BOWLING.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXX, Issue 5506, 27 November 1929, Page 3

BOWLING.

THE ART OF DELIVERY. (By Max. Walker, in the Bowlers’ Annual.) The bowl itself is worth consideration, for, like the implements in any game,-it has developed by gradual stages from a crude state to one of perfection. The first principle to note is that the bowl is scientifically shaped, on definite lines to a standard bias. According to its size, weight, and shape the bowl will curve or natural arc on the green according to the law of gravitation, and while the player’s delivery may vary, the bowl does not. The player is advised'to see that his bowls are of equal weight and equal draw. The learner would do well to concentrate on getting a bowl away sweetly and smoothly, irrespective of results for a time. The slightest suspicion of a wobble is especially to be avoided. If you do wobble, find out the cause and correct it, and go on correcting it, even if you lose game after game. A wobble seldom wobbles two bowls exactly the same way. Grip.—-The three middle fingers should point as nearly as possible straight along the crown of the bowl. The position of the thumb will depend upon the position of the three fingers, and also to some extent on the span between the thumb and forefinger. The thumb is a steadying agent, and never should pinch the bowl. .If it does the bowl will surely wobble. Place a bowl between your thumb and forefinger aqd see how closely the web of the hand touches the bowl. If contact is continuous you will have greater liberty as to the position of your thumb, but if there is a pronounced gap your liberty is restricted. In the latter case your thumb should always be round towards the disc, and never on the crown of the bowl. You must adjust your thumb until you feel quite comfortable, and can get the bowl away sweetly and smoothly. A fraction of an inch will frequently make all the difference between comfort and discomfort, between a sweet, artistic delivery and a wobble. The position of the little finger also depends on the positidn of. the three middle fingers, but it is also capable of adjustment within limits. It should not be separate from the third finger by too pronounced, a space, but placed in such a way that it takes a certain amount of weight of the bowl. The player should stand erect, with feet apart, the left ,foot comfortably in advance of the right, the heel of the left foot slightly in advance of the right. The elbow should rest on the side of the body, the forearm pointing in the direction of delivery, with the bowl delicately poised in the hand. The arm should never hang loosely from the shoulder, but should have the support of the body. The player should stand facing the green that he is about to take, and not facing the jack, except for a straight drive, when he takes no green. To, deliver the bowl the player should step forward with the left foot, bend down till the hand almost touches the ground, and release the bowl. It is necessary throughout this action to maintain perfect balance, and to keep all parts of the body in harmony. The bowl should leave the hand just after the left foot touches the ground, just about level with the left toe. The balance may sometimes be improved by shortening or lengthening the stride taken. The length of swing varies according to the class of shot that is being played. For a drawing shot the swing is short, this shot depending to a considerable extent on wrist and finger work, which is more or less instinctive. For a trial, the running shot, and the drive the swing’ becomes correspondingly longer. The manner of releasing the bowl at the moment of delivery is of extreme importance. Release makes style, which has as much value in bowls as in any other game. The bowl should run off the fingers sweetly- and smoothly, without trace of wobble. No point of the hand should cling to the bowl after it has left the other points. Do not grip the bowl too tightly, do not cling to it, do not scrape it on the ground, and, above all, do not let it drop the distance out of your hand. Just let it roll nicely off the tips of your fingers on to the ground. To enable this to be done it is obvious that the hand must be very near the surface of the ground at the moment of delivery. If you find you are bumping your bowl through not getting down low enough, bend the right knee a little more and you will easily correct the defect. It is worth while concentrating on getting the right release. The player’s hand should always follow through on the line of delivery, the palm upward at the completion of the shot. The length of the followthrough depends on the class of shot that is being played. For a drawing shot the action is slow and the followthrough is greater, while for the drive it reaches its maximum. /The palm of the hand should always he upwards. Do not check the action at the moment of release, or even after release, and do not allow the hand to swing across the body so that the palm is sideways or downward. For a back-hand delivery it must be noted that the bowl does not reach the ground at the side of the foot, but in front of the extended foot, and as the arm has to cross the body allowance has to be made for this circumstance. An Anglican clergyman in Wellington has instituted a Sunday morning service at 9.30 o’clock for the benefit of those people who spent part of Sunday in playing games. He requests them to come to church in flannels, leaving their racquets, clubs, bowls, etc., in the vestry, where they will be well guarded. This innovation should prove very popular and the services attract a large congregation.