Grip Pressure

[mrbill]

In the beginning some months back when I started Bowling again I had release problems alot.
I was knuckling the ball and could not stop doing it on the spot.
That lead to the proshop drilling the thumb hole a tad big and thats what I have on record there now to this date.
At first I tryed to relax and not knuckel the ball but as I bowled and I wore out and tryed to get the ball out there OMG the ball woud Grip like a suction cup and i almost took out a ceiling tile or two, that was scary..
Then a kind bowler on an opposing team showed me how he was doing it with tape and gave me a pice. It worked great for many weeks and never stuck again, but.
As my thumb changed and got a callus I took the tape off to find I had a better grip, I found that the more i bowl my thumb and my style adapt. I'm still working on the Perfect release and I'm getting closer ever day

[Strike Domination]

Also, playbowl, abouty the "open" hand thing. Is there something about doing that, that actually enhances your grip on the ball or is that just something you SHOULD be able to do, like as a test that your grip is good? I'm most comfortable keeping my thumb straight with part of the pad touching the front of the hole, not only so I can apply a bit of pressure there, but because I thinks it's possible for me to hang with my thumb all the way back. If I open my hand all the way so that the webbing at my thumb is stretched, the tip of my thumb bends back almost banana-like.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. Thoughts?

[CWULFF]

I too have a problem with knuckling the ball. I tried magic carpet and it cut my thumb real bad so i stopped using. A bowling coach said my thumb holes were too big and added a bunch of tape but i still knuckle the ball. maybe i should check my thumb pitch also.

[Strike Domination]

I don't believe I knuckle the ball anymore. I think I just apply too much pressure in general and don't know when to relax. Plus it's hard to trust the ball will stay on my hand if I don't grip it enough. Setting the thumb, which basically pins it between the back of the hole and the bevel, makes it more secure though.

[playbowl]

Also, playbowl, abouty the "open" hand thing. Is there something about doing that, that actually enhances your grip on the ball or is that just something you SHOULD be able to do, like as a test that your grip is good? I'm most comfortable keeping my thumb straight with part of the pad touching the front of the hole, not only so I can apply a bit of pressure there, but because I thinks it's possible for me to hang with my thumb all the way back. If I open my hand all the way so that the webbing at my thumb is stretched, the tip of my thumb bends back almost banana-like.

Just thought I'd throw that out there. Thoughts?

It isn't that it enhances the grip on the ball, the ball just fits. It is hard to descibe but I'll try. If you put your hand in the ball and let it hang by your side with your palm forward the ball should stay on your hand with no grip pressure. If you can "open" your hand so all the pressure in the holes is from your fingernails and the ball stays on your hand - it is drilled correctly for your hand and the thumb fit is correct. The ball will let you go at the ankle. The biomechanics of your hand are taken into consideration with the grip span and pitches as well as size and shape of holes.

If you ever heard someone say they "grabbed" the ball at the bottom of the swing they applied grip pressure instead of staying relaxed.(Usually a pulled shot) It is a hard concept to grasp but that is what modern bowling is about. With an open hand the time differential from when your thumb clears and your fingers clear goes up and so do the revs.
Try this next time you bowl. For a right handed bowler, if you pull the ball left of your target - add tape.
If you miss right of your target - remove tape (thumb is too tight)
If you have soreness after 10 games make a note of it and see your pro shop and fix it.
If you cannot bowl 10 games each day for 4 days without bleeding or skin ripped off your thumb you ball is not "fitted" correctly. After 40 games you will be fatigued which is normal but not bleeding.

Life is too short to be in pain when we are trying to bowl and have fun.

[fbushstl]

to me u should have good feeling in both fingers and thumb

[Strike Domination]

For what it's worth, I think I'll miss left when the hole is too tight as well. Like I said, I have 1/4" forward pitch in my thumb and i'm not sure if that's too much for my 4 1/4" and 4 1/8" span. I am indeed right handed. I can hold the ball at my side wth no pressure, and it stays on my hand if I open it. Opening the hand, at least the fingers, feels weird because my ring finger tends to slip out a little if I do that. In order to trust that the ball won't fall off my hand with no grip, I have to make the thumb hole pretty snug, is that normal? Is it okay to apply some pressure for the backswing but relax after it reaches the top? If not, what happens?

[bigern523]

I'm one of those guys that likes a tight thumb hole . Now anyway . It stopped me from knuckling it years ago . One thing that I do to get out clean with no suction is I drill a air hole from just below the thumb to the very bottom of the hole . I have that in every ball I own . My driller Drills my thumb hole with twice . My thumb is pretty flat . What we do is drill it to the thin size . One hole One sixteenth off center to the left and one to the right . Then I do all the working of the hole myself . He is a good friend of mine so I get away with using his tools . What it does is make an oval hole witch is perfect for my flat thumb . If you look into it , Mark Roth also did this .It works for me .

[playbowl]

For what it's worth, I think I'll miss left when the hole is too tight as well. Like I said, I have 1/4" forward pitch in my thumb and i'm not sure if that's too much for my 4 1/4" and 4 1/8" span. I am indeed right handed. I can hold the ball at my side wth no pressure, and it stays on my hand if I open it. Opening the hand, at least the fingers, feels weird because my ring finger tends to slip out a little if I do that. In order to trust that the ball won't fall off my hand with no grip, I have to make the thumb hole pretty snug, is that normal? Is it okay to apply some pressure for the backswing but relax after it reaches the top? If not, what happens?

If you have ever seen someone "palm" a basketball, that is what the pro shop is trying to get toward with the bowling ball having holes. There are no holes on the basketball and by stretching the fingers and thumb out (opening the hand)the natural tension in the players hand (and friction) allow the player to effortlessly hold onto the ball. (It helps to have big hands too.) You don't actually palm the bowling ball, it sits at the base if your index finger. When your pro shop operator evaluates your hand he/she interprets what is seen and converts the numbers to the equivalent direction (pitches) and sizes for the holes. How the pro shop operator interprets the numbers is what either creates difficulty with your grip or the ability to exit cleanly every time. Standardization is the goal of IBPSIA so that when you describe what you know about your grip to a pro shop operator they begin to assess the situation uniformly to correct any issues.

So, from what you described. the ball is not exiting clean off your hand. IMO, I would have drilled your thumb with anywhere from 1/16" forward (really flexible thumb joint) to 3/16" back (very stiff) so your pro shop is in the ball park. There are other factors, incuding experience level, that will add or subtract from that pitch. The ring finger slipping will either be from too big of a hole for the ring or too little tension. With the ring finger having "less" effect on the release the ball will tend to release left, slightly. Try moving the ring to 4 1/4. (assuming the span is correct). Thumb tightness. Sure. This is a personal thing that every bowler MUST know how to adjust on their own. That is why there is tape. As for the pressure in the backswing or at the top, I hope you are starting to understand how interrelated EVERY dimension is regarding your grip. Make an appointment to spend some serious time discussing your grip with the pro shop operator and work together toward the free relaxed armswing that you hear so much about.

[bowl1820]

Something to go with the grip discussion.

Always get a copy of your grip sheet for your records. (with insert sizes if any and your PAP location)

This is good for when: the proshop loses your grip somehow, you go to a tournament and want a ball drilled up there, you move, you want to talk about it.

Of coarse a good proshop can copy the grip off the ball, but it doesn't hurt to have a hard copy.