Does open handing a shot make you a fluffer?

I don’t believe so, it simply means you do not accelerate your hand strongly thru the ball producing a lot of lift with the fingers. Instead you create revs and tilt by the quick rotation of the hand around the ball.

A fluffer gets neither a good quick turn nor lift in their shots.  

I would dare say you wouldn’t call Pete Weber a fluffer but is one of the best examples of bowler taking the hit out of his release.

It seems with the lane surfaces and balls today it has changed.

Balls that are fed into the lane seem to hydroplane on the oil in the heads and don’t overreact to the dry.  

Balls that are lifted strongly out on the lane seem to land with enough force that they push the oil out from under the ball so it starts to roll earlier plus the when the ball finds dry boards it jumps more violently and erratically.  

There are always exceptions such as Mika and Walter Ray and it is still all about matching up your peculiar roll. But I know the majority of the national tour players are all trying to take the hit out of their releases so that they get a more readable consistent breakpoint.

Sawbones: I think with the newer resin and particle balls, to loft the ball further on the lane for drier conditions would produce a very hit or miss ball reaction depending on what you did in terms of hand release and speed. Playing more of a drag shot as John Jowdy described in Bowling Execution seems to be the better way to take the drier heads out of play while still receiving the mid lane and back end action desired.

As far as the open handing making you a fluffer, I don't buy the concept. As talked about in a previous thread, you can produce just as many revolutions with this release if not more than hitting up on the ball.

Matt