Bowling aid

Abstract

A system for enhancing ball control by a bowler when swinging and releasing a bowling ball, and corresponding method of formation, are disclosed. A rigid sleeve is placed over the thumb of the bowler. The rigid sleeve is dimensioned and configured to fit in close cooperation with and slide readily along a thumbhole of the bowling ball, and to grip and be retained on the thumb. The thumb and rigid sleeve are inserted in the thumbhole. The bowling ball is then swung and released, while retaining the rigid sleeve on the thumb. The interior of the rigid sleeve may be coated with a tacky substance or may have installed thereon a shimming material. When swinging and releasing the bowling ball, the thumb and rigid sleeve may be withdrawn from the thumbhole prior to fingers being withdrawn from the finger holes. Ends of the rigid sleeve may be rounded to eliminate sharp edges.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a bowling ball to enhance ball control by a bowler when swinging and releasing the bowling ball in a grip of the bowler, comprising:
 lining a thumbhole of the bowling ball with an annular rigid hole liner comprising an external slide surface slidably engaging a surface of a thumbhole of the bowling ball;   forming the annular rigid hole liner to be is sufficiently rigid to avoid deformation thereof when subjected to contact with a hand of the bowler, to be configured to fit in close cooperation with and slide readily along the thumbhole and to be slidably withdrawn from the thumbhole when the ball is released from the grip of the bowler.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising coating at least a portion of an interior of the annular rigid hole liner with a tacky substance prior to swinging and releasing the bowling ball. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming an interior diameter of at least a portion of the annular rigid hole liner enabled to be reduced in diameter prior to usage thereof in swinging and releasing a said bowling ball. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming at least a portion of at least one end of the annular rigid hole liner to be rounded prior to usage thereof in swinging and releasing a said bowling ball. 
     
     
         5 . A bowler's aid for engaging and releasing a bowling ball, the bowler's aid comprising:
 a rigid sleeve having a length of approximately 1.0 to 2.0 inches;   an interior diameter approximately of 0.8 to 1.2 inches;   an outside diameter approximately of 1.0 to 1.5 inches;   a first rounded end; and   an opposed second rounded end.   
     
     
         6 . The bowler's aid of  claim 5 , wherein the constituency of the rigid sleeve comprises polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         7 . The bowler's aid of  claim 5 , further comprising a shim inside an interior surface of the rigid sleeve. 
     
     
         8 . The bowler's aid of  claim 7 , wherein the shim is of an annular shape. 
     
     
         9 . The bowler's aid of  claim 5 , further comprising a tacky substance covering a first portion of an interior surface of the rigid sleeve. 
     
     
         10 . The bowler's aid of  claim 9 , wherein the tacky substance covers a first portion of the interior surface. 
     
     
         11 . The bowler's aid of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the interior surface covered by the tacky substance accounts for more than half of the entirety of the interior surface. 
     
     
         12 . The bowler's aid of  claim 10 , wherein the first portion of the interior surface covered by the tacky substance extends to one rounded end and does not extend to the opposed rounded end. 
     
     
         13 . The bowler's aid of  claim 5 , further comprising indicia formed as raised symbols on the outside surface of the rigid sleeve. 
     
     
         14 . A matched set of a bowling ball and a bowler's aid for engaging and releasing the bowling ball, the matched set comprising:
 a bowling ball comprising a plurality of finger holes and a thumbhole; and   a bowler's aid comprising a rigid sleeve, the outside diameter thereof being less than the internal diameter of the thumbhole, the length of the rigid sleeve being greater than the depth of the thumbhole, the length of the rigid sleeve being approximately 1.0 to 2.0 inches, the interior diameter being approximately 0.8 to 1.2 inches, and the outside diameter being approximately 1.0 to 1.5 inches, the rigid sleeve further comprising a first rounded end and an opposed rounded end.   
     
     
         15 . The matched set of  claim 14 , wherein the constituency of the rigid sleeve comprises polyvinyl chloride. 
     
     
         16 . The matched set of  claim 14 , further comprising a shim inside an interior surface of the rigid sleeve, the shim being of an annular shape. 
     
     
         17 . The matched set of  claim 16 , wherein the tacky substance covers a first portion of said interior surface, wherein the first portion being covered by the tacky substance accounts for more than half of the interior surface, and wherein the first portion being covered by the tacky substance extends to the first rounded end without extending to the opposed rounded end. 
     
     
         18 . The matched set of  claim 14 , further comprising a visual axis indicator located at an intersection of an axis of rotation and a hypothetical extension of the thumbhole. 
     
     
         19 . The matched set of  claim 18 , wherein the visual axis indicator is a positive axis point indicator. 
     
     
         20 . The matched set of  claim 18 , wherein the visual axis indicator comprises an annular ring inset in the bowling ball.