And if you really want to look like you know what you're doing when you go bowling with your friends, there is a pretty simple way to do it: learn how to 'hook' the ball. You'll score more strikes, just like the experts. So, what do we mean when we say 'hook the ball'?

The Coolness Of The Curve

Hooking the ball means putting a side-spin on it as you let it go down the lane towards the pins. This creates an angle as the ball crashes into the pins that transfers much more of the ball's energy to more of the pins, knocking them over for a high score. Most of us learn pretty young that you can spin a tennis ball or a cricket ball as you throw it to make it do all sorts of wild things as it bounces - flipping off to the side or even bouncing backwards. But bowling balls don't really bounce and they are way too heavy to spin with just a finger - so how do the experts set them spinning?

Shake Hands With The Ball

There are at last three ways to spin a bowling ball, so let's just start with the basic method: As you let go of the ball, take your thumb out of the hole first, then as you release your other fingers, let your hand come up, just like when you're shaking hands. As your hand comes up, the tips of your fingers will start the side-spin on the ball.  Now. watch what happens! The path of the ball down the lane will curve. 

The BIG secret...

The big secret isn't really a secret at all. The answer is practice, practice, practice. David Beckham has kicked a football thousands and thousands of times to perfect exactly how he places his feet for the kick - he hooks the ball through the air like almost no-one else in the world. As you learn to spin the ball, you will see the ball hooking down the lane to score more and more perfect strikes! 

AMF Bowling is perfect for children's birthday parties, company team building or if you're looking for cheap fun things to do after school.