Page 14 - bwfeb2013

14www.bowlingworld.com– FEBRUARY 2013
Helpful Wristbands and Ball Markings
Let‘s talk about how you can use wristbands to deliver a better ball and how to
read the markings on your ball as it rolls down the lane.
First wristbands. There are many on the market and all of them have been de-
signed to fit different bowlers‘ needs, so select one you feel comfortable with.
Definitely pick a wristband that does not overpower you. Some of them are bulky
and cumbersome and what‘s good for one bowler may not be good for all. The right
wristband can help you, but many people have to be taught how to use them.
Here‘s how they help. Remember when we discussed hand position and deliv-
ery? To get the most effective ball release, remember that your thumb must come
out of the ball first and then your fingers, as the ball comes off your hand.
To make it a little clearer, put your hand out in front of you and pretend to shake
hands with someone. No wrinkles in your wrist. A straight line from your two bowl-
ing finger knuckles to your elbow. Thumb at 11:00 and curl your two bowling fin-
gers.
Now squeeze slightly with the two fingers. What does that do to your wrist? Why,
of course, it tightens it up. Now if you can keep your hand and wrist in that firm po-
sition as you swing the ball out...down...back...and forward, then you don‘t need
wrist help.
But most of us do need help, including myself and lots of the pro bowlers. We
want to be sure that the thumb comes out first. Then if your fingers are still curled in
the ball, you will feel the ball being lifted off the fingers. A wristband helps keep
your hand in the shake-hands position and you will begin to feel the ball released.
Don‘t forget to test your thumb hole and spin your thumb around in it for a loose
feel. If your thumb hole is pulling the flesh on your thumb, it‘s too tight. Take some
black emery paper and rub a little out at a time until it is looser. Your thumb must
come out of the hole fast and it can‘t if the fit is too tight.
Now to the ball markings. If you deliver the ball properly, the ball should do three
things on the way to the pins: skid...roll...and hook. That means the marking on
your ball should change positions three ways on the path to the pocket.
Here‘s another point to remember. No matter how you deliver the ball—right or
wrong—the mark on your ball when it hits the pins will be in the position your thumb
came out of the ball at release point. Now, you had better re-read the above sen-
tence so that it really sinks in.
If you are right-handed and shake hands, where is your thumb? At 11:00, of
course. So that‘s where the mark should be on the ball when it hits the pins. For left
-handed bowlers, the thumb and mark should be at 1:00.
Why should the thumb be at 11:00? To get the most effectiveness from your ball,
you should be rolling a hook—picture it as a fish hook. If you are rolling a back-up
or reverse hook, your average will climb only to a certain point and never get any
better. More about this in a later column.
Imagine a line straight from the shoulder out into an arm swing to your mark (the
second arrow for strikes). The ball must continue on the same board as that mark
for about 10 or 15 feet beyond your mark before it hooks. Your thumb will take over
at this point.
Hold the ball in the shake-hands position, swing it the same way and deliver it the
same way for the easiest delivery and a great effect at the other end. The position
of your thumb at the release point determines the amount of hook. You see, it is
you and not lane conditions that make the ball hook.
If you stay at the foul line until the ball hits the pins, you can see if it‘s going
straight down the boards at the arrow or angling across them. You will also have
much better control if you help steer the ball and follow through.
Remember the four check points we talked about earlier that you must think
about every time you deliver the ball? 1) Where did I start? 2) Did I hit my mark? 3)
Where is my hand (thumb)? 4) Where am I at the foul line? You can do all these
things only if you concentrate and stay at the foul line until the ball hits the pins.
If your ball does not have a distinctive mark—and it must be behind the finger
holes—then you can put a mark on your own ball. Take a three-inch strip of white
adhesive or plastic tape and put it in the same position as a ball with three dots.
(Caution: This is okay for practice, but don‘t use tape on your ball in league or tour-
nament play. It is against the rules to have anything on the surface of the ball to
deface it.)
Now, practice what I‘ve been preaching. And next time I‘ll tell you how to move
on the approach to pick up spares. It‘s easy.
Final tip: Don‘t put your thumb in the ball first, as it will be ―locked in‖ the ball,
causing you to overturn or go over the top of your ball with your hand, making too
much hook. Put your fingers in the ball first, then your thumb.
Helen Duval‘s Bowling Tips