There are a lot of different reasons the thumb could be catching in the ball.
Your thumb will swell and contract throughout the year and that is the reason bowling tape is so important. It helps perfect the fit no matter what state your thumb is in. This could be part of the problem it is swelling and changing the fit on your thumb. To fix this just have the pro shop buzz out the thumb a little bit and use tape to perfect the fit. It will usually fix the fit for you.
Another problem could be the pitch in the thumb hole. If you release the ball different (you may not notice this at all) it will change what pitch your hand will need. This could cause the thumb to catch on release. To fix this, really focus on how your hand exits the ball. Try to ensure it is the same every time. If you get burns or calluses on your thumb at all, check with your pro shop and have them change your pitches.
How many people here use no tape in their thumbhole just curious?Originally Posted by UBowling
I think I might need to apply a little bit of pressure and use a piece of tape for grip, to guarantee a clean release.
I bowled too much this week since my thumb swelled so much that I almost don't need a piece of tape when I usually need 3-4
Because I've had several balls drilled by various drillers, several have a bit different pitch on the thumb holes. Some I have to use tape in and some I don't. Something I used years ago that might help, is thin white construction chalk. When I use to bowl lots of games a week (80+) my hand felt like I'd put it in a meat grinder sometimes. I used the chalk by scraping some shavings on a table and just rubbing the powder on the back of my thumb. It's absorbed better by your skin, stays on longer, and doesn't effect the approaches.
Bob
I don't use tape on either of my bowling balls. On my cyclone, the thumb hole is huge, so huge that I had to squeeze the ball to keep from dropping it. That translated to bad news when I got my new ball and, out of sheer habit, squeezed the heck out of it and ended up injuring my thumb. I had the driller widen my new one out just a little, and then spent a few bucks and threw a few bad games to break myself of the squeezing habit. The thumbhole on my new ball is a perfect fit. Even makes that little pop sound like Mark Roth's ball back in the day, which brings back memories of watching the PBA as a kid. It was a bit too tight at first but now that it's been widened (and I stopped squeezing it like an idiot) I have no problem with this ball. Now I just need to bowl more strikes and less splits and 7 pin leaves.
My rule of "thumb" is to drill out the thumb hole to be as big as my thumb ever gets while swollen. Then I can put pieces of tape in to make the fit snug, usually this is about 3 pieces of white in the front. Then when I am bowling 15 games during a tournament and my thumb swells up a bunch, I just remove tape to adjust the fit. There is nothing worse than not being able to get your thumb in the ball because it is too swollen after a bunch of games.
Levi "Lucky" Lauck - USBC Silver Coach - U.B.A. Member
UBowling.com is a new bowling website created as a resource of bowling news, reviews and information to help grow and improve the bowling community.
If your thumb is going in and out of the thumb hole without sticking while supporting the ball with your other hand, but you're sticking during your swing, then you're squeezing the ball. It took me almost three weeks to learn how to release a finger-tip ball, and all of my trouble was caused by squeezing.
"George Whiffle. Please don't squeeze the bowling ball......errr..... the Charmins"
sorry, couldn't resist the obvious
I live by three simples rules:
1. Don't ever ask about my business
2. Never discuss business at the table
3. Don't ever side with anyone against the family
Assuming you're an adult male here, what size and color of tape do you use? Do you use it for both front/back of the holes?
No, definitely not squeezing. In fact I put enough tape in as to have no grip pressure at all, which may be a cause for sticking. But as far as being able to put my thumb in and out but not during swing, I'm not exatly sure.
OMG it finally happened.
With my thumb swollen I can finally use the thumbhole with no tape to see what it's like, and finally using grip pressure I realized what it's like to feel the thumb come out first and lifting with the fingers. So crazy it feels so different.
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