Bowling Ball Track

[SAbowler]

I was recently looking at the track on my ball and I noticed that the first couple of oil rings go over the thumb hole. Is this a bad thing? It doesn't seem to affect the way the ball is rolling. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

I was recently looking at the track on my ball and I noticed that the first couple of oil rings go over the thumb hole. Is this a bad thing? It doesn't seem to affect the way the ball is rolling. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated.

Do all of them track over the thumb or just that one? If just that one of look into the layout and consider that when having the next ball drilled.

[billf]

Tracking over any hole is not the best thing. Your pso shop could use or move the weight hole to change the flare potential.

[RobLV1]

I, too, have the problem of tracking very close to the thumb hole. The result is that I cannot use pin down layouts. If you draw a line from your PAP through the pin, you'll find where the bowtie is. If the pin is down the bowtie is too low, and the track will hit the thumb hole. Keep the pin up, and the track should stay off of the thumb hole.

[Wherearemyballs]

Are you turning your hand inside on the backswing? Are your fingers at or below the horizontal plane?

I throw a higher 3/4 roller and have had my balls drilled for it.

I would think a slightly outside wrist rotation on the backswing ( Think of your thumbs clock position) will help you keep your fingers under the ball. And provide the best tilt. Revs come from the lift after the thumb clears. Don't go crazy with the wrist rotation, just be aware of its affects on starting your track out better.

Try this before getting your ball redrilled. Not knowing much about your speed and layout makes it hard to tell you what ball alterations will help best.

I'm fairly quick with the pin an inch and equal to the right of my ring finger. For my high backswing and medium rev rate it works fine. Your needs may be different. Just work on form first and see if it all comes in for you.

[billf]

Are you turning your hand inside on the backswing? Are your fingers at or below the horizontal plane?

I throw a higher 3/4 roller and have had my balls drilled for it.

I would think a slightly outside wrist rotation on the backswing ( Think of your thumbs clock position) will help you keep your fingers under the ball. And provide the best tilt. Revs come from the lift after the thumb clears. Don't go crazy with the wrist rotation, just be aware of its affects on starting your track out better.

Try this before getting your ball redrilled. Not knowing much about your speed and layout makes it hard to tell you what ball alterations will help best.

I'm fairly quick with the pin an inch and equal to the right of my ring finger. For my high backswing and medium rev rate it works fine. Your needs may be different. Just work on form first and see if it all comes in for you.

Why, why, why would you tell anybody to get outside the ball in the backswing? It is bio-mechanically incorrect. Our anatomy would cause chicken winging, swing plane behind the back and a myriad of other ailments so bad the bowling industry has been preaching as loud as possible to NOT DO THIS FOR YEARS! Outside wrist rotation on the backswing, otherswise known as the reverse loop.

[Wherearemyballs]

Why, why, why would you tell anybody to get outside the ball in the backswing? It is bio-mechanically incorrect. Our anatomy would cause chicken winging, swing plane behind the back and a myriad of other ailments so bad the bowling industry has been preaching as loud as possible to NOT DO THIS FOR YEARS! Outside wrist rotation on the backswing, otherswise known as the reverse loop.

How do you get slightly, Don't go crazy with wrist position and chicken winging confused? 12 to 12:30 , not 3:00

He's rolling on the thumb hole. And probably turning his thumb inside on the backswing. He will get better tilt and lift if he is aware of his thumb at release. Its not rocket science.

He wont lift much better, if any. But getting off of the thumb will deliver more energy to the pins.

Saving my sarcasm for a Gold Certified coach. I do believe in not coaching your own family who ignores you most of the time anyway. I also believe I said , don't go crazy. If this wont work , then look into altering the ball.

Anyone care to comment on who made good money doing it wrong?

[bowl1820]

How do you get slightly, Don't go crazy with wrist position and chicken winging confused? 12 to 12:30 , not 3:00...............Anyone care to comment on who made good money doing it wrong?

I believe there might be a phrasing/terminology problem here which is possibly causing a misunderstanding.

Maybe be go into more detail on what you meant by " outside wrist rotation on the backswing"


A lack of axis tilt can cause a high track and the clipping of the thumbhole, also staying in the thumb too long can cause it to track very close to the thumb.

[Wherearemyballs]

I believe there might be a phrasing/terminology problem here which is possibly causing a misunderstanding.


.

Maybe I should have said Thumb/forearm position rather than Wrist position.

The important thing is the OP is now aware of steps to tryout to lower his track. For all we know the OP could be just starting out and clawing the ball at 10 and 2. And needs to develop an understanding of thumb positions affect on release.

[SAbowler]

First of all, thanks for the replies! :)


Do all of them track over the thumb or just that one? If just that one of look into the layout and consider that when having the next ball drilled.

No, only the first and second rings go over the thumb.



I, too, have the problem of tracking very close to the thumb hole. The result is that I cannot use pin down layouts. If you draw a line from your PAP through the pin, you'll find where the bowtie is. If the pin is down the bowtie is too low, and the track will hit the thumb hole. Keep the pin up, and the track should stay off of the thumb hole.

Thanks. I will take that into consideration when getting my next ball(s) drilled.



Are you turning your hand inside on the backswing? Are your fingers at or below the horizontal plane?

I throw a higher 3/4 roller and have had my balls drilled for it.

I would think a slightly outside wrist rotation on the backswing ( Think of your thumbs clock position) will help you keep your fingers under the ball. And provide the best tilt. Revs come from the lift after the thumb clears. Don't go crazy with the wrist rotation, just be aware of its affects on starting your track out better.

Try this before getting your ball redrilled. Not knowing much about your speed and layout makes it hard to tell you what ball alterations will help best.

I'm fairly quick with the pin an inch and equal to the right of my ring finger. For my high backswing and medium rev rate it works fine. Your needs may be different. Just work on form first and see if it all comes in for you.

I try to stay behind the ball in the backswing, but I know that I sometimes do turn my hand inside. And again, I try to keep my fingers below horizontal, but sometimes I can feel my wrist break in the back swing. UGH! Inconsistency sucks!!



I believe there might be a phrasing/terminology problem here which is possibly causing a misunderstanding.

Maybe be go into more detail on what you meant by " outside wrist rotation on the backswing"


A lack of axis tilt can cause a high track and the clipping of the thumbhole, also staying in the thumb too long can cause it to track very close to the thumb.

I don't have a lot of axis tilt. I assume because I stay behind the ball too long during my release.

[billf]

If you're inside the ball in the backswing, meaning hand is more between your body and the ball then the ideal release is behind the ball. The wrist breaking too early can be an issue. My big question is this: were your balls drilled off your PAP (positive axis point)? Some shops will use a generic layout not taking the PAP into consideration. For example if your PAP is 5"> and 1"^ then the generic layout will move the track 1" closer to the hole because the old sheet generic layouts were based off a PAP of 4">

[billf]

How do you get slightly, Don't go crazy with wrist position and chicken winging confused? 12 to 12:30 , not 3:00

He's rolling on the thumb hole. And probably turning his thumb inside on the backswing. He will get better tilt and lift if he is aware of his thumb at release. Its not rocket science.

He wont lift much better, if any. But getting off of the thumb will deliver more energy to the pins.

Saving my sarcasm for a Gold Certified coach. I do believe in not coaching your own family who ignores you most of the time anyway. I also believe I said , don't go crazy. If this wont work , then look into altering the ball.

Anyone care to comment on who made good money doing it wrong?

When you state outside wrist rotation in the backswing which way are you facing the wrist? Semantics may be our issue as here and above you said how he is probably turning his thumb in (which is towards the body) yet above advocated turing the wrist in. Which to me says get the ball between the body and wrist. Of course I'm using the palm side of the wrist and maybe you're referring to the back side of the wrist?

[Wherearemyballs]

When you state outside wrist rotation in the backswing which way are you facing the wrist? Semantics may be our issue as here and above you said how he is probably turning his thumb in (which is towards the body) yet above advocated turing the wrist in. Which to me says get the ball between the body and wrist. Of course I'm using the palm side of the wrist and maybe you're referring to the back side of the wrist?

When I said don't go crazy. I meant not to turn the inside of the wrist to the outside on the backswing. I meant to keep the wrist facing forward.

I have tried about every wrist rotation and position at one time or another. And over time have decided to play in the middle of my range of motion , with a pinky tuck to help revs. And a broken wrist spare shot.

I have seen others turn to the inside and still produce a semi roller. Their personal ability to lift and flip the ball was stronger than mine ever was.

When I had my ball drilled , I saw the steps taken today are much more detailed than anything I ever had drilled before. I know what I meant to advise, and could have used better wording.

The strangest release I ever saw was an older man who cranked his hand around the front of the ball ,Flipping it for a slow spinning motion that knocked pins low and flat to tumble the others down. I wish I had a video.

[okfoz]

My Spare ball I get the track over the thumb, I can sometimes hear it go thump thump. My strike balls, I never have that, it is really close, about 1/2 inch from the thumb hole and 1/2" finger holes is as close as it gets...

[JaxBowlingGuy]

My Spare ball I get the track over the thumb, I can sometimes hear it go thump thump. My strike balls, I never have that, it is really close, about 1/2 inch from the thumb hole and 1/2" finger holes is as close as it gets...

Wouldn't worry so much about a spare ball. I hear spare balls go over the thumb fairly often just based on people flattening out their wrist and going straight

[billf]

Plus I've yet to see a spare ball drilled to the bowler's PAP. It's one reason they are usually cheaper to drill.

[JaxBowlingGuy]

Plus I've yet to see a spare ball drilled to the bowler's PAP. It's one reason they are usually cheaper to drill.

It's either mine or my doubles partner spare ball has the CG marking on top of the pin so no chance at any real drilling really lol it's just in her COG

[JaxBowlingGuy]

It's either mine or my doubles partner spare ball has the CG marking on top of the pin so no chance at any real drilling really lol it's just in her COG

His** on mobile so can't edit

[Aslan]

I don't really understand the question.

If you are tracking over your thumb, you are releasing the ball incorrectly. You are either throwing a straight ball end over end...or you're trying to gain backend movement by increasing you axis rotation in a 90-degree tilt.

So before answering any question like this...you have to understand the bowler. Is it a he/she (I'm gonna assume "he")? Is he in good health? Do all of his joints work properly? There may be a physical constraint...or an age consideration that is keeping him from delivering/releasing the ball properly.

If he's in good health...why is the release 'off'...fix the problem...no more track over the thumb hole.

I sometimes will track over the thumb/finger holes on a spare shot...if my release is messed up. And I often track over the thumb-hole on a back-up ball shot...but that makes sense...I'm essentially throwing a half *** left-handed shot with a ball drilled for and delivered by a right-hander.

[Tony]

First of all, thanks for the replies! :)

Quote Originally Posted by StormBowler13 View Post
Do all of them track over the thumb or just that one? If just that one of look into the layout and consider that when having the next ball drilled.

No, only the first and second rings go over the thumb.




I know this post was from a couple of weeks ago so it may been resolved, however it appears that Stormbowler13 is asking " Does it track over the thumb on all of your balls or on just the one ball"
Probably a pretty good question to answer, with the resulting conclusions being if it happens on only one ball and it's a strike ball, then it's probably the drilling that should be checked and compared with other balls, or if the one ball is a spare ball, then this is fairly common and nothing needs to be done, many people do this.
On the other hand if it happens with several strike balls, then those issues are addressed with most of the answers and suggestions, there are some people that track close or over the thumb with certain drill patterns, the best course would probably be correction of any form causing the problem and/or not using a drilling pattern that causes that to happen.