Hello!

[lorsban]

Hi Everybody,

This is lorsban from the Philippines. Just took up bowling recently and I really like the sport! There's a lot more nuance involved especially with timing. And, even if they come few and far between, I love the sight and sound of strikes! haha!

Decided to get my own ball, a Brunswick Slingshot and I gotta say it sure takes some getting used to compared to the house balls.

Having a lot of problems with thumb exits/releases, sometimes I can't get a consistent release since I can't seem to get my thumb out in a consistent manner. It feels as though the hole is too small, the guy at the shop says it's the right size but the ball material is tacky so there's friction. So, I'm not sure whether to make the hole bigger or to put some sort of sleeve in. Any clues?

Other than that, I'm loving the sport and I want to get better so I'm looking forward to learning from you guys.

That's it for me!

Cheers!

lorsban

[tumblebug1949]

Hi lorsban,

Welcome to the forum. I am fairly new to the site myself but have learned it is an excellent place to get information or opinions to improve my ability.

I recently had a ball drilled that was made from a material designed to be tacky. The Pro-shop working on the ball used inserts (sleeves) for the fingers and thumb to fit in because they said the inside would be tacky much like the outside. The inserts are made of plastic and make it very smooth to release. Of course, it is very important to install the correct size inserts. Too large (loose) or too small (tight) will have a negative effect on the release.

I wanted to get more hook with my new ball so I had it drilled for a finger tip grip. The middle and ring finger are only inserted to the first joint. I am still working to become consistent with this new ball.

This is an excellent site to ask questions or read through older posts and learn from other bowlers. There are numerous articles imbedded in some of these posts that have helped teach me the how the ball is controlled.

Congratulations on getting your own ball. From what I have read and from watching some online videos, the Brunswick Slingshot will be a good ball for you.

Good luck and again, welcome to the site.
Tom

[littlelegs]

The most probable cause is that you're simply not relaxing your thumb properly every time. It's very easy to think you are when the reality is very different and something you need to train yourself to do as the natural inclination is to grip with the thumb.

If you're certain it is relaxed each time...although you want a 'snug' thumb, in the past I've found that with a back swing below horizontal my thumb simply wouldn't release the same every time. To get it to release meant having the thumb lose enough that I had to grip it. A slightly higher back swing fixed this. But maybe that's just me.

Even now though, I sometimes need to 'powder' my thumb using something like easy slide or even a rosin sack if I'm getting very sweaty (make sure to keep that stuff only on your thumb and away from the approach/lanes if you use it).

Another alternative is the 'second skin' style liquid. I bowl with several people who swear by it for a smooth thumb release.

[lorsban]

Thanks for the welcome guys!

Well, turns out I was throwing the ball with my hand being too open so the exit angle was all wrong. He suggested I do more of a handshake type of release so I'll try that and get back to you guys.

[lorsban]

Hey guys,

Tried out a more closed release where the line of my thumb is pointing more towards the target and the thumb release turned out to be way way more consistent! So, it really was the wrong angle.

My score wasn't all that consistent but I was able to get a couple of frames in the 134-136 level. Hopefully, with this, I can start working on my aim more and improve.

[tumblebug1949]

Hi lorsban,

Glad to hear that the change in thumb position is making your game more consistent. Consistency is maybe the most important characteristic in bowling, as in other sports.

Good lick with your game
Tom

[bdpeters]

welcome lorsban. I know what you mean about the sights and sounds off the alley. I was away from bowkling for a while and when I finally went back that was the first thing I noticed not only the sights and sounds but also oddly enough the smells. Spent alot of time at the alley as a kid because my dad tended bar at one and took me often with him.

Bri