Interchangeable Thumb

[ghetto24]

so im thinking about switching my balls over to this. I guess I just don't like that I none of my thumb holes feel the same on any of my bowling balls. what are your thoughts on this? how many of you are thinking of switching over? how many already have?

[striker12]

i have thought of it but before i switch over i really want to see how they feel first and see if they will work for me.

[v33dubfox]

I recently switch to interchangeable thumb when I got my Paranormal Aura drilled. I also got it for my Nexus Pearl. I think that it is the best thing I have done so far. You get the same comfort in all your balls. Also, it's not a PITA to get a good fit in a brand new ball. I always have a lot of difficulties to get used to a new thumb. So, that way, I can play with a new ball immediately.

I have a suggestion for that. Get 2 thumbs. So, if all your balls have that interchangable thumb and it break in a tournament, you will be able to continue to play...

[TCJ]

I have a suggestion for that. Get 2 thumbs. So, if all your balls have that interchangable thumb and it break in a tournament, you will be able to continue to play...

This is what I came here to say. Recently someone told me about his interchangeable thumb breaking. Having a backup is a must.

[billf]

I have three thumb inserts and LOVE IT. Derrick and I have different size thumbs with the span and pitches being the same. With all our balls having ITs we can use each other's stuff without an issue.
I've been using it for over two years and no breakage yet. I bowl year round with at least 6-10 tournaments a year.

[ghetto24]

the initial set up cost kind of blows but I think it will be worth it in the long run. and I did plan on getting two just incase something were to happen.

[billf]

Initial cost? Here it runs $15 for the piece in the ball and $18 for the sleeve. So the only extra cost over a regular thumb slug is the cost of the sleeves that you can them use in any of your equipped balls.

[Jaescrub]

I wanted to do this on both my balls but my local ps guy talked me out of it till I can actual bowl. But my thumb slugs are perfect and feel the same on both balls. Did I luck out or is he that good?

[J Anderson]

I wanted to do this on both my balls but my local ps guy talked me out of it till I can actual bowl. But my thumb slugs are perfect and feel the same on both balls. Did I luck out or is he that good?

Too small a sample. If he had done five or six balls for you and they all feel right he probably is that good. Only two, he might be really good or you might be lucky. Even if your balls don't feel exactly the same he might still be good. Even the best will be a little bit off once in a while. The real key is what he does if and when he makes a mistake.

[ghetto24]

Initial cost? Here it runs $15 for the piece in the ball and $18 for the sleeve. So the only extra cost over a regular thumb slug is the cost of the sleeves that you can them use in any of your equipped balls.

i guess you are right. i think i was just thinking what i thought because i would be doing two at one time. the price here is $15/$20 so i would be looking at $70 for the two. lol.

[ghetto24]

I wanted to do this on both my balls but my local ps guy talked me out of it till I can actual bowl. But my thumb slugs are perfect and feel the same on both balls. Did I luck out or is he that good?

like said above. it was probably luck because there were only two. i honestly have never had any two balls feel the same.

[Jaescrub]

Wow I guess we will see he really took his time in fitting and worked with my wife and I as well as my buddy Chopper. I guess if I had my then the two he might have did the interlocking thumbs I think it's a cool set up and would live to try it.

[billf]

i guess you are right. i think i was just thinking what i thought because i would be doing two at one time. the price here is $15/$20 so i would be looking at $70 for the two. lol.

Not that $70 is chump change but once you have the slugs you need/want the inner piece isn't really much higher than a regular slug. To have the same thumb feel from ball to ball to ball to ball is definitely worth it, in my opinion. Just be careful, you don't want to be accused of taking the game too seriously lol (sorry, I couldn't resist)

[ghetto24]

Not that $70 is chump change but once you have the slugs you need/want the inner piece isn't really much higher than a regular slug. To have the same thumb feel from ball to ball to ball to ball is definitely worth it, in my opinion. Just be careful, you don't want to be accused of taking the game too seriously lol (sorry, I couldn't resist)

i think this is where i will draw the line. its all about being comfortable. ;) ill still keep my bowling balls in the locker at the lanes, wont bowl in any tournaments, and promise to completely forget about bowling over the summer (unless its to complain that the season is too long and its almost starting, again). Deal?

[billf]

A whole summer away from bowling? I couldn't do that. Maybe I take it more seriously than I thought. Or maybe I just enjoy any time away from the house that I can get.
**disclaimer*** I have three step-daughters (31, 29 & 24) and then step(?) grandchildren from 5 to 13. Every one of them always, ALWAYS wants money or to borrow my car. Oh, I also have two useless son-in-laws. Free to anybody willing to take them!

[ghetto24]

A whole summer away from bowling? I couldn't do that. Maybe I take it more seriously than I thought. Or maybe I just enjoy any time away from the house that I can get.
**disclaimer*** I have three step-daughters (31, 29 & 24) and then step(?) grandchildren from 5 to 13. Every one of them always, ALWAYS wants money or to borrow my car. Oh, I also have two useless son-in-laws. Free to anybody willing to take them!

YIKES!!! in your situation, i would want to get away, too!!! but come summer time, if im not playing softball, im at the races or working on the car for this weeks race. if i didnt have something occupying my time, i would probably bowl. but softball and racing are damn near part time jobs in themselves. lol

[RoccoRock]

I've been using the Turbo Switch Grips system. I like it, but i switched pro shops, and the pro shop I go to now doesn't carry the Turbo system. When I bought a new ball, I decided rather than change everything to the Vise IT, I'll just put in a regular thumb slug. Besides, I was bowling two handed at the time, not using my thumb, so I didn't really need it. Wrong! A few injuries (from work, not bowling) and a few aches and pains (from bowling two handed) made me start using one hand again. I went to do a tournament last Sunday, and in the fourth qualifying game I went to my new ball, with a regular thumb slug. First throw, my thumb stuck. I had trouble getting the thumb feel right in that game. This week I dropped off the balls I use most at the pro shop to get them all switched over. So from now on everything I use will have a Vise IT.

[billf]

I feel your pain. All my balls had Vise ITs but BowlerX only does the Turbo switch grips. So all my new balls only have regular thumb slugs.
*part of my agreement is I will use BowlerX exclusively so going to another shop is not an option at this time. Also the reason I put off signing on.

[classygranny]

I haven't gone to the pro shop to check out the thumb slugs and ITs. Can you explain the difference between the Turbo and Vise? Are they adjustable, or do you just exchange it for a different size if needed?

[billf]

There is a piece that is permanently installed in the ball, the outer sleeve. It's designed to take an inner sleeve. This inner sleeve is drilled to fit the thumb. In my case I went 1/8" below and above where my thumb was that day as it was only slightly swollen that day. I also use tape in the sleeves to get them as perfect as I can.

[mikenoodle]

I tried ITs this season and if you're considering Interchangable Thumbs, I have two words of advice:

Do it!!!

They create a consistent feeling from ball to ball and make ball changes during tournament or league play about changing balls and not how the thumb in ball X or Y feels.

I will NEVER drill another ball without ITs

[VampyreBowler]

I switched to the ITs grips last season. I borrowed someones ball he was selling and he has them. Threw a 279, bought that ball and a couple weeks later a 300. Then I started the process of switching over all my other balls to them. I try to keep at least 2 different sizes of thumb. I have even learned that if I am leaving corner pins a switch to a different size thumb will make all the difference.

[TCJ]

Or you could do what I did and start learning to bowl without a thumb. :D

[billf]

Or you could do what I did and start learning to bowl without a thumb. :D

I've bowled thumbless and two-handed and neither were right for me. But at least I tried it. My thought was; how can you coach it if you don't at least try it?

[TCJ]

I've bowled thumbless and two-handed and neither were right for me. But at least I tried it. My thought was; how can you coach it if you don't at least try it?


I've never coached, but I first went to no thumb (two-handed) because I felt like trying it. I enjoy testing out various ways of throwing the ball, so this was one more to do. Since I did fairly well with it and it gave me a new way to play the lanes that I couldn't before, I kept up with it. At times when the oil pattern is sketchy, I'll go back to one hand for more consistency.

[classygranny]

I tried ITs this season and if you're considering Interchangable Thumbs, I have two words of advice:

Do it!!!

They create a consistent feeling from ball to ball and make ball changes during tournament or league play about changing balls and not how the thumb in ball X or Y feels.

I will NEVER drill another ball without ITs

I currently have - I don't know what it's called - but the thumb is adjustable with a small screw, so you can tighten or loosen it by turning the screw. Would you suggest changing over to the ITs when I replace my balls? Is there any benefit with them over what I have now?

[mikenoodle]

the benefit is that you will have exactly the same feel from ball to ball with ITs because you have exactly the same thumbhole from ball to ball. It's not that it's adjustable, it's that it's consistent from ball to ball