Q.  As a beginning bowler what is the best style to use?

The most important aspect of the game for the beginner is accuracy. Therefore, I would highly suggest rolling a straight ball until you can consistently hit your target.

Q.  What type of bowling ball is best for a beginner and how much should it weigh?

Since we are starting with a straight ball a polyester coverstock would be sufficient. Other more expensive coverstocks are designed for the advanced bowler that hooks the ball. A polyester ball is conveniently the most affordable ball usually costing under £50.

The weight of the ball conventionally should be ten percent of your body weight, but physical condition also plays a role in deciding. For more specific advice for the individual I suggest you consult your local pro shop.

Q.  How do you know if a ball fits your hand?

If you are picking up a house ball off the rack you must understand that this is not the ideal situation. In this case you should be able to comfortably yet snuggly put your middle and third fingers into the holes down to the second nuckle. Then your thumb should also comfortably yet snuggly fit all the way in to the thumb hole. When purchasing a new ball always consult your local pro shop first. They can custom fit you to the correct type of ball, the correct weight, and the exact size of the finger holes.

Q.  Should I look at the pins when delivering the ball?

Believe it or not bringing your eyes a little closer can help your game. Looking at the arrows or even the dots on the foul line can help improve your accuracy and your scores.

Q.  Is where I stand on the approach very important?

It is very important to know where you begin as well as where you end on the approach. This is the first place you would look to make small adjustments so that the ball has a better line to the head pin.

Q.  How do I make a ball hook?

To answer that question lets first describe how you throw the ball straight. In this delivery the wrist, hand, and fingers should be directly behind the ball all the way through the delivery. When releasing the ball the fingers and thumb come out at the same time.

In constrast, when throwing a hook ball, the fingers and hand should be slightly under the ball. This gives the wrist and hand a cupped appearance. Before the delivery for a right-handed bowler the thumb should be in a two to three o'clock position.

As the ball is delivered the cupped position allows the thumb to come out slightly sooner than the fingers. The thumb should rotate from the two o'clock position to a twelve o'clock position as the ball is released.

This technique is slightly more involved but if perfected can add tremendous striking power to your game.

Q.  Who invented bowling?

Archaeologists have discovered bowling balls, pins and other equipment in an Egyptian child's grave dating back to 5200 B.C. So we know that Egyptians were playing a form of bowling centuries ago. In Germany, back in A.D. 200, village dances and celebrations included a similar form of the game -- they rolled stones at nine wooden clubs called kegles. Bowlers in Germany are sometimes still referred to as "keglers." Bowling was recorded in England as early as the 1100s. In the Netherlands people took up a related game, and it was the Dutch who introduced the sport to America in the 1600s -- it was called Dutch pins. In what is now New York City, Dutch residents bowled in a section of the city still known as "Bowling Green."

In America the game became very popular. But people began to gamble on the sport, and for a while it was looked on as an evil event. The state of Connecticut outlawed "bowling at nine pins," as it was described. To get around that law, residents added an additional pin and this was the beginning of the 10-pin game played today! By the mid-1900s, the sport was once again an accepted form of family recreation.

The American Bowling Congress, which was organized in 1895, established standard playing rules and regulations.

Q.  Converting Spares, How Do I Do It?

Probably the most commonly asked question about bowling is how to convert spares. There's alot of controversy about which is more mportant, getting spares or getting more strikes. The average bowler, through the course of an average game will have the opportunity to convert spares twice as much as the probability of getting a strike. Regardless of the skill level of your bowling, missing spares will definately lower your game and most likely, affect your attitude. Obviously there is nothing more frustrating than stringing three or four strikes and then following up by missing several easy spares.