When you buy any bowling ball, keep this one hint in mind from a famous bowling coach, “You can’t overcome a bad drill.” Simply, this means that if your ball is drilled badly, there are no amounts of adjustments that you can make to throw the ball down the lane properly. It is critical that your ball fit properly.
One of the frequently discussed topics among bowlers is a thing called, “PITCH.” It refers to the angle each of your holes are drilled into a bowling ball. All spheres have a “geometric center,” (GC). This GC is the reference point from which the angle, or “pitch,” of your holes are calculated.
As each of us are uniquely different, so each of us has unique hand characteristics. A good ball driller should know this and make several considerations in order to give you a comfortable feel and release. Some of these considerations are injuries, ailments, size of your fingers/hands, how much strength you have, and how flexible you are. You may also want to consider looking for the top 6 best bowling ball for hook.
Many of these considerations are easily seen while others are virtually undetectable. The person fitting you for your ball should be asking you about your hand as he or she tries to figure out what the best fit would be for you. If they don’t ask, please let them know of any physical hand problems you may have.
Here’s the “Choc-List” for bowling ball PITCH:
- Zero Pitch – the hole is drilled directly toward the GC of the ball. Very few balls are drilled with no pitch in the holes.
- Reverse Pitch (often referred to as “Away”) – the hole is drilled below the GC or “away from the palm.” As your hand sits in the bowling ball, your thumb and/or fingers feel as if they are in more of an open position. This pitch tends to give a person an early release so it’s more suited to bowlers with wider spans and stronger hands.
- Forward Pitch (often referred to as “Under”) – the hole is drilled above the GC or “under the palm” As your hand sits in the bowling ball, your thumb and fingers feel as if they are gripping the ball more securely without much effort on your part. As you may have already guessed, this is for shorter spans and weaker hands.
- Right amp; Left “Lateral” Pitch – as you look down on where your holes are drilled, this is the direction right or left from the GC of the ball.
You shouldn’t have to be bowling with a ball that hurts your hand. With so many combinations available to him or her, a sharp pro shop professional can, and should be able to, drill a ball that will be both comfortable and practical for you to throw.
