Bowling Tip And Trick

Bowling tip and trick #1: Not releasing the ball soon enough.

By hanging onto the ball too long, you lose the desired smoothness. The ball is pitched or thrown out onto the lane. It bounces, loses its "stuff" and in general is not effective.

REMEDY. After the ball has passed your left foot, allow the fingers to come out of the ball easily and effortlessly.

Keep in mind that the trajectory of the ball from where it leaves your hand to the point at which it touches the alley surface should be a low one, and that the ball should leave the fingers in such a manner that without any effort expended the ball lands on the polished surface of the lane past the foul line. Let the momentum of the easily swinging ball carry it out over the line.

Bowling tip and trick #2: Worrying over immaterial details.

Too many bowlers have their minds occupied with unimportant things that make no real difference in their game, and these serve only to prevent them from concentrating on the really important fundamentals.

As an example, quite often bowlers come to me and say that after they have inserted their thumb and fingers in the ball, they are at a loss to know where to place their forefinger and little finger. Actually, this makes little or no difference at all.

I tell them to pick up their ball from the rack and then put it back again, several times in fairly rapid succession. When they have done this four or five times and are becoming accustomed to holding it, I ask them to observe the manner in which they are holding the ball.

The chances are that the grip they are using then is their natural grip and is the one they should continue to use. Another question that is often asked is, "What do I do with my left arm?"

I had occasion to go into that subject years ago. I was watching a league of male keglers and happened to observe what each man was doing with his left arm during the approach and delivery. I saw practically every person using his arm differently and concluded that it was entirely a matter for each individual—that each used it as a natural balance, even though the methods of use differed widely.

Intrigued with this discovery, I dropped in a few minutes later where my wife was bowling. As I came in, she was regarding with satisfaction her three straight strikes which she had scored to open her game. As she arose for her fourth frame, I whispered, "What do you do with your left arm when you bowl?"

Puzzled, she considered it for a moment, then shrugged her shoulders helplessly. But I could see her pondering as she stood out there ready to roll her next ball. Then she started forward, her left arm held out rigidly and unnaturally from her side, and delivered a jerky ball that wound up in the right-hand gutter. I don't mind telling you that I was out of that seat and heading for home before she could get back from the foul line!

I cite these examples just to show some instances of how inconsequential and unimportant details can clutter up your mind and keep you from concentrating on the really important things. The position of the index and little fingers on the ball and the "what to do with the left arm" are things that one settles naturally for himself.

REMEDY. Don't try to make the game any harder than it is by looking for things that don't matter anyway. Put all your concentration on things like footwork, back swing, facing directly forward with your shoulders parallel to the foul line, etc.

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