Proper ball fit is the single most important factor in achieving higher, more consistent scores in bowling. With the exception of footwork, everything done behind the foul line-the looseness of your swing, the rotation of your hand in the proper manner, the smoothness of your release, etc.-can be singularly attributed to the way your hand fits in your bowling ball.

There are four basic types of grips currently utilized: conventional, semi-fingertip, relaxed fingertip, and full fingertip.

In the conventional grip, the fingers are inserted to the second knuckle or crease. This particular grip is the most popular for beginner bowlers. It is conducive to learning the basics of release and hand position, while giving the new bowler ample gripping power. It carries, however, the disadvantage of a less-powerful lift and rotation potential.

The semi-fingertip is a throwback to bowling's earlier days. In this type of grip, the fingers are inserted halfway between the first and second crease. While this grip increases the lift and rotation potential, its disadvantage greatly outweighs the benefit: This grip makes the bowler bend his/her fingers where there is no joint. This can make for a very sore hand.

A good replacement for the semi-fingertip is the relaxed fingertip drill. This grip allows the comfort of a shorter span, while also allowing the fingers to be inserted to the first crease line, which produces a positive hinge. This grip also allows more lift and rotation potential than the semi-fingertip.

The most common grip used by higher-average bowlers, and nearly all professionals, is the full-fingertip grip. This type of fit produces the greatest lift and rotation potential while providing a great deal of comfort for the bowler when properly fitted.

Regardless of the grip type, it is extremely important that the ball be custom-fitted to each individual's hand structure.

The three major variables in a proper fit are: span, hole pitches, and hole sizes. These three factors form an interrelationship in which all must be correct to achieve a positive "feel."

• The span, or stretch, is the distance between the finger and thumb holes.

In a conventional grip, the crease of the second knuckle should rest 1/8" to 3/8" over the front edge of the finger hole.

In a full fingertip, mark a line directly between the first and second creases on your finger. This line should rest precisely on the front edge of the finger hole.

For a relaxed fingertip, this line should rest 1/32" to 3/32" over the front edge of the finger hole. It is important to remember that several factors can determine span length, such as flexibility and thickness of the hand.

• Hole pitches are the angles, relative to the center of the ball, into which each of the holes are drilled. Each hole has a combination of four possible directions of movement: left lateral, right lateral, forward, and reverse.

Achieving the correct pitches for an individual can be the most difficult task facing the ball driller. There are an infinite number of possibilities available; discussing them could require many volumes of text. The best thing to do is discuss the various possibilities with a qualified pro shop operator. He will know what's best for your situation.

• The final aspect of your grip is hole size. This can also be a difficult area of fitting. In a best-case scenario, every hole should be as tight as possible without restricting your release or causing blisters. Generally speaking, the tighter you can keep the holes, the less tendency you will have to squeeze the ball.

The main barrier to this fitting process is that most bowlers's hands will periodically shrink or swell. You can combat this problem with individual pieces of adhesive or electrical tape inserted into the holes when needed.

It is possible to ascertain how well your ball fits your hand by observing the location of callouses and "hot spots" on your fingers and thumb. (Below are some common callous and blister locations, with their probable causes.)

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Dispelling some myths - Before we finish, there are a couple of popular myths about ball grips that I would like to dispel:

1) A longer span will increase lift potential. This is completely untrue. If anything, a longer span will cause excessive drag in the webbing of your thumb, thereby decreasing the speed and efficiency of your release.

Most people who use stretched spans eventually bevel the front edge of the thumb hole a great deal or increase the reverse pitch in the thumb hole, both of which effectively shorten the span.

2) The more reverse pitch in the thumb, the more "revs" you can achieve. Once again, this is false. Excessive reverse pitch in the thumb will cause extreme squeezing of the hand, hindering a loose swing and strong release. Constant squeezing can also cause a variety of medical problems, such as tendonitis and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Grip-fitting is an art, not a science. There are no industry standards for pro shop operators to go by. During the fitting process, it is important to maintain good communication with your ball driller so that he can provide a comfortable and functional grip for you.

If you are experiencing hand or elbow soreness, or have blisters and callouses on your fingers or thumb, please don't hesitate to contact your local pro shop operator. He is there to help and serve you!

At the base of most bowlers' thumbs, there is a small "knot" of tissue underneath the skin, which is commonly referred to as a "floating" tendon. This knot can move back and forth around the base joint of the thumb.

Provided that the span of your grip is not too long, and you are not excessively squeezing the ball, this "tendon" should move out of the way of any nerve endings. If it doesn't, there is a possibility of the thumb tingling and going numb.

If the grip fits correctly, you can have a small notch cut into the top edge of the thumbhole to provide relief from the pressure buildup on the base of the thumb. If this doesn't solve the problem, consult an orthopedic doctor for other possibilities.

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I recently bought a dull-finished "reactive" ball. While bowling, I noticed that it was dying on the back-end. A friend told me to polish the ball, which I did. Now it is breaking too hard on the back-end. Should I have the ball redrilled differently?

When a bowling ball is released, it has two basic energies associated with it. In layman's terms, they are centrifugal energy or torque, and translational and/or kinetic energy (ball speed).

As a ball moves down the lane, frictional energy builds. When the amount of frictional energy approaches the level of the other two energies mentioned above, the ball begins to "grab" the lane and hook. If friction builds too fast, the ball hooks early and rolls out, which was occurring when your ball was dull.

When you applied polish to the surface of the ball, you reduced the amount of friction build up, allowing the ball to restore the centrifugal and horizontal energy you imparted, farther down the lane. This produced a long skid and sharp snap on the back-end.

My advice would be to remove the polish and smooth-sand the ball to a 600-grit finish. This should provide a happy medium between the situations described above. If this doesn't solve the problem, consult your favorite pro shop for other possibilities.

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I recently overheard a conversation between two bowlers in our league. Both of them average over 200, and one was telling the other about how "wet/dry" the lanes were. What does that mean?

The term "wet/dry" relates to the crosswise pattern of oil applied to a lane. A wet/dry lane has an abundance of oil applied in the middle, while the outside boards are extremely dry. This type of oil pattern allows the straighter players to move to an outside shot, while the bigger-hook bowlers move inside, where the oil has built up. The pattern generally produces the highest scores for a majority of league bowlers.

Scott Bailey operates The Strike Zone Professional Bowling Store in Vienna. He can be reached via E-mail at xzone@erols.com.