To Slug or not To Slug?

[bubba809]

Never had one, never will. Not necessary.

[epiepenburg]

I went to slugs on all my balls, not the interchangeable inserts. I felt I was always using powder to get my thumb out of my ball clean when I wasn't using slugs. Since I have gone to slugs the only time I need powder is to dry my hands, I no longer need the powder to get the thumb out of the ball clean.

[vdubtx]

Slugs in every single ball. They just feel better and are more consistent than the just having the thumb against the ball material to me. Also, easier to get thumb re-done if you lose weight etc.

Can't change thumb size smaller without filling it and waiting a few days without slug. With slugs, they drill old one out, pound new one in and drill new size hole.

[foreverincamo]

I slug everything. The new softer slugs are customizable with just sandpaper. Use higher grit and you can polish them so smooth they'll never tear up your thumb.

[rv driver]

Okay what are we talking about here? Slugs or IT's? Their different.

Slugs are "usually" just urethane "slugs" that are glued in a ball and the hole drilled into them.


Interchangable thumbs (IT) are used to give a more uniform fit between balls. Now ITs use slugs in them.

Yeah, I was talking about the IT, which, if I have slugs done -- that will be ... it. I don't see the advantage in retrofitting all my balls with different slugs.

[rv driver]

The older timers might be able to comment on old rubber, plastic, and urethane balls in terms of whether the thumb holes back then needed slugs...perhaps edges were sharper or something.

There's no real difference that I can tell between old rubber or urethane and modern equipment. I had to have the hole in my rubber ball bevelled because it was too sharp. same with my old urethane.

Back then, I didn't have several balls -- I had one. So, now it makes sense for me to use an IT with a slug, because all balls will now feel the same, plus, as I age and my thumb varies more with use than it used to do, I can have several sizes of slug inserts at my disposal to keep the feeling consistent.

[rv driver]

I was referring to the slugs that are inset, glued, and drilled. I have considered experimenting with interchangeable inserts however. Since it is a similar topic, do you mind running down the pros/cons of those? Also, are you saying that the thumb slugging is pretty much pointless with today's balls?

My PSO said that an inset slug can be better "shaped" to one's thumb than simply trying to shape the hole. That, as far as I'm aware, is the only advantage to an inset slug -- that and, he said, some people just don't like the feel of the material in the ball against their thumb, so the inset slug may have a more appealing texture.

With an insert (like the IT, you can get any number of sizes to fit, so that, if your thumb swells during play, you can simply switch to a larger size and keep the feeling consistent. It's also important if you have an arsenal, because the IT is the IT and it will feel the same from ball to ball.

[nomad1721]

I use to just get the balls drilled, but now i use Its. I like the consistency of the feel better. I have never used slugs, so can't comment on them.

[Aslan]

I've never noticed much difference in feel one ball to another…especially with all the tape in the hole. But, I guess I never paid attention either so maybe there is a different feel.

[Mike White]

Slugs in every single ball. They just feel better and are more consistent than the just having the thumb against the ball material to me. Also, easier to get thumb re-done if you lose weight etc.

Can't change thumb size smaller without filling it and waiting a few days without slug. With slugs, they drill old one out, pound new one in and drill new size hole.

Technically this isn't true anymore.

With 1 hour plug the wait time can be cut down significantly.

Also, if a no-slug thumb hole becomes too lose, it can be converted to a slug, and available right away.

The most significant reason for a slug is so you don't feel the different textures in the ball (core, filler, cover)