Make Sure It Fits |
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You bowl. In fact, you love to bowl. Is it time to just bowl better? The first thing on your list to bowling better should be a good fitting bowling ball. What is a good fit? A ball that you do not have to squeeze to hold to nor feel like you are stuck in it at the release. If this is a problem, let an expert pro shop operator know you are having this problem. Think of the ball as a bird ... would you have squeezed it to death by the end of the swing? Considerations are: your hole sizes, your span (from thumb to fingers) and the hole pitches. Pitch is the angle the holes are drilled into the ball. If any of these specs are off, they can cause problems in your execution. With regard to hole sizes, the drilled hole is not the final fit. Use bowling tape. Bowling tape is not a gimmick, it is part of the game. Tape the holes to accommodate the fluctuations in your thumb and fingers. It is the final adjustment to making your ball fit your hand, rather than just squeezing to make your hand fit the ball. I cannot tell you how many armswings have relaxed and ball speeds that have improved with the proper use of bowling tape to fine tune ball fit. Remember this: never give up a shot if the tape is not just right. See to it that you get the same feel for every single shot.    When the holes are sized up properly, consider the span and pitches. These are to be determined by the professional, according to the length and flexibility of your hand. Span is the distance between the thumb and finger holes. Too long or too short a span causes unnecessary straining or squeezing, in order to hold on to the ball. To check for gross errors, put your thumb in all the way and lay your fingers over the holes. Do your finger joints lay over the middle of the holes? If not, are the holes too far, over stretching your hand; or, are your joints way past the holes in too short a span? Either problem creates tension, which then affects your armswing!    Pitch is the angle at which the hole is drilled into the ball. A hole drilled toward the center of grip is forward pitch; away from the center is reverse pitch. Reverse pitch creates a more relaxed feel in the grip, for an earlier thumb release. Forward pitch creates a firmer grip on the ball, causing a later thumb release. The correct amount for your span and thumb flexibility will allow you to relax in the swing, yet get out clean at the release point. Beware of the all too common vicious circle ... Too much reverse pitch can often cause you to squeeze in the backswing because you feel like you will lose the ball, from too relaxed of a grip. In this case, rather than getting the thumb out early, you may actually hang up at release though you have plenty reverse pitch. This is from clenching the ball with your thumb to hold on in the swing. As a result of hanging up at the release, you may make the mistake of asking for more reverse pitch, to clear the thumb easier, when the problem was too much reverse pitch to begin with, causing you to squeeze. As always, a qualified instructor may help you identify any problems in your execution that might be related to your grip. But remember, ball fitting is an art, as well as a science. If you like your ball driller and can work with him or her, then stick with them. If you are not satisfied, reputation is your best bet. Be an educated customer. It is an asset for you to be able to open up a dialogue with your professional ball driller and work together on grip specifications that enhance, not hinder, your execution. Take the time to get your grip checked if it has been a few years or it you struggle to stay relaxed in the swing. Or, if when you do get relaxed, you feel like you will lose the ball. Remember to use tape to properly size up especially the thumb hole. |
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