Expert: Chip Aki - 1/28/2009

Question
I've recently gotten into bowling, got a cheap reactive ball, fingertip gripped.  All was going well, learning the proper release, beginning to get a little movement out of the ball.  I've been at it around a month and my scores have gone from around 120 to a 160 average.

Anyhow, all of the sudden the ball isn't coming out of my hand.  I went from a 171 (everything normal) to having to quit the second game because I was worried about injury.  Tried again last night, same thing.  I've had a couple that pulled me right into the lane.  I had been using about 4 pieces of grip tape, so I began to pull some out.  Now the ball doesn't even feel as tight as before, but the problem is getting worse (if possible).  I think a lot of the problem has gotten worse because I started to slow everything down, worrying about injury, and last night I couldn't stop myself from decelerating towards the release.

Anyhow, any tips? It this mainly a technique issue, or is there something I can change with the drilling of the ball to help?

Thanks


Answer
When you place the tape in the thumb hole, do you place them all on the same side?  If you put them on the gripping side of the thumb or the side closest to the finger holes, you can add reverse pitch.  That would make you squeeze the ball even more to hold on to it.  If you place them all on the back, or nail side, you would add forward pitch and that would make the ball hard to let go of.  If you get any of it wrapped around the sides of the hole, you might hang up as well.

Just more food for thought.

Good luck,
Chip