Ask Bob Sept 2014
Q. I am having problems with the thumb hole of my ball. I have lost a little weight and it is now too big and I have to squeeze the ball to hang on. I don’t want to go to the expense of plugging the ball. I also don’t likethe idea of 3 or 4 pieces of tape. Is there anything else I can do to save these balls?
A. Well here we go the start of another season. Getting equipment ready is something we all need to be thinking about. To answer your question yes there is a way to save that too large thumb hole. This is also great for anyone who is after a clean release without having to squeeze the ball. Instead of tape try Thumb Carpets. They are the same shape and size of bowlers tape. They go in the back of the thumb hole just like tape. They are the thickness of about 3 pieces of white tape and will improve your release. This is because they have yarn in them there is no suction created between the carpet and the thumb. It is as if you had drilled a small air release hole in the ball. If you need more tape you put a piece of tape in the front of the hole. This makes it easy to get the thumb feel as tight as you want it and still get a clean release. I have been using thumb carpets since 1997. With them in the ball I have won a couple of Senior High Roller tournaments and had several 300 games and several 800 series. Also many other first place finishes in area tournaments and a state tournament record in all events in Oregon with a 2316 for 9 games. Thumb Carpets are not going to be found at your local pro shop as not many of them have heard of them. A good friend of mine makes them and sells them only by word of mouth. It is a true grass roots product. If you want to gain a better feel of the ball. I have them available send $20.00 and a self stamped/self addressed #10 envelope 2 stamps please. To Bob Korth 750 Hemlock Ave. Central Point, Oregon 97502. I will send you 10 Carpets and an instruction sheet for best use for you. Try them once and you will never go back. Pro Shops if you want them in your shop write my email for special bulk pricing. Pro shop orders start at 100 pieces. [email protected]
Q. What should I be practicing to get ready for the new season?
A. The best thing you can do for yourself to get ready for a success filled season is get your spare shooting in order. Go to your local center and shoot at spares a couple of times a week at least. My method is to shoot spares first and the strike ball second. I will pick on the ten pin for a game and then the seven pin for game. Then shoot at the pocket on the second shot. This improves your muscle memory for those pesky spares and getting accurate at those also improves overall accuracy in your strike game. Then for my third game I shoot for score. This lets me know if I am improving at spare shooting and breaks up the monotony of shooting spares first during the first two games. Improving your spare shooting is the best way to raise your average. Now a little editorial. I was at a USBC run tournament this last weekend of August at the National Bowling Stadium in Reno it is the Festival of Bowling and is sponsored by STORM. There is mixed team events and doubles and singles. Senior division doubles and singles both handicap and scratch. There is also a Junior/Adult division with prizes awarded to the juniors in scholarship money. It runs August through October and is a great event that deserves more attention. If you are going to Reno check this out. It runs Saturday and Sundays. For more information type Storm National Mixed Championships in your search search engine and you will find it. Along with bowling there I found out some interesting information from the registration desk. Beginning this year the USBC is going to require not only your league average but also your tournament average if you bowl in them and the money you have won. If your tournament average is 10 pins or more higher than your league average your average will be re-rated. If you don’t use the highest average you are subject to disqualification. This year they are relaxed with this but I was told if I bowl tournaments to write down what I average in each and what I won in prize money and have it with me for any tournaments next year. Just a heads up. The USBC is committed to stopping sandbagging.
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