Bowling World Aug/Sep 2019

8 www.bowlingworld.com - Aug/Sep 2019 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 dis- cuss 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 infor- mation 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 (see left photo). 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. Helen Duval’s Bowling Tips 8-31 & 9-1 / 70 ENTRIES ALBANY 1 JANICE ENRIQUEZ DALY CITY 255-232 $ 2,200.00 2 SEGMUNDO SABATEN SAN JOSE 197 $ 1,000.00 3 DOLLAR DACASIN DALY CITY 168 $ 500.00 4 BOBBY PRYOR SAN JOSE 213 $ 140.00 4 RON SCOTT MT VIEW 210 $ 140.00 4 DALTON COX VALLEJO 178 $ 140.00 4 JOSE GAYOSO MILPITAS 175 $ 140.00 4 ALAN ROTHSTEIN CONCORD 174 $ 140.00 4 JERRY MARTINEZ HAYWARD 171 $ 140.00 CLAYTON VALLEY BOWL 25 ENTRIES 8/4/19 1 ALAN ROTHSTEIN CONCORD 503 $ 1,000.00 2 DALTON COX VALLEJO 213 $ 200.00 3 JESSIE HINAHON FAIRFIELD 181 $ 125.00 4 BILL THOMAS HAYWARD 435 $ 100.00 5 THOMAS BARTLETT ALAMEDA 425 $ 90.00 6 KEITH GEHRKE MARTINEZ 405 $ 90.00 4TH STREET BOWL 29 ENTRIES 7/21/2019 1 ROW WOODS HAYWARD 472 $ 1,000.00 2 RON SCOTT MT VIEW 426 $ 225.00 3 JOSEPH MANALANSAN HAYWARD 406 $ 125.00 4 ALAN ROTHSTEIN CONCORD 401 $ 100.00 5 BOBBY TOGONON VALLEJO 414 $ 90.00 6 MICHAEL CRIM BERKELEY 404 $ 90.00 7 GEORGE BOCOBO FELTON 403 $ 90.00 ON NOW Mike Valanzano Trivia Contest