I am having a great deal of trouble driving the ball into the foul line during my release. It seems that I am in time, but I seldom release the ball just past the foul line. Can you give me any suggestions? - Carmen August, Pacifica, Calif.
TO CORRECT this problem, try checking your shoulders. Many bowlers tend to bend at the waist rather than with the legs during their release. If you bend at the waist, the lateral shoulder position adjusts so that the natural direction of the armswing is directly into the foul line. If that's your problem, try to keep your upper body straighter during the pushaway and your shoulders straight throughout the complete approach. When you get to the slide, bend at the knee, keep your shoulders back, and let the swing follow the natural plane of your body. Good examples of this are greats Marshall Holman and Parker Bohn III.

I recently went into my local pro shop to buy a wrist support. There were so many different wrist supports available that I was totally confused. What type of wrist support would you recommend? - Peter Delucchi, West Hampton, N.Y.
I AGREE that there are many different wrist supports available. The first question to ask is how much support you require and how much movement you want from your wrist during the release. Some of the wrist supports give you some movement, while others lock your whole arm into a particular position. At most quality pro shops, the operator will let you try on the devices before purchase and take advantage of this opportunity. Additionally, ask the operator for his or her advice, as he or she is very knowledgeable about the functions of these products.

I occasionally hit my ankle during the downswing of my release. What does this mean, and are there any products to protect my ankle? - Betty Burgeson, Appleton, Wis.
WHILE IT hurts, hitting your ankle is a good sign, in that your swing is staying close to your body. If you only hit your ankle once every couple of months, I wouldn't change a thing in your game, but I might suggest you purchase high-top bowling shoes or put a pad on the ankle when you bowl. To my knowledge, only Lind's makes a high-top bowling shoe, but there might be other companies. Talk to your pro shop operator for advice on a proper protective device for the ankle.

During some tournament competitions, I run into a number of bowlers who have little or no knee bend and no slide on the approach. What is your feeling about this type of bowling? - Bobby Sisco, Addison, Ill.
A BOWLER who doesn't bend his knee much and has no slide usually turns the ball a great deal and generates a lot of hook and power. This type of game can be very effective on certain lane conditions; however, it is usually hit-and-miss, and the bowler will either score very high or not hit the lanes at all. Another negative: it puts a great deal of strain on the shoulder, knee and back, and is not recommended for bowlers over 40 or so. A good knee bend and slide will allow the bowler to play the game throughout his or her lifetime.

What are the advantages of having a thumb insert in your bowling ball? - Audrey Naylor, Westport, Conn.
THE BIGGEST advantage of a thumb insert is the consistency of feel from one bowling ball to the next. With many bowlers having two or more bowling balls in their arsenal, the inside texture of the thumb hole can be different from ball to ball. With the thumb slug or insert, you'll have the same texture when switching from one ball to another. Most quality pro shop operators are experts at installing these inserts, so have the slugs installed in all your equipment.

Mike McGrath is a PBA and ABC Hall of Famer. Send your questions to him c/o Bowlers Journal International, 122 South. Michigan, Suite 1506, Chicago, IL 60603.