8
- September 2014
Helen Duval’s Bowling Tips
Idle Bowling Thoughts
By Chuck Pezzano
Youngsters In Bowling
Many a mother worries if her youngster seems too interested in a sport, be it
football, baseball, field hockey, or bowling.
She may rightfully feel that a sport could have a distracting influence on the
youngster when he or she should be concentrating on the basics of education.
There’s little need for concern, if the sport is bowling.
If boys and girls are bowling enthusiasts, they must learn the scoring and
mathematics necessary. The math end needs close attention, and it can become
a bit complicated when the youngster gets involved with averages, high games,
high series, point systems, and the many other statistics connected with bowling.
In addition, they learn to count quickly and true, just to make sure opponents are
doing it properly.
So, to keep their place as young bowling experts, they must pay heed to math.
They want to be able to decipher entry blanks and rule books, they want to
read the accounts of leagues and tournaments, and the exploits of their bowling
heroes in newspapers, bowling publications and magazines, so they have more
concern for reading. Whether they know it or not, they become better readers,
and more acquainted with words.
They learn how to win, how to lose, how to organize, how important team ef-
forts are, and how it is just as important to be an individual. And they learn, some-
times all too painfully, about undue pressure on them.
Boys and girls interested in bowling can’t bowl all they want since most allow-
ances won’t stretch that far. Many become a little more eager to do some extra
chores around the house to earn some more money to bowl some additional
games.
Some take on a part-time job, and many keep score at tournaments. There,
mothers have little to fear, for a bowling center is a good place for a youngster to
be.
How to Check the Fit of Your Ball
Do you know a quick visual way to check the span of grip of your ball? Let's also
discuss the fit of the thumb in the thumb hole.
Many lessons ago I explained how to select a ball and fit yourself to it. Well, the
information has been updated and the accompanying photos will also help you.
Let's start with your thumb because that's the first thing to think about when you
try to find a house ball of check your own.
Place your thumb all the way into the thumb hole and rotate it several times. You
should be able to feel or know that the ball surrounds your thumb but very lightly.
Don't allow the skin on your thumb to be pulled of rubbed. If it doesn't, have the
thumb hole made a little larger (if it's your own ball).
You have a tendency to cock your thumb a little when you swing the ball, so if the
thumb hole is snug to begin with the ball will rub your thumb, friction will cause it to
swell...need I say more.
Now that your thumb is comfortable in the thumb hole, let's proceed. Lay your
hand easily on the surface of the ball. Do not forcibly stretch your hand. Be sure
your hand is straight from the elbow to the tips of your fingers. This way your hand
will actually lie on the ball. The two knuckles closest to your palm should be no more
than ¼-inch over the edge of the finger holes.
The left two photos illustrate this with rolls of paper. You can also mark your
knuckles with a marking pen, following the creases and drawing a straight line up
and over your knuckles. (In the photos, the marking pen shows that the hand, arm
and fingers are straight from the elbow to the fingers.)
If you ball's span is proper, you should be able to drop the two fingers into the
holes. If you have to stretch to do this, the span is too long and is putting strain on
the thumb. Please understand, this is not the way you get ready to bowl; it's just a
way of checking the span.
These instructions are for a conventional grip, as pictured. Learn to handle this
grip on the ball before you jump to a wider grip (semi-fingertip, fingertip, etc.). The
wider spans will only cause you problems unless you really know your game.
Now let's look at the two photos on the right. This is the same ball, but you can
see that by "breaking" the wrist the properly-fit ball is now ill-fitting and will cause a
bad delivery.
Keep these points in mind:
Pick up your ball properly.
Find your starting position on the approach.
Put your two fingers into the holes up to the knuckles, then drop your thumb
easily into the thumb hole.
Look at your spot.
Make your approach.
Roll the ball over your spot and follow through.
Watch your ball all the way to the pins.
Stay at the foul line until your ball hits the pins for a strike.
Final tip: Your finger holes can be a little snugger than the thumb hole.
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