Why won't my old bowling ball hook anymore?

Question

So i recently went bowling after not having bowled for maybe 2 years, and when i took my first shot i knew something was wrong as my ball did not hook. What happened? Do bowling balls lose their ability to hook after a few years of disuse?

Answer 1

yes your old ball has gone straight. Sorry sometime they are just made that way.  

Answer 2

A ball brand new sitting in the garage for 2 years should still be fine, but how much use was it getting before that??? Like if you used that ball for 5 years prior, it's in dire need of resurfacing, at the least. If you bowl 3 games a week, your going to have to replace it at the least every 2 years, with the off year getting a resurfacing.  So it really depends....  Also bowling balls are like computers....  Virtually as soon as one comes out, a better faster new one comes out....  Bowling balls from 2 years ago were designed for different lane conditions.  THat shouldn't mean that it shouldn't hook at all, but even if the ball was brand new out of the bag, after 2 years, you'll find you might need a more agressive ball to keep up with the lane changes....  Last but not least what someone else mentioned, you haven't bowled in 2 years, so your out of practice.  Work on your delivery and timing, etc. and see where you are in a few weeks/months.....

Answer 3

Either the ball is just in need of "rejuvenation", where the pro shop needs to remove excess oil from the ball as well as resurface it.  Also, relearning the basics from grip to approach could help you get used to the lanes, especially after how the game changes after just a couple of years, or maybe you just need to purchase equipment suited to the heavier concentrations of lane conditioner nowadays.  Good luck!

Answer 4

Its not the ball, its the bowler. You are holding your had slightly different when you release it. Try holding it different ways and see what happens.

I had a ball for many years and never had a problem getting it to hook when I released it a certain way. Its probably also possible that your hand or finger size has changed a bit so it isn't rolling off the same way. sometimes it doesn't take much of a change in delivery to make a huge difference.