Expert: - 1/30/2008

Question
QUESTION: I just bought a finger tip Hammer bowling ball. Each time I throw the ball my thumb gets stuck. I've taken it back to the pro shop to get re-drilled several times. The person at the pro shop said that I shouldn't continue to drill the hole for my thumb. Could it be the way I am gripping the ball? Should I have him continue to drill the hole for my thumb?

ANSWER: Jose,
What's your average? What kind of ball did you have before the Hammer? Was it finger tip? How long have you been bowling?

Just for clarification, re-drilled would be plugging and the hole reinserted/repositioned in the ball. I am assuming the hole was just opened a little with tools or a high speed sander. Would that be correct?

Put your thumb in the Hammer, relax the hand, where does the second crease of EACH finger fall as you place your fingers over the finger grips/holes? Crease at the edge of the grip/hole? Crease at the middle of the hole? Crease at the top edge of the grip/hole? Your fingers, are they flexible (easy bend to 90 degrees at the fingertip) or stiffer?

I am hoping to get a sense of the length of your grip. If too long or too short gripping is highly likely.

You said: "Should I have him continue to drill the hole for my thumb?" Again, if we're talking about attempting to open the hole with tools, probably, "drill" I don't know enough to say one way or the other. I am not sure from the term "drill" if you mean drill the hole open, drill the hole at a different angle, or what?

How big does the hole feel now? Your thumb is more oval than round. If the size is being increased, by that, the front and back of your thumb hole starts feeling more sloppy/bigger, you will actually grip MORE.

Keeping your thumb straighter as you deliver the ball, will help you exit the thumb hole, but until I get a sense of the fit, it's hard to recommend a solution for a problem that could have several causes. Attempting to fix the symptom with out addressing the root cause, won't allow the freedom needed (free swing, relaxed grip, minimal grip pressure) to best benefit you.

I'd like to know more about feel and fit before I suggest a next step. Slight adjustments in a new ball are normal. For a bowler that grew up in the game with house balls or ill fitting balls, gripping is a learned response to not wanting to drop the ball (in the direction of the people BEHIND you!!).

Let me know a little more and we can get this problem resolved. Thanks for the question.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I just started to bowl again. I did bowl with a columbia orange dot before but that was like about 20 years ago. It was a finger tip ball. I am now 53 years old. I tried my neighbors bowling ball which weighs 16lb,but it felt too heavy so I bought me a 14lb ball which feels good. I don't have an average yet but the several times that I have bowled my scores have been from a range of 99 to 135. My average when I was bowling was 165. As far as re-drilling, I guess I'm trying to say is to open the hole more. The man at the pro shop is saying that I am gripping my thumb when I hold the ball,which I feel is true. I can feel the weight of the ball on my thumb when I draw my arm back and it feels that the ball tightens on my thumb. I do notice that if I run my thumb in and out of the thumb hole I hear a suction sound. I tried holding the ball at the first crease of my thumb but the ball just fell out of my hand when I threw it. I also bought some powder to help me with the release, which has helped some. Am I expecting something too soon. Should I just keep trying to keep my thumb straight and how can you do that without gripping the ball. Is there a certain way I should hold the ball during my approach. Please advise and thanks.

Answer
Great to hear back from you Jose. We still don't have a feel for the length of the grip, but if you feel your gripping the ball, I suspect your right.

These days fitting techniques have dramatically improved. Ideally a ball will let go of you, but bowlers that grew up in the game as you and I did were subject to fit techniques that demanded thumb pressure.

Bending your thumb (making it bigger in the hole) is an unconscious muscle memory. So you feel the ball tighten, because your making the thumb bigger, and the weight of the ball emphasizes the situation. The snug feel of your thumb hole is an element of your grip which hopefully encourages your muscles/and head to relax the thumb(and muscles of your arm) because you no longer NEED to grip.

I suspect the weight (of your new ball) might afford you more of a chance to "control" the ball (grip it). Your experience with your old ball, probably led to tension in your hand and arm, a bent thumb and (when you bowled more, years ago) repetition allowed you to repeat reasonably well. Going for what you remember or have experienced before is only natural and feels comfortable. Your previous experience is the standard by which you will judge and compare your present experience.

While a gripped delivery can still allow you to deliver a bowling ball, if you watch the PBA (Professional Bowlers Association) Tour on ESPN on Sundays, notice the players deliver a ball almost effortlessly with tremendous effect. That standard, if you emulate it, will allow you to bowl for many more years, with very little need to depend on physical strength or dexterity.

Your explanation of drawing your arm back is an example of more effort than necessary. If you let the ball swing, gravity will provide a consistent ball speed (providing your set-up is consistent).

Repeating shots with little or no effort, a relaxed swing, embracing momentum and gravity allows more consistency with less effort. Current fitting techniques, especially from International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) members, have dramatically eased the effort necessary to be more consistent quickly.  

Getting your head around the concept of not needing to grip the ball is HUGE. In the short term, keeping your thumb straight by pressing the thumbnail against the back of the hole or feeling the crease of your thumb pressed against the front of the hole (or both ideas) will help. 30 to 50 deliveries (repeated consistently) will effect the muscle memory which will slowly loosen your gripping.

Good luck with enjoying this great sport of ours. I hope your Hammer helps and you score well.