THOUGH MOST people agree that even the Pope is not infallible, cult-like disciples are often prone to herald their guru's teachings as unimpeachable; i.e., beyond reproach or qualification. Often, these zealous advocates are guilty of misrepresenting their master's teachings, either by hyperbole or misconception. Understandably, this creates confusion and difficulty for affected students.

But consider the case of Charlie Lau, a marginal major league catcher and a lifetime .255 hitter. Ironically, he was also a compulsive student of the art of hitting; so much so that, in time, he became the best-known batting instructor in baseball. Many players, including superstar George Brett, became devout disciples of the Lau method. Yet, Charlie never claimed to have all the answers. For instance, concerning the knuckleball, he once advised: "There are two theories on hitting the knuckleball. Unfortunately, neither of them works."

Yet, as harmful as misguided disciples can be, what is more damaging is when a noted instructor, himself, professes deceptive and hypothetical principles by means of an uncompromising and dogmatic manner. To be sure, the guru's voice is more than equal to those of a thousand disciples.

Understand that this negative instruction, by and large, isn't necessarily wrong as a teaching concept itself, but rather, is erroneous in the implication that the technique is categorically correct; i.e., no allowance is made or given for alternative techniques based on a player's physiology and other successfully employed methodology. Let's consider some of this recently professed draconian instruction.

"Stagger your feet in the stance for a smoother tempo in the approach."

Some bowlers have found this technique comfortable and demonstrate it with considerable success. Yet, many bowlers tend to over-stride their first step when implementing this concept. Personally, I favor the more popular squared stance, demonstrated by the great Don Carter, which best regulates the spacing (length) of the first step. In any event, whichever method you employ, there is no conclusive evidence that one or the other has a biomechanical advantage in the approach.

"At the point of release, the incline of your back should emulate a 45-degree angle."

If this were true, the bowling world would never have heard of Jim Stefanich or Earl Anthony. Granted, many bowlers don't bend their backs properly - some bend forward too strongly, while others have a need to bend more. However, the major determinant here should not be theoretical conjecture. Instead, it should be based on the individual's physiology.

"In the downswing, release the ball as it arrives adjacent to the ankle of the last (sliding) step."

Here again, we encounter theory and not practicality. The release point varies from bowler to bowler (primarily based on the bowler's degree of back bend), as well as from day to day with each individual; this dependent on the lane condition and the equipment being used. Years ago, when the great classic leagues were in full swing, one of the most popular remedies given to a struggling teammate was, "Wait on the downswing, and release the ball over the foul line." At times, many great bowlers have triggered the release as much as a foot beyond the foul line.

"Aligning your left foot on the 30th board and walking right to hit the 10th board prevents you from walking straight and requires you to drift right."

Again, this theory (for righthanders) is "off the mark," coupled with a question of semantics. First, you can walk straight from right-to-left, left-to-right, as well as from the stance forward in the approach. In the first two cases, however, you are also walking on a diagonal. The problem here is equating drifting with walking diagonally. A diagonal approach is a straight step pattern that best accommodates the angle of approach needed to convert a successful shot. Most commonly, a drift occurs when one foot crosses in front of the other, or at least it moves in front of the shot line. Drifting also occurs when the step "flares" outward, as in the case of a righthander's last step striding too far left. There is a difference.

"A semi-fingertip is an obsolete grip that once caused bowlers a lot of discomfort and serious injury."

Fact: the semi-fingertip grip is alive and well where it is truly understood. The concept involves drilling the ball so that the fingers are inserted at a midway point between the 1st and 2nd knuckles. Although currently unpopular because of its dual compromise (between a fingertip and a conventional), there are still some outstanding players who use it. In addition, many senior bowlers opt for this fitting because it affords them a more secure grip than the full fingertip while, at the same time, giving them a better ball reaction than the conventional grip. The major problem with drilling "the semi" is boring the finger holes so that the fingers need not bend at the first joint when inserted (which could cause discomfort and eventual injury if they did). For this reason, the finger holes of most semi-fingertips are drilled from zero to reverse.