Bowling

Somehow I got talked into joining a bowling league and thus I've bowled more this fall than in my entire life. I'm still not any good, but I drink a lot of beer at least. For anyone interested in getting (more) serious about bowling, here is some stuff I learned this fall:

Bowling balls are made of different stuff. Plastic balls have been around forever, polyurethane was introduced in the 80's, reactive resin in the 90's, and it gets worse from there. Each new material grips the lane better, allowing one to be able to hook the ball easier or more. Bowlers typically have at least one ball made of the newer stuff for their strike ball and a plastic one for spares (straight shots). Only the plastic ones are able to have a huge Sponge Bob design or a rose imbedded in the center.

There are different ways to get a bowling ball drilled. The old way you insert your middle and ring finger up to your second knuckle. With a fingertip grip, you only insert up to the first knuckle and your hand is spread out more. This also allows more hooking and ball control.

I've never been able to hook a ball until I broke down and bought one a few weeks ago. I am still bowling horribly (lower than my average with house balls), but I guess I'm improving. And it just feels cooler to throw a hook. Bring on the White Russians.