Thumb Sticking

[grumpter]

On league nights I seem to have a problem with my thumb sticking in the hole. I have been using baby powder which usually resolves the issue for a few frames during other sessions. Except on league night where it doesn't help as much. Last night during the second game it didn't help at all. The third game was better but still had an issue with it.

What are some things I can do for league night when either my thumb seems to be swelled up a little or there is some other issue? During the first throw of the night I could feel the air pressure build up as I inserted my thumb.

[Amyers]

Do you have tape in the thumb hole currently? If not have it sanded out to where you can add two pieces of thumb tape to the hole. Simply remove a piece or two when you are swollen slightly. You may want to have it drilled out slightly more and add a piece of the release tape you wear on your thumb also. It works well for me.

If your like me I have more thumb issues in the warmer weather so your probably going to have further issues later in the season.

[JasonNJ]

Try to use fast release tape that goes on your thumb. I know it sound counter intuitive to add tape to your thumb since it will make the fit more snug but it reduces friction and lets your thumb come out cleaner.


Also two things, do you have a thumb slug or is your thumb hole just a hole drilled into your ball? I just found this out the other day, the slug is preferred because its a harder material and you'll stick less. As the bowling ball is a tackier material and has more potential of sticking.

2nd thing, is your thumb swelling and does it swell all the time that you bowl? If yes, then you might want to have your grip examined to make sure it is correct for you. I mentioned this in other threads but my brother in law struggled with hand pain and his thumb swelling all the time until I brought him to my pro shop in CT and they fixed his grip. Since then no more pain or thumb swelling.

[grumpter]

I will try both the tape (inside the hole) and the Fast release (on the thumb) tape but not at the same time.

The ball does not have a thumb slug but good to know. My thumb doesn't swell too bad most times I bowl. Only league night for whatever reason but the sample size is only 2 league nights so far. Seeing the recommended PSO on Tuesday to switch to a lighter ball so will see how that goes.

[Amyers]

I will try both the tape (inside the hole) and the Fast release (on the thumb) tape but not at the same time.

The ball does not have a thumb slug but good to know. My thumb doesn't swell too bad most times I bowl. Only league night for whatever reason but the sample size is only 2 league nights so far. Seeing the recommended PSO on Tuesday to switch to a lighter ball so will see how that goes.

Having the new ball slugged is a good option to look into. Good catch Jason I didn't even think about that. Another long time trick is get some dry wall sanding screen from Lowes it works fantastic on thumb holes and leaves a slicker finish than the sandpaper most proshops use. it's perfect for on the fly small adjustments

[classygranny]

I know this sounds stupid but it usually works. If your thumb isn't getting much larger, try this. In between shots stick your thumb into the thumb hold with a paper towel or napkin inserted with it. So in essence the napkin is around your thumb and inserted into the thumb hole of the ball. It does make the thumb a bit smaller, I am unsure why it works.

[TCJ]

Quick-fix: swipe the back of your thumb across the side of your nose. It worked for me back when I used a thumb. Of course, that's only if I was in between tape, or forgot tape, or the tape was too old, or I was being lazy.

[djp1080]

After reading one of Susie Minshew's books I've made it a habit to get to the alleys early and make sure my ball or balls fit well before starting. If they don't feel right, it's usually a tape issue in my thumb hole. I'm one of the lucky ones that doesn't have a swelling issue or shrinkage. I bring enough tape and tools to make adjustments if necessary. Then I open up my little plastic box of tape and apply a custom cut piece of Storm's Thunder Tape I think it is. It covers both the pad side and the back side of my thumb with cuts in the middle so that it fits nicely when I fold it at the tip of my thumb. Then I take a ball and swing it to make sure I'm all set.
I recall trying baby powder before I ever tried tape if I felt tightness. It didn't work very well. There's a product that does help and it's called Easy Slide. It was designed to keep your bowling shoe to slide easily, but it works great to loosen up a thumb hole in a pinch.
Using a thumb slug works well. The coverstock of your ball may grab the back of your thumb more than the slug especially if it's dull. I may take a cut of a Scotch Brite pad and make it less dull. It will help smooth out your thumb hole a little more. Perhaps you could use sandpaper to fit instead.
Another thing is that you may be trying to hold on to your ball with way too much grip. When you swing your ball, the ball should hold on to you rather than you holding on to the ball.
Hope this helps...

[GrumpyCatFace]

I have similar problems due to a very flat and flexible thumb. Every time I get a ball drilled, it’s unuseable until I take it home to loosen it up.

I take a small 2” wide piece of sandpaper and hit the sides of the hole for a while, to make it more oval shaped. Then a piece of Ron C’s Magic Carpet on the back, and a piece or two of tape in the front.

This allows my thumb to come out somewhat sideways at the bottom of my swing, and allows me to hold on just a bit with the BASE of my thumb.

I think that this is what holds a lot of people up- instead of using the bottom of your thumb, like everything else you grab, you have to hold the ball lightly on the base.

[fordman1]

Have you ever had your pitch checked to see if you have it right? Maybe you need a little reverse pitch. Have you ever tried a vent hole? I think they are still legal. It is a very small hole drilled in the ball into the thumb hold that lets air get in as the thumb comes out.

[grumpter]

Haven't had pitch or anything else checked. I am so new to the sport and it is my first ball. Tonight I will be visiting a different PSO and will get their opinion on the issue(s) I am having.

Played 5 games on Sunday without any problems. I am thinking the problem may be with hitting golf balls before league night bowling.

On a side note I had a very humbling experience on Sunday. Ran into one of the guys from league and his 11 year old kid. One game the kid bowled a 267. He half runs up to the line and it looks almost like he is dropping the ball onto the lane from about waist height. He gets a nice roll plus hook and obviously there has to be some consistency there to bowl a 267.

[fordman1]

Good Luck

[grumpter]

The new PSO identified 3 things with my original ball.
1) The hole that holds my middle finger was a little off of where it should have been (cant remember if it was short or long of where it should have been)
2) The finger holes were a little too tight so my fingers weren't getting deep enough
3) The angle of the finger holes were a little off for my grip/hand

He drilled me a new ball and talked me into staying with a 15#'er. Bowled 2 games at the lanes where his shop is and averaged 30+ pins higher than my current average. Small sample size though. By the time I got home I was still itching to try the new ball more so stopped by my local alley. Through 6 games I only averaged 10 pins higher than my average but that was drug down by the last 2 games where I was definitely fatigued a bit. My ball speed had dropped significantly. The good news on the second session of the day is my new personal best is 245 which included 7 strikes in a row which is also a new personal best for strikes in a row.

No thumb stick issues whatsoever with the new ball. My big issue now is 10 pin leaves are more challenging. I may get the old ball re-drilled or may go to a plastic spare ball.

[JasonNJ]

That's great news. I bet with a proper grip now, the ball doesn't feel too heavy and you probably have a better release. A good PSO is worth it's weight in gold.


The new PSO identified 3 things with my original ball.
1) The hole that holds my middle finger was a little off of where it should have been (cant remember if it was short or long of where it should have been)
2) The finger holes were a little too tight so my fingers weren't getting deep enough
3) The angle of the finger holes were a little off for my grip/hand

He drilled me a new ball and talked me into staying with a 15#'er. Bowled 2 games at the lanes where his shop is and averaged 30+ pins higher than my current average. Small sample size though. By the time I got home I was still itching to try the new ball more so stopped by my local alley. Through 6 games I only averaged 10 pins higher than my average but that was drug down by the last 2 games where I was definitely fatigued a bit. My ball speed had dropped significantly. The good news on the second session of the day is my new personal best is 245 which included 7 strikes in a row which is also a new personal best for strikes in a row.

No thumb stick issues whatsoever with the new ball. My big issue now is 10 pin leaves are more challenging. I may get the old ball re-drilled or may go to a plastic spare ball.

[djp1080]

Now that is good news! Congrats. Having a ball plugged and redrilled might be in order for you. Don't hesitate to get it done if you liked that ball.
I've had to go through some iterations where the pitches of both the thumb and finger holes were changed a couple of times. With the changes in USBC rules I've had a couple balls plugged and redrilled, while others I just had the balance hole plugged.
10-pin leaves are telling you that you're hitting that pocket pretty good and should put a smile on your face. A nice shiny plastic or urethane spare ball might just be the ticket.
Good luck!

[grumpter]

The ball definitely feels better on the release and grip. I had been using a 3 step approach with the old ball for multiple reasons. With the new ball using a 4-step approach feels a lot more comfortable. I also feel more confident with a bigger arm swing.

[mx1alex]

I posted this in the "offset thumb" thread but I feel like my thumb release is the biggest issue with my accuracy right now. Went to my new to me PSO and he said that span was a touch too long and that was likely making my hand too tense thus the thumb not coming out as consistent as it should. I'm so new to bowling I've only used this one layout on all 3 of my balls so I'm excited to see how this change feels.

[Amyers]

The ball definitely feels better on the release and grip. I had been using a 3 step approach with the old ball for multiple reasons. With the new ball using a 4-step approach feels a lot more comfortable. I also feel more confident with a bigger arm swing.

You'll be definitely better off with the 4 step vs. the 3 step. Very few players can get a 3 step correctly consistently. In a 3 step approach the ball ahs to start before the feet which is very hard to do.

[grumpter]

Well that didn't go quite as I had planned. Last week we met the new owner of the alley and this week they decided to use a new oil machine... with less oil. My ball that was reacting so well just 2 nights ago is suddenly over-hooking. Very hard to control. I basically had to throw nearly as hard as I could to get the hook somewhat under control but then my aim started to suffer. If they are the same next week then I may try to take the ball up to 4000 grit to try to take some of the hook off of it.

I only had a few instances of the ball sticking on my thumb tonight. Much better than previous weeks but I also did not hit any golf balls before tonight's league play. Another guy in my league also noticed the same thing. There is something about league night that makes it different. Possibly so many bodies in a small area IDK. I didn't use any tape because it only started happening in the third game and it was only a couple of times. A little baby powder did the trick.

[grumpter]

The thumb stick issue continues to plague me and gets worse as the night goes on. I have definitely determined that hitting golf balls before league play is not the lone issue. Before league started I looked t my thumbs and to the naked eye I would say they were exactly the same size. By the third game there was a noticeable difference and had one throw stick all the way through the follow through. I may have to look into an interchangeable thumb system just for league night. It is not nearly as big of an issue when practicing alone or with one other person.

For league night my first game is by far the best, then second game drops a bit and the 3rd is by far my worst. 4 weeks in a row of the same thing.

[JasonNJ]

The thumb stick issue continues to plague me and gets worse as the night goes on. I have definitely determined that hitting golf balls before league play is not the lone issue. Before league started I looked t my thumbs and to the naked eye I would say they were exactly the same size. By the third game there was a noticeable difference and had one throw stick all the way through the follow through. I may have to look into an interchangeable thumb system just for league night. It is not nearly as big of an issue when practicing alone or with one other person.

For league night my first game is by far the best, then second game drops a bit and the 3rd is by far my worst. 4 weeks in a row of the same thing.


I would definitely find the best pro shop around and go have your fit checked. A little swelling every so often I wouldn't be concerned about but it sounds like your fit is wrong and it's causing your thumb to swell.

[GrumpyCatFace]

I prefer to do it myself with a piece of sandpaper. Just sand the sides of your thumb hole for a few seconds, to make it more oval shaped.

[grumpter]

I would definitely find the best pro shop around and go have your fit checked. A little swelling every so often I wouldn't be concerned about but it sounds like your fit is wrong and it's causing your thumb to swell.

Thing is I did go to the 'best' pro shop which I detailed in post #13. The differences in the ball he drilled and my original ball were significant and the new ball definitely releases better... on most nights.

Since I have had the new ball:

1/22 - 2 games early evening and 6 games later that night with no sticking issues
1/24 (league night) - A few sticking issues in the 3rd game. The other team only had 3 of 4 players so the wait between shots was less than previous weeks.
1/26 - 4 games no thumb stick issues
1/27 - 4 games no thumb stick issues
1/29 - 6 games no thumb stick issues
1/31 (league night) - A few more thumb stick issues than the previous league night and they started in the second game. This time the other team had 4 players and the wait between shots was longer than the first week with the new ball.

That's 22 games on non-league night with no issues. In 6 games of league play I have had the issue in the 3rd game of the first week and the last 2 games of the 2nd week. The issue seems isolated to league play only and to the later games. With the old ball the same thing.. the later in the night the more likely to have a stick issue. Maybe it is the wait between shots giving the thumb time to swell IDK.

I may hit it very slightly with some sandpaper as GrumpyCatFace suggests but I am going to be very conservative about it. What grit can someone suggest for that?

[Amyers]

IMO dry wall sanding screen works best you can get it from Lowe's. It actually comes out smoother than you can get with sandpaper. its one of those secrets a lot of people don't know. cut the screen into strips a little less than the size of your thumb and always carry a piece.

With the issues you are having though I believe I would have the proshop sand out the thumb enough so I can get 2-3 pieces of white tape in their comfortably and then remove the tape as needed should solve your problem completely. You may want to hit the hole slightly with the sanding screen even after they do believe me it leads to a better surface.

[djp1080]

Grumpter, You continue to have what you call thumb sticking. You've had plenty of suggestions to help including your multiple trips to the pro shop or pro shops.
What you have said is where on your thumb stick does it stick? Typically when you swing your ball you should not have to hang on to it with a death grip. It's been said in many bowling books that your grip should be like holding a bird in your hand softly. When you get into your swing, the pad of your thumb should be allowing to ball to hold on to you and not you holding on to the ball. Personally I've found that real bowlers tape works very nicely for me on the front side of the thumb hole. I still use the white tape in the hole, too, but the final layer is real bowlers tape (https://www.mongoosebowlingproducts.com/real-bowlers-tape). I use a piece of black tape on the back of the hole to get the fit just right.
Since most of your issues are during league, chances are that you're doing things a bit different than when bowling by yourself. Try focusing on relaxing yourself a bit more during league and do the same kinds of things you might do when you're there by yourself.
Good luck!

[grumpter]

IMO dry wall sanding screen works best you can get it from Lowe's. It actually comes out smoother than you can get with sandpaper. its one of those secrets a lot of people don't know. cut the screen into strips a little less than the size of your thumb and always carry a piece.

With the issues you are having though I believe I would have the proshop sand out the thumb enough so I can get 2-3 pieces of white tape in their comfortably and then remove the tape as needed should solve your problem completely. You may want to hit the hole slightly with the sanding screen even after they do believe me it leads to a better surface.

I will check that out.


Grumpter, You continue to have what you call thumb sticking. You've had plenty of suggestions to help including your multiple trips to the pro shop or pro shops.
What you have said is where on your thumb stick does it stick? Typically when you swing your ball you should not have to hang on to it with a death grip. It's been said in many bowling books that your grip should be like holding a bird in your hand softly. When you get into your swing, the pad of your thumb should be allowing to ball to hold on to you and not you holding on to the ball. Personally I've found that real bowlers tape works very nicely for me on the front side of the thumb hole. I still use the white tape in the hole, too, but the final layer is real bowlers tape (https://www.mongoosebowlingproducts.com/real-bowlers-tape). I use a piece of black tape on the back of the hole to get the fit just right.
Since most of your issues are during league, chances are that you're doing things a bit different than when bowling by yourself. Try focusing on relaxing yourself a bit more during league and do the same kinds of things you might do when you're there by yourself.
Good luck!

I cannot say I know where it is sticking but I will try to remember to check the next time it occurs. The more games I play there is definitely more pressure build up when the thumb is going in. Both PSO's told me fingers in first and then thumb and I have followed that advice since the first night I had my own ball.

When I went to a bowling ball demo I asked one of the reps about the thumb sticking and he advised it should feel like I am trying to push my thumbnail against the back of the hole. I am sure some of my problems are my technique at times but that I am working on.

I have three kinds of bowling tape - Black quick release, white slow release and the kind that goes on the back of your thumb rather than inside the thumb hole. Really haven't had a chance to try most of them yet but plan to try during practice before the next league night. The first PSO told me to never put tape on the front of the thumb hole as that increases your span. Not sure if that is good advice or not.

At first I couldn't think of anything that I am doing differently on league night but now that I think on it one thing I am doing is using more baby powder because it does temporarily help. I wonder, with the heat of so many people in a small space combined with the increased use of baby powder, if it is causing a buildup inside the thumb hole. Last night I did take the ball off the rack and gave the thumbhole a cleaning with a microfiber towel as well as wiping off my thumb a bit. That was right after the ball stuck on my hand all the way through the follow through. Honestly I can't remember how much better the next throw was and I am pretty sure I went right back to the baby powder before bowling that shot and subsequent shots. I don't know if I am brave enough to try a full night with no baby powder but I am getting desperate as my league average is about 25 pins lower than my non-league average.

[Amyers]

I will check that out.



I cannot say I know where it is sticking but I will try to remember to check the next time it occurs. The more games I play there is definitely more pressure build up when the thumb is going in. Both PSO's told me fingers in first and then thumb and I have followed that advice since the first night I had my own ball.

When I went to a bowling ball demo I asked one of the reps about the thumb sticking and he advised it should feel like I am trying to push my thumbnail against the back of the hole. I am sure some of my problems are my technique at times but that I am working on.

I have three kinds of bowling tape - Black quick release, white slow release and the kind that goes on the back of your thumb rather than inside the thumb hole. Really haven't had a chance to try most of them yet but plan to try during practice before the next league night. The first PSO told me to never put tape on the front of the thumb hole as that increases your span. Not sure if that is good advice or not.

At first I couldn't think of anything that I am doing differently on league night but now that I think on it one thing I am doing is using more baby powder because it does temporarily help. I wonder, with the heat of so many people in a small space combined with the increased use of baby powder, if it is causing a buildup inside the thumb hole. Last night I did take the ball off the rack and gave the thumbhole a cleaning with a microfiber towel as well as wiping off my thumb a bit. That was right after the ball stuck on my hand all the way through the follow through. Honestly I can't remember how much better the next throw was and I am pretty sure I went right back to the baby powder before bowling that shot and subsequent shots. I don't know if I am brave enough to try a full night with no baby powder but I am getting desperate as my league average is about 25 pins lower than my non-league average.

This is just me personally but try to get away from powder. It makes the first couple of balls feel good but then males the sticking situation worse in my opinion. I think it builds up on your thumb and the whole myself. I've never had that as a long term solution.

[grumpter]

This is just me personally but try to get away from powder. It makes the first couple of balls feel good but then males the sticking situation worse in my opinion. I think it builds up on your thumb and the whole myself. I've never had that as a long term solution.

That's what I'm thinking now. It makes sense. I was so worried about solving the problem, which it does temporarily, that I didn't even consider the build up. I think the first thing is to give the hole a good cleaning tonight and then try the dry wall screening. The baby powder is going to stay in the bag for now but I am going to try to use it only as a last resort. I also have the tapes to try which I will do before resorting to powder.

[djp1080]

I, too, would stop using baby powder. I recall trying it about ten years ago after I came back to bowling as I was sticking in the thumb. It never helped.
My issue was grabbing at the ball and my knuckle was rubbing on the back side of the hole which made it feel to me that the hole was way too small. Of course, it wasn't too small. It was what I was doing while trying to things that didn't help matters at all.
I tore up the back of my thumb one morning during league and I was desperate in trying to find a fix. The first thing that allowed me to bowl without tearing up my thumb was HADA protection tape that my PSO gave me. My thumb slid right out of that ball now. I've finally gone to using Storm Thunder Tape cut for my thumb where it wraps around the tip of my thumb to provide a feel that I really like both on the pad side and on the back side.
Back a couple of years ago Turbo Grips had a video of how various pro bowlers used their tape products. Michael Fagan pretty much wrapped up his entire thumb with black protective tape! Learned something about how to use some of this stuff. Their support line is somewhat helpful.
Good luck in the learning process...

[Blacksox1]

Having the new ball slugged is a good option to look into. Good catch Jason I didn't even think about that. Another long time trick is get some dry wall sanding screen from Lowes it works fantastic on thumb holes and leaves a slicker finish than the sandpaper most proshops use. it's perfect for on the fly small adjustments

Gold star tip about the dry wall screen. Well done Amyers !

[GrumpyCatFace]

Can’t say enough about Ron Cs Magic Carpet either. I can’t bowl the same without it.

[grumpter]

Last night I gave the thumb hole a very thorough cleaning and hit it lightly with a Scotch Brite pad. I didn't expect it to do too much but that is all I had on hand. There was a minimal improvement but today I knew I would have access to the dry wall screening if the Scotch Brite was not enough.

Headed out to my new PSO first thing this morning to take my old ball to get it plugged and re-drilled and also pickup a plastic spare ball just to see if I thought it would help on the 10 pin and 6/10 pin leaves (it does). Played 6 games with my strike ball and in game 2 the thumb stick issue started to surface. Nothing horrible just enough for it to throw off the shots a little. I resisted the urge to go to the baby powder and instead wiped out he hole with my towel, wiped off my thumb a little and used the air blower on the end of the ball return area to try to get my thumb as dry as possible. It didn't completely alleviate the issue but seemed to help at least somewhat. How I worked through it was to throw the ball a little harder and concentrate on trying to relax my hand. This seemed to help a little more but I am still not 100% there.

The spare ball I had zero issues with my thumb sticking but I didn't throw it nearly as much and it is brand new. It is also 1 Lbs. lighter as I wanted to know what a 14#'er feels like. I am fine with it.

So when I got home I stopped to get some of the dry wall screening and gave the strike ball thumb hole a quick hit with that. Playing again in the morning when I meet up with pops for our weekly game. Hopefully no issues tomorrow morning but I won't be convinced until I can get through 2 weeks of league night without issue. That will also be the hardest time to resist using the baby powder as more is on the line than just a practice session. I am just going to have to suck it up if I start having an issue and live through it.

Funny, to me, thing about my new spare ball is the coloring. The choices were mostly light colors which I wasn't very keen on. There was one that was black and orange that I thought wasn't too bad. I really don't care too much about the color but with a bunch to choose from that was definitely the color scheme I preferred when viewing the other options. The new PSO said 'that is the one you want?' to which I responded 'Yep, that's definitely the one', he said 'Uh, Ok then'. 15 minutes later he comes out with a purple and black ball. It caught me a bit off guard and I was wondering 'what the heck' but as he got closer I realized the other side of the ball is purple and black. On the display shelf all I could see was orange and black and didn't realize the other side was sparkly purple and black. Doh, I'm gonna take some ribbing for that. It's ugly but no worries. It's a bit comical.

[GrumpyCatFace]

Depending on how exactly your thumb sticks, you may want to increase the bevel as well. I often encountered an issue with the “wrinkle” at the base of my thumb getting wedged in on the release. Just a nice smooth angle on the edges of the thumb hole can alleviate this.

[grumpter]

Depending on how exactly your thumb sticks, you may want to increase the bevel as well. I often encountered an issue with the “wrinkle” at the base of my thumb getting wedged in on the release. Just a nice smooth angle on the edges of the thumb hole can alleviate this.

I don't see this as the problem in this case but won't rule out anything until fully solved. This mornings session went well. When the sticking issue crept up slightly in the second game, again, I tried some flex tape on the thumb. This worked extremely well for my strike ball for the remaining 3 games. However, it created some minor issues with the spare ball so I will be hitting the spare thumb hole with the dry wall screen tonight to open the hole ever so slightly.

My non-league play with the new ball I am averaging 170.67 and in league just 143. I am pretty happy as my goal for the first season was a 165 average. 9 weeks in I know I can average 170+ if I get the thumb issue fully solved.

[djp1080]

I don't see this as the problem in this case but won't rule out anything until fully solved. This mornings session went well. When the sticking issue crept up slightly in the second game, again, I tried some flex tape on the thumb. This worked extremely well for my strike ball for the remaining 3 games. However, it created some minor issues with the spare ball so I will be hitting the spare thumb hole with the dry wall screen tonight to open the hole ever so slightly.

My non-league play with the new ball I am averaging 170.67 and in league just 143. I am pretty happy as my goal for the first season was a 165 average. 9 weeks in I know I can average 170+ if I get the thumb issue fully solved.

Glad you're not ruling anything out until it's solved. What is flex tape? Have you tried another brand of baby powder?

[grumpter]

Glad you're not ruling anything out until it's solved. What is flex tape? Have you tried another brand of baby powder?

Flex Tape - http://www.motivbowling.com/products/accessories/other/flex-tape-fast-release.html

I have no plans to try another brand of baby powder. Too worried about it creating a build up and making the issue worse.

I'm going to have to fight the urge to practice before league this week. There are some lingering issues with my middle finger from the original ball and I think the finger needs time to heal. It's gonna drive me nuts not being able to practice but I have to see if 3 days or so off let's it heal up.

[djp1080]

Thanks for the info on the Motiv Flex Tape. Never have seen that stuff. Looks very similar to what Vise has with their HADA tape which I used to use for protection on the back of my thumb. It's meant to wear on your thumb. When I was introduced to it by my PSO, it worked wonders for my getting my thumb out of the ball. I had a very bad habit of squeezing the daylights out of the ball and the back of my thumb took a beating. Not any more.
So not only is your thumb sticking, but you have problems with the middle finger.
I've had issues with fingers, but first it was likely arthritis more than anything. Later it was some build up of callas on the sides of both the middle and ring finger. Tried some Vise NT50Y tape and then have switched to their Bio Skin tape to avoid irritating my fingers. Both work well. Only other thing I have to pay attention to is to keep my finger nails trimmed up.

[mx1alex]

I'm guessing the amount of time between shots might be the biggest difference from league to practice. Maybe that has something to do with how much your thumb swells. In league it might take me 3 hours to get through 3 games but practicing alone I can get through 3 games in less than an hour.

[grumpter]

Thanks for the info on the Motiv Flex Tape. Never have seen that stuff. Looks very similar to what Vise has with their HADA tape which I used to use for protection on the back of my thumb. It's meant to wear on your thumb. When I was introduced to it by my PSO, it worked wonders for my getting my thumb out of the ball. I had a very bad habit of squeezing the daylights out of the ball and the back of my thumb took a beating. Not any more.
So not only is your thumb sticking, but you have problems with the middle finger.
I've had issues with fingers, but first it was likely arthritis more than anything. Later it was some build up of callas on the sides of both the middle and ring finger. Tried some Vise NT50Y tape and then have switched to their Bio Skin tape to avoid irritating my fingers. Both work well. Only other thing I have to pay attention to is to keep my finger nails trimmed up.

With the first ball I had issues with both the middle & ring fingers. When I went the new PSO he showed me my fingertips were only going into the first ball about halfway up to the first knuckle on each finger. The middle finger hole was also positioned slightly wrong. After bowling 3 of 4 games with the first ball my fingers would start to hurt a little and the next day it would be hard to make a fist. With the new ball, drilled by the new PSO, my fingertips go in about twice as far and my ring finger has healed completely. The middle finger is still a little tender but not nearly the same as it was with the previous ball. I think it just needs time to heal completely and then I should (hopefully) be fine. 15 to 18'ish games a week isn't allowing time for it to heal.


I'm guessing the amount of time between shots might be the biggest difference from league to practice. Maybe that has something to do with how much your thumb swells. In league it might take me 3 hours to get through 3 games but practicing alone I can get through 3 games in less than an hour.

Agreed but I found my original assessment that my thumbs were the exact same size before bowling was inaccurate. The bowling hand thumb is slightly larger than the other hand. I think I was seeing what I wanted to just because I was/am so desperate to find the reason and cure.

[grumpter]

Tonight's league play went better but still below average. Only a few cases of my thumb sticking but I am confident that was due to my release on those particular shots. My middle finger is pretty screwed up and the time off seemed to do more harm than good. There is no pain during the release but I feel very weak on my backswing and the finger is VERY stiff afterwards. If I straighten out the finger with my other hand It relieves a bit of the stiffness. I think I am just going to have to suffer through it for 7 more weeks of bowling. If it starts messing with my golf swing the I will have to take some time off.

[djp1080]

Again, where on your thumb is it sticking?
There are finger exercises that may relieve stiffness.
I guess that you're an avid golfer. Have you taken golf lessons? If so, have you considered taking some bowling lessons?

[grumpter]

I can only surmise the sticking happens around the knuckle as A) that is the fattest part of the thumb, B) when sanding the hole I could feel the difference in pulling the thumb out when it is straight versus slightly bent and C) to resolve my issue last night I concentrated on keeping the thumb straight and that seems to solve the problem... until I was concentrating on something else. Being so new to the game I have a lot of swing thoughts going so I can sometimes slip back into bad habits while concentrating on something else.

The finger exercises are a good call. I think it may be sprained so I have also looked up how to treat a sprained finger and will work on that as well.

Sure, I have taken lessons for golf about once every 500 rounds played (so maybe 6 times). I wish I had taken more of an interest in it during my high school and college years to get consistent and structured instruction but that is not the case. I had other things on my mind during those years. It has not lessened my enjoyment of the game in fact I find it is increasing.

I have considered bowling lessons and even have the name and contact of a coach (there are not a lot to choose from). At this point I have decided to hold off for a multitude of reasons.
A) I am progressing at a pace I am happy with and I am not involved in anything that is overly competitive.
B) Our team already has a distinct advantage on the field as all 4 players are either new to league bowling or have had an extended period away from league bowling. I'm just looking to enjoy the ride at this point.
C) I am enjoying the learning process with tips from my father. It's nice to have something new that he can offer pointers on. It has been a nice bonding experience as my father gets up there in years. I won't have many, if any, opportunities like this going forward.

That being said I am considering some lessons in the offseason.

[djp1080]

Okay. Thanks!
That Motiv Flex Tape you're using should have kept your thumb from sticking at all especially if you got the quickest release version (which IMHO is what you should be using at this point).
Like I said before I've been down the road on thumb issues pretty much on my own with some help from my local PSO. If you just relax your hand in the ball while bowling, you should be just fine.
The pad of your thumb should be grabbed by the ball on your backswing. Relax your thumb.
Lessons for both sports are worth it if you'd like to improve and to get local help on finger and thumb issues, too. Nice to have your father around to help. If he was an avid bowler at one time, he's probably a pretty good resource as well. He's probably only a couple of years different in age than me.
Sounds like you're on a good team and having fun. That's more than half the battle when you're in league. Good luck!!!

[grumpter]

The Flex tape definitely helps and yes it is the quickest release version. Now the only time I have issues is when my release is off considerably and then it is only minor sticking issues. Much better than before. In 5 practice games on Saturday I didn't have many thumb stick issues but my middle finger was sore enough Sunday morning that I didn't feel comfortable bowling with my fingers in after the first few throws. I tried going to a 2-handed throw which was a bit of a disaster but it was quality time with pops so no big deal. Going in I had no idea how to properly throw 2-handed it was just a spur of the moment decision to not have to stop.

Later that day I looked up some videos on the 2-handed technique where it seems most, if not all, are going with fingers in and thumb out. For now I have to keep my fingers (and thumb) out which may be contributing to my having trouble hitting my target line. I hope to get some practice Tuesday and Wednesday on the technique if the weather cooperates (it won't tonight). I did pick up a few pointers that should help at least a little. Come league night I will have to make a game time decision on 1-hand technique or 2-hand. The good news is I don't have to get very good with a 2-hand technique as my league average is so poor this far.

[fordman1]

I just received an email from amazon that was for a "to me" new thumb sock for bowlers? What is that and has anyone ever used or seen it?

[GrumpyCatFace]

I just received an email from amazon that was for a "to me" new thumb sock for bowlers? What is that and has anyone ever used or seen it?

Check out Pete Weber.

[grumpter]

Unfortunately last night was the only time I was able to practice as the weather did not cooperate early in the week. League is tonight and I will have to see how the finger feels.

I have come to the conclusion that no fingers in is not the way to go. I am certainly able to bowl pain free but accuracy is the problem. I only tried 2 throws with a normal 1 hand approach and didn't want to risk more as I felt the discomfort right away. I probably could have continued but I am sure the finger would have been very sore today. After a few games of experimenting with various techniques I ended up going to a 2-handed, fingers only and 1 step approach. My accuracy was better than the no finger approach but the scores were about 10 pins off my league average (35+ pins less than my non-league average). If I have to resort to that approach tonight so be it. I was able to bowl 7 practice games last night and the finger feels only slightly worse than it did yesterday morning.

[grumpter]

New lesson learned. When playing with an injured finger don't go hard after a split even if you feel you are letting your teammates down. Dumb decision on my part. The finger feels better than after previous weeks of league play but if I didn't make that one stupid throw it would probably feel a whole lot better.