How to Hold a Bowling Ball

Video Transcript

"Hi, I'm Kenny Scholers, house pro at Ten Pin Alley, in Wilmington, North Carolina, and we're out here on the lanes, and we're going to talk about how to hold a bowling ball. A lot of people always say they want to hook the ball, and that's, when they go bowling they think it's cool to hook the ball. So, the best way to do that if you're usin' a house ball that you're gripping with the second joint; you want to take the ball and you want to hold the ball under the side like this. If you hold your hand under the side, and when you go to deliver the ball you reach out like you're going to shake hands with the pins, and that way you'll be able to get a hook. If you want to throw the ball straight then you just put your hand up in underneath the ball like this, and the let the ball come straight off your hand and the ball will go straight. If you want to get even more hook you can put the ball, hold the ball about at this angle here and cup your wrist, and you'll get even more hook because you'll impart a whole lot more spin on the ball as it goes down the lane. You can move your index finger out and that'll generate more hook. You can move your index finger in and that'll normally generate even less hook, and that's the best way to hold a bowling ball. So to reiterate once again, if you want to roll the ball straight just get your hand bene underneath the ball like this and keep your wrist flat. If you want to hook the ball more cup your wrist; get your wrist a little bit over here to the side. And if you want to hook the ball even more then you'll take your index finger and spread it out. And that's the way you hold a bowling ball."