  Check that out here if you want to order one for way less than the $229.00 retail price on this ball.

Let’s take a quick look at the Marvel Specs:

Cover: R2X Solid Reactive (featured cover on the Virtual Gravity)

Core: Centripital (Symmetrical, featured in the Prodigy)

Finish: Box is 2000-grit Abralon

Color: Look up at the picture

Fragrance: Aromatherapy

RG: 2.48

Differential: .050″ (roughly 5″ of Flare Potential)

Available Weights: 12-16lbs (only balls >14lbs carry the true core)

The Good

• This ball is a lot of value for the money, because you are getting a premiere line ball at a master line price
• Ball will read the lane even on heavier and longer oil patterns
• Ball reads the midlane quick
• Nice continuous and strong motion through the pins
• Can make a weak wristed bowler look like they are putting some good revs on the ball

The Bad

• If you bowl on conditions with short oil or light conditions, with this strong of a midlane read many bowlers aren’t going to be able to control this
• Surface adjustments will be a must if you plan on using this on anything less than a heavily oiled condition (think polish!)

This ball is for:

1. Anyone struggling on longer or oiler conditions and needs something that will hook early and often (i.e. a lot)
2. A stroker looking to open up the lane a little more than they are used to
3. A speed dominant player looking to see some more hook on the lane
4. Fresh long sport patterns (you could even add some surface on something really long and heavy)

This ball is not for:

1. A rev dominant bowler who bowls on medium oil patterns
2. Someone who bowls on high friction surfaces like wood or guardian, or oil patterns that are short or light
3. Someone who doesn’t throw the ball with a lot of speed, else the aggressiveness of this ball will take over in a bad way.

Let’s see what others are saying about the ball:

“This latest Master line ball has a very strong midlane read, stroner than almost anything on the market, and it saves enough power for the back end.”

– Bowling This Month, February 2011

“I see this ball working for all players. If you are looking for a ball that will be the first ball out of your bag, the Marvel is definitively a ball to look into.”

– Jimmy M. – Striking Advantage Pro Shop

Order the Marvel now at a great value.

While I’m not a big fan of relying heavily on bowling balls to dictate your game, I will concede that having the right ball on the right condition will afford more mistake room and is a must to stay competitive.  So it is important to have an understanding of a how to build a bowling ball arsenal which I will discuss in later articles.

I hope my reviews are not too technical for those new to the game, but still provide enough info for a veteran to make a good decision about a ball purchase.  I’ll break down the technical mumbo jumbo as best I can so that everyone can understand it, I hope.  If I’m not please leave comments so I know what I need to change for further reviews.

This week I will be playing catch up with 2 of Storm’s latest releases, The Marvel and The Victory Road.  And in short order I will be reviewing the Virtual Gravity Nano which is probably the most anticipated release of any bowling ball this decade.

I will likely continue reviewing only Storm and Rotogrip bowling balls unless I somehow get access to others, but that is highly unlikely.  I throw predominantly Storm equipment and am also kept abreast with Rotogrip as a result, so I think it would only be fair for me to review what I know about at this time.

Beyond bowling balls I’d also like to review some bowling accessory type products as well, as I think they can be just as critical as the ball itself sometimes.  I only have 3 in mind for the time being, so if you have something you’d like to see reviewed, post a comment or click the contact button up top and shoot me a message.

My goal is to have you all make informed decisions on the stuff you spend money on.  There is nothing worse than drilling a $200 bowling ball and finding no matter how you adjust the surface or the layout, it’s not what you expected.  I hope this will help you.

Thanks to all the readers of this website.  Great things are coming,

Gregg