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• Shannon O'Keefe is a two-time Professional Women's Bowling Association (PWBA) Player of the Year & a five-time Collegiate Coach of the Year at McKendree University. She is also a member of the Hammer pro staff.
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• In this week's Tip Tuesday, Shannon shows you a quick trick you can use to change your hand position, ball motion, and throw more strikes.
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You should talk about the different types of bowling grips. Standard, finger, the off-set finger sarge-easter? I have seen 4 finger grip balls but maybe that’s a training aid?
It’s rare to see but you can have a ball drilled to use all four fingers and the thumb to grip it. One of the people I used to bowl against had lost some of his grip strength and drilled holes for his index finger and pinky. The center where I bowl has a dozen or so 4 & 5 pound balls that they only bring out for the bumper league and they are all drilled with five holes.
I actually move my index finger in tight to my middle finger when throwing at spares. And bring both in when I go at the 10 pin.
does it really make the ball straighten up? Didn’t try this yet
@Kevin Pamintaun I have bowled for 35 years or so, and have always did this. Seems to work for me???
Tthank you!!! Tried this out from your versatility video and the key for me is to push my pointer finger out and keep the rest tight, bowled three 200+ games 210,214,237.
Good tip from the friendly pro ! Thanks !
So, through the different finger placements, are you still going straight up the back of the ball, or are you finishing off to the side of it?
She covers that in the video. It depends on what ball motion you want. Spreading the fingers should make it easier to come up the back of the ball giving you a shot that will go straighter and carry down the lane. The other positions should help you come around the ball, giving you more axis rotation and making the ball hook more.
The release has been the hardest thing for me to accomplish. I just got a new wrist brace called the Mongoose Optimum. My wrist is a little sore from using it on Sunday night, but it was helping me release the ball properly by getting my thumb out and letting my fingers lift through. Interesting how when you finally do something right, everything else seems to go out the window, at least for me. I never thought about tucking in the pinky. Thanks for the helpful tips, Shannon. Gonna keep working on being a little more consistent. My game is still all over the place.
ive always bowled with my pinky tucked, if i bowl it any other way im never consistent with my release or line, it just always felt right to me. I will warn you tho, you will tear the skin off the knuckle above your fingernail doing this until you build up a callus on it. So you should try it a few times and really think to yourself if it feels right or not for you if you dont wanna go through that. To me its very worth going through it, but everyone throws the ball different and you might not need that extra hook and feel for your shot.
Thank you so much.
I swear I saw this girl at st.Clair bowl someone know if it was for sure
That’s the walll toooo
@Hayden LaDrew that is St Clair Bowl, i bowl there for league
That “girl” is the head coach for McKendree University and a multi year PWBA player of the year. So yeah, I’m sure it was her.
Tucking the pinky is VERY awkward at first but now after getting use to it, I love the motion of my ball. Also helps me to stay inside on the swing and come around it when I roll (not throw) my ball downlane.
❤️❤️❤️❤️🤘💖
Thank you for the great tips on grip Shannon! Wish I had your physical game!
missed bringing both fingers in making your ball roll pretty straight for those wrap corner pins, most people are house bowlers and dont roll plastic and use their strike balls for everything
Any tips for people who just started using a fingertip ball? Tips on getting it to hook?
Make sure your hand stays behind the ball. Dont “try” to make it hook. Dont grip/squeeze either.
@tyler will Thank you.
If your pin is around your ring finger it will hook by keeping the pads of your ring and middle fingers pointing up to the ceiling throughout your regular release. Just be sure that the bowling ball stays flat in the palm of your hand. And the ball will hook easily on it’s own without you having to do any tricks with your hand. You can easily play from the gutter to the 20 board without any hand manipulations. Good luck.
Thanks for a to the point video, that I can put into use immediately for some options. I’m averaging 195 and recently bowled my first 300. As everyone does, as well as the pros I still struggle at times. I have to figure it out, every time I bowl. Again, thanks very much. I subscribed, and am looking forward to some more tips. Also, you are doing a great job coaching our future pros.
Thank u
i know that bowling alley at 0.34
How many pound ball do you throw? It looks light and very easy on you. I wish I can do it that way.
More than likely she throws a 15 pound ball. But they’re plenty of WPBA bowlers that are switching to a 14 pound for a little more control.
Be very careful when tucking your pinkie in between your palm and the bowling ball. If you do not release the ball properly you can’t rip your ring finger tendons right out of the palm of your hand. Please be careful with that recommendation. Go with the no step foul line release and work your way into it. If you feel any strain or pain whatsoever stop immediately.
Great video except for the cringy extra arm swinging release she does.🥶
Agree but tucking that pinkie really does not give more than movie pinkie in. That is a mental thought. There are bowlers who do but major will say it causes the same reaction leading back to the mind again.
Still great video!