Bowling Execution - John Jowdy

Bowling Execution

by John Jowdy

NEW, 224 pages

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About Bowling Execution

• improve each phase of your shot, from stance to follow-through;
  
• increase the accuracy of your hook;
  
• incorporate the free armswing for smoother mechanics;
  
• generate more power behind your shot to create greater pin action;
  
• analyze lane conditions and adjust your game accordingly; and
  
• develop strategies for achieving your personal best.

About John Jowdy

John Jowdy is a legend in bowling. He is recognized nationally and internationally as an author, speaker, and top coach of the pros. He has coached more than 100 professionals, and many of the bowlers he's worked with—including David Ozio, Del Warren, Randy Pedersen, Steve Hoskins, and Kent Wagner—won their first titles after working with him.

In honor of his coaching expertise, Jowdy has been inducted into the American Bowling Congress Hall of Fame as well as the Texas Bowling Hall of Fame and San Antonio Bowling Hall of Fame. He is also the only member of the Professional Bowlers Association Hall of Fame who was inducted for coaching. Jowdy has worked with every world-class bowler, including Donna Adamek, Mike Aulby, and Pete Weber.

Jowdy is known for teaching the execution and skill of the game, and he has been called the master of teaching the free armswing. He is also a skilled and prolific writer. He has received numerous writing awards, including the most prestigious awards a bowling writer can receive: the Flowers for the Living Award, the Mort Luby Meritorious Award, and the DBA Humanitarian Award. A former president of the Bowling Writers Association of America, he continues to write a syndicated monthly column that is carried in more than 20 national publications, as well as instructional columns for Bowling Digest and Bowling This Month. Columbia Industries, for whom Jowdy serves as pro tour consultant, has established an annual college scholarship in his honor.

Jowdy lives in El Cajon, California, with his wife, Brenda.

Reviews of the Book

"John Jowdy continues to stay on top of the bowling world with Bowling Execution. With John's techniques, instruction, and observations on the sport of bowling, you're certain to improve your game."

Mike Aulby
PBA and USBC Hall of Famer

About Tenpin Bowling

A game of ten-pin bowling is divided into ten rounds (called “frames”). In a frame, each player is given two opportunities to knock down the skittle targets (called “pins”). The player rolls the first ball at the pins. If the first ball knocks down all ten pins, it is called a “strike” and the frame is completed. When pins are left standing after the first ball, those that are knocked down are counted and then removed. Then the player rolls a second ball and if all the remaining pins are knocked down, it is called a “spare.” There are bonuses for removing all the pins. If there is more than one player scheduled on a lane, play passes to the next player until all players have completed the frame. Then play continues with the next frame. The final or tenth frame of a game may involve three balls. See Scoring below.

The ten pins are usually automatically set by machine into four rows which form an equilateral triangle where there are four pins on a side (Pythagorean Tetractys). There are four pins in the back row, then three, then two, and finally one in the front at the center of the lane. The pins are numbered one through ten, starting with one in front, and ending with ten in the back to the right. This serves to ease communication; one could say that the 4 and 7 pins were left standing. Neighboring pins are set up 12 inches (30 cm) apart, measured from center to center. Due to the spacing of the pins and the size of the ball (about 8.6 inches (22 cm) in diameter), it is impossible for the ball to contact every pin. Therefore, a tactical shot is required, which would result in a chain reaction of pin hitting pin. In an ideal shot, for a right-hander, the ball will contact only the 1, 3, 5 and 9 pins; for a left-hander, the 1, 2, 5 and 8 pins. The term "Brooklyn" is used to describe when a bowler obtains a strike by throwing the ball into the opposite pocket, known as the Brooklyn pocket. For example, a Brooklyn would occur when a right-handed thrower obtains a strike by throwing a ball into the 1-2 pocket, and similarly a strike occurs for a left-handed bowler throwing a ball into the 1-3 pocket.

In order to count, a pin must be knocked over entirely. Even if a pin wobbles, unless it is knocked over completely, it is not scored. If the pin is wobbling as the automatic pin machine picks it up (or the machine itself knocks over the pin while it is wobbling), it is still considered standing and is not scored. Also, if a pin is moved, it does not change its designation. For example, if the 10 pin were still standing and the 7 pin slid into the 8 pin position, converting this spare would still be considered and given a 7-10 split award (if performed in sanctioned play).

There are generally two primary styles of rolling the ball down the lane. Most newer players play by rolling the ball straight, hopefully into the 1-3 pocket for right-handed bowlers or the 1-2 pocket for left-handed bowlers. More experienced bowlers usually roll a hook, which means that they make the ball start out straight and then curve towards the pocket. There are two ways to produce a hook. In the first, the player needs to let go of the ball with his thumb first, then the middle and ring finger release almost simultaneously. This gives the bowling ball its spin needed for the hook. If the player is right-handed, an ideal position of the thumb after letting go of the ball is “10 o’clock”, meaning that the thumb has gone from 12 to 10, as looking at a clock. The corresponding position for left-handed players is 2 o’clock. Of course there are innumerable variations in style and technique and the position of the thumb can vary from person to person. The second way is to hold the ball without the thumb in the thumb hole. This uses one or two fingers to produce the hook. Some bowlers will use none of their fingers. Lab research has shown that the ideal shot will enter the pocket at an angle of 6 degrees with respect to the lane boards, which means that a straight ball should be thrown from the side of the lane, near the gutter.

Bowling Execution