New Grip...

[bubba809]

After about a year or wrist problems and a couple cortisone shots, my PSO has advised me to get a new fitting. Since it's been many years since I've had one I agreed. He said I pretty much needed all new possible adjustments made from my hand changing over the last 15-20 years. He also suggested I get my new ball drilled WITHOUT inserts. This will take pressure of my wrist that has caused me pain. He said there is so much added pressure to the fingers and wrist with fingertip grips. I must admit, I am concerned in changing my entire grip and going to no inserts in one swoop. But what do i have to lose?

Has anybody else heard of converting to no grips to easy the pressure?

[RobLV1]

Are you currently using the grips with the flat lifts? If you are, I would suggest turning the grips over to the non-lift side before getting rid of them all together. With no grips at all, you could be handing yourself a who new set of problems with your fingers.

[bubba809]

Yes, I am using the flat lifts. I can only go by what my PSO has told me, but he has said he has done this (no inserts) for many of his bowlers with arthritis, carpel tunnel, tendonitis (which is what i suffer from). He said many bowlers bowl "pain free" from the stress and force that is incited from the grips.

Now you have my curiousity up of the new set of problems for my fingers I may encounter. Could you please elaborate Rob?

[RobLV1]

Yes, I am using the flat lifts. I can only go by what my PSO has told me, but he has said he has done this (no inserts) for many of his bowlers with arthritis, carpel tunnel, tendonitis (which is what i suffer from). He said many bowlers bowl "pain free" from the stress and force that is incited from the grips.

Now you have my curiousity up of the new set of problems for my fingers I may encounter. Could you please elaborate Rob?

Pretty straight forward; the ball is hard, and the grips are soft. If you simply use the other end of the grips without the lifts, you still get the benefit of the soft grips without the added stress of lifting. From a coaching standpoint, I advise my students not to use the lift end of the grips for the simple reason that lifting is not something you want to do with modern bowling balls. Personally I use grips without the lifts, and I have no problems despite the fact that I have so much arthritis in my body that it sounds like a bowl of Rice Krispies when I get up in the morning! LOL

[Amyers]

It's not hard to change back to grips if the nongrip fit is causing problems. It's much easier to add grips than to change from grips to no grips

[got_a_300]

I've tried using the no finger/thumb grips before and each ball has a different feel to it
and it makes for some sore fingers sometimes as each cover stock usually has a different
texture to it.

Some of the coverstocks have a rough feel to it and sometimes you'll be able to feel a
slight ridge between the cover and the filler/core inside the ball which gets your fingers
sore sometimes when they slide over the junction of the cover and filler/core.

I decided the extra cost of the finger/thumb grips is well worth it so I've used them
from then on and never looked back.

[billf]

It took me approximately eight pro shops over ten years to find one that fit my hand and it didn't hurt to bowl. A friend recommended Bob Kelly a PBA50 competitor and event ball driller as well as Shannon Pluhowsky's father-in-law. Given how much he drills for seniors with arthritis from bowling I figured it was worth a shot.
I brought my doctors diagnosis with me and we discussed it. Bob checked the pitches in my balls. He said the finger pitches were so severe that he believed that's what caused the tendons to ball up in the knuckle (looked like rhumatoid arthritis). Finger and thumb pitch changed along with an increase in span I have bowled the last two years pain free. One day I mentioned how I wanted to try no grips. He response, "Don't be stupid". I dropped it then.

Changing finger pitches from 1/8 forward to 1/16 rev and finding my thumb oval angle was 40° and not the standard 45°. My rev rate did drop as expected but I was so rev dominant it didn't matter.

[bubba809]

One day I mentioned how I wanted to try no grips. He response, "Don't be stupid". I dropped it then.

That's interesting because I've been told (by my PSO), that eliminating the finger grips has helped many of his customers that have arthritis or tendonitis. That the grips exert a tremendous amount of force on the hand/wrist area, compared to bowling with no grips.

[Amyers]

That's interesting because I've been told (by my PSO), that eliminating the finger grips has helped many of his customers that have arthritis or tendonitis. That the grips exert a tremendous amount of force on the hand/wrist area, compared to bowling with no grips.

Opinions are like a-holes everyone has them. From what I've learned, about every ball driller has some weird ideas. I've never tried a ball without grips so I can't really comment on it although I can't think of a single person I know who bowls without them under the age of 40. If you trust the guy and want to give it a shot it's inexpensive to change it back over but make sure he drills the finger holes with enough room for the bridge if you decide to switch back to grips.

[ytlas]

Some of us started bowling before grips became readily available :)
I switched to grips because they were more comfortable, but I had to make changes in my finger pitches because of the added lift. I went from 1/8" under with no grips to about 1/2" reverse.
I may go back to no grips at all. I punched up a grip with no inserts, in a dummy ball and it feels pretty good.

When using a ball with a sticky coverstock or odd core, an old trick was to paint the inside of the holes with nail polish, either partially of completely.

[got_a_300]

When using a ball with a sticky coverstock or odd core, an old trick was to paint the inside of the holes with nail polish, either partially of completely.

I don't think that would be legal nowadays under USBC rules. I do know you can not put
anything on the outside of the ball (paint or any kind of marking) that did not come from
the factory to use in USBC leagues or tournaments.

I would have to think putting nail polish on the inside of the ball would fall under the
same rule also.

[ytlas]

I don't think that would be legal nowadays under USBC rules. I do know you can not put
anything on the outside of the ball (paint or any kind of marking) that did not come from
the factory to use in USBC leagues or tournaments.

I would have to think putting nail polish on the inside of the ball would fall under the
same rule also.

I can't believe there would be any restrictions on anything like nail polish inside a hole. It's something that helps release a ball, just like the various thumb slugs available.

[Amyers]

I can't believe there would be any restrictions on anything like nail polish inside a hole. It's something that helps release a ball, just like the various thumb slugs available.

I don't think I've seen anything one way or the other and unless you were talking about it don't think anyone ever would know. The same effect could be had by using finger tape which is most definitely legal.

[bowl1820]

I can't believe there would be any restrictions on anything like nail polish inside a hole. It's something that helps release a ball, just like the various thumb slugs available.

While the rules don't specifically mention finger/thumb holes and coating the inside of the holes as described.

There are rules regarding what goes in the holes, you find them in the Equipment and spec. manual. Mainly their in reference to balance holes:

"4. No foreign material may be placed on the outer surface of the ball or in the balance hole, including
but not limited to paint, marker or whiteout. Bowling tape is acceptable in a balance
hole."

Also if the thumbhole is not used it's classified as a balance hole (Slugs and tape will be allowed, however interchangeable devices are not allowed)

So if you coated the inside of the thumbhole and didn't use it, that would be against the rules. the fingerholes might be kind of a gray area.

If you didn't want use inserts and don't like the feel of the ball material. A better solution would be using finger and thumb slugs, it would be a consistent feel across your equipment and would last longer than nail polish in the hole.

[bowl1820]

Has anybody else heard of converting to no grips to easy the pressure?

For the most part, the use of inserts is just about feel and personal preference.

Of the bowlers I know that have gone to no inserts, they've done it to help them stop grabbing the ball. They leave the hole edges sharp, so if they grab at the ball during their release that sharp edge cuts into the finger and they learn to stop grabbing and relax their grip.

Also of course the hole doesn't wear out like inserts do (Most bowlers don't replace their inserts as often as they should, which can cause fit problems and they don't realize why.).

The power lift grips add (1/8" to 1/4") forward pitch and a lot of the time they don't get put in right. Because when you change pitches you usually need to adjust span also. Also say you originally get fitted with 1/8" reverse pitch, by sticking in 1/4" lifts. You effectively gone from a 1/8" rev. to 1/8" forward

So if you stick in lifts and don't adjust span, you can add pressure to your grip which will cause you problems.

If you haven't been refitted in years.

Get refit NOW! If you want to use inserts, just use straight ovals, No lifts their not needed today.


I don't think inserts are the cause of your wrist problems, it's more likely just improper fit because of going years without having your grip updated.

[Davidjr113]

How often do you think inserts should be replaced?

[bowl1820]

How often do you think inserts should be replaced?

The standard reply is about every 60 games or about 3 times a year.

Ultimately it depends on how much you bowl (and how much you change which ball you use) and the inserts, some can wear faster than others. Cleaning chemicals, oil, rosin etc. can over time affect them.

If their getting loose, you see then getting deformed, shrinking or the texture is not feeling right, they can get hard etc. then they need to be replaced.

3 times a year would be new grips at the start of the season, then new ones just past half way and then new ones at the start of summer season.

I slide my fingers back and forth a little in the holes, So I can feel the edge lock into the finger crease/joint when I get up there to bowl. That way my fingers are in the same way/depth every time even if they get a little worn.

[billf]

How often do you think inserts should be replaced?

Low rev players don't seem to wear them out as easy.
60 games for low rev players should be sufficient. If you know your size buying grips in bulk with the proper glue (to not void warranty) is inexpensive. Then change one ball at 60 games and monitor that feel versus balls with more games. If you can visually see a difference then you waited way too long.

The 60 game rule of thumb came to be from the recommendation to resurface at 60 games. Just way too easy to change grips at the same time.

High rev players will have to change them sooner. Usually 30-45 games.