To Hook Or Not To Hook?
A straight ball is valuable for a beginner to learn accuracy
and for any bowler who finds the hook ball unreliable on a
difficult lane condition. In such a case, the straight ball
may be significantly easier to control for strikes and spares
than a hook.
A hook ball is best used for strikes because it knocks down,
or carries, 10 pins more effectively; therefore, it is preferred
by professional bowlers. Although the hook ball is more sensitive
to the variations in lane conditions than the straight ball,
the greater power of the hook ball compensates for any disadvantage,
particularly on less difficult lane conditions.
The hook ball carries pins better because it has a steeper
angle of attack into the pocket. The angle of attack is formed
by two imaginary lines: one drawn straight down the 17th board
(1-3 pocket for right-handed bowlers; 1-2 pocket for left-handed
bowlers) and the other drawn in line with the direction in
which the ball is rolling when it hits the pocket. The straight
ball's angle of attack can be no greater than that formed
by a line drawn down the 17th board and one from the outer
edge of the lane at the foul line to the strike pocket. The
hook affords a steeper angle because it rolls into the pocket
from the point it begins to hook—the break point.
Another reason the hook ball has greater carrying power than
the straight ball is that it makes pins tilt and spin more.
Although a straight ball rolling through a rack of pins imparts
some rotation to the pins which it contacts, greater pin action
results from a hook ball with a tilted axis of rotation. This
axis is a line passing through the center of the ball and
through the center of a plane formed by the ball track. The
axis tilt of a bowler's ball depends on the angle of his or
her hand to the lane at the release.
A ball with a tilted axis with respect to the lane actually
makes the pins tilt and spin when it contacts them, sending
them careening through the air. The pin's own axis gyrates;
a pin flying in this manner sweeps through a larger area of
a plane parallel with the lane, which increases its chance
of hitting other pins.
Choosing between straight and hook balls
Use a hook ball for strikes whenever possible, and use the
more reliable straight ball for most spares. On a completely
uniform lane condition—a rare situation with equal friction
over the entire lane surface—you can make spares with
equal efficiency using the hook ball. To understand the reason
for this choice, you should understand a little something
about lane conditions. A wooden lane is usually covered with
a urethane coating (lane finish), which is protected from
ball abrasion by a daily application of oil. Ball reaction
is remarkably dependent on the amount and location of the
dressing on the lane and the state of repair of the lane finish.
If a lane condition is hooking (slow, high-friction), stick
(fast, low-friction) or spotty (a mixture of high and low-friction
areas), a hook ball may act unpredictably, with strikes occurring
less frequently and splits and multiple-pin spare leaves (pins
left standing) increasing in frequency. In such a case, switching
to a straight ball—playing it safe—would allow better
control and consistency. In summary, the hook ball is preferred
on well-maintained lane conditions, whereas the straight ball
is more reliable on difficult lane conditions.
There are two major reasons why a straight ball may be more
reliable on difficult lane conditions. First, in a properly
rolled straight ball, lift is applied by the fingers in line
with the desired ball path; this action tends to dynamically
stabilize the ball in the direction it is rolling. Second,
because the straight-ball delivery requires the hand to stay
behind the ball (therefore closer to the body), more of the
body's momentum can be transferred to the ball at the release.
This gives the ball more forward speed and makes it more resistant
to deviation by lane surface irregularities. However, to maximize
pin carry, a straight ball must begin to roll soon after touchdown
on the lane surface; it should not be skidding, a dynamic
that makes the ball easier to deflect upon impact with a pin.
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