We just bought a new bowling ball. What now? After a session with a coach it was determined that the approach and delivery were not the problem. The bowling ball did not fit right and the coach also thought we were using the wrong ball. We were using the Brunswick Damage for the conditions and we should have been using a ball with a lower RG for heavier oil conditions. We selected the Columbia 300 Omen and had one drilled up. After practicing with it, the first league night with the Omen was interesting. It was hooking almost 10 boards more and we started experimenting with more speed and different lines. We have almost 30 games with the new ball and we are going back to the Damage. The Omen is a great ball but needs more oil to produce the shot we want to throw. We now have a great ball for tournament conditions and a good dry lane (house) condition ball in the Damage.

The bottom line is to have the correct bowling ball for the conditions. It makes you not have to work so hard to get the scores. This is very simplistic but a good dry condition, heavier oil condition and a spare ball should be all you need. It is not like the old days when you would carry 6-8 bowling balls and use them all in a night of bowling.

Bowling can be the most fun in the world and it can be the most frustrating—just like golf!! You go and get the coaching to get the stroke right, things are going great. Average is going up, handicap down and everything is good. Out of the blue you have a bad night, drop 150 pins to average and you get really frustrated and start losing it. Sound familiar?? Things are so wrong, you don’t even know where to start to fix it. After staying down for a few weeks, the frustration growing and you finally schedule some time with a coach. When he watches you bowl, he laughs. He says there is nothing wrong with your swing or delivery. The only problem is that the ball does not fit right. You have such a death grip on the ball you cannot relax and each shot is different. This explains the inconsistent play and not picking up spares. You allow the coach to change the thumb pitch and voila the strikes start to come. You start to be consistent again and the fun returns. Competing is fun. Without that, it is pure drudgery just showing up. Trying to figure out what is wrong when things go south sometimes requires help. Instead of stomping, cussing and generally ruining the fun for everyone around, you have to know when to get help. Keep it Together!!! Above all else, the sport is supposed to be fun.