Expert: - 11/18/2009

Question
QUESTION: Upon recently getting back into bowling, I purchased a couple of new balls and had them drilled by the pro. First of all my thumb was hanging up in the ball, then I had him enlarge the hole considerably, now my thumb has the skin coming off on the right side of the joint.  I am a right handed bowler and throw a Brunswick Avalance and plastic for spare ball. Average around 180. How can this be corrected, he is stumped on this one.

ANSWER: Don,
It sounds like your bending your thumb. A tighter hole is meant to force you to relax your hand to allow the ball to let go of you. A tighter hole ideally fools your head into thinking that gripping the ball isn't necessary. Unfortunately, muscle memory must be unlearned then the correct feel relearned, so there is a learning (or UNlearning) curve.

Many bowlers learn the muscle memory from ill fitted bowling balls. You have learned to bend the thumb inside the thumb hole which makes it bigger at the knuckle (when the thumb is bigger in the hole than when it went in the hole, it can't come out!). Making the thumb hole bigger encourages you to grip more, than you make it bigger, then you grip more, then you make it bigger...

I've utilized a device called a Thumb Straight. It is pushed into the thumb hole and is formed to restrict a thumb from bending. Once the thumb can't bend, the knuckle rubbing and skin abrasion goes away.

Or, try to set-up with the thumb perfectly straight in the ball. Keep the thumb straight throughout your approach (BE CAREFUL, you may drop the ball on the downswing). You will either drop the ball or feel yourself grab it. Continue with this exercise, but add one piece of tape to the thumb. Keep trying to roll the ball until the ball stops falling off your hand. You MUST keep the thumb straight or the ball will hang up again. DO NOT bowl in league, until you've rolled at least 6-9 practice games with no thumb problems. Good luck thanks for the questions.

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

QUESTION: Thanks for the reply, yes I am bending my thumb, just realized that is what is causing it to pull the skin off....looks like I need to have the thumb holes made smaller again.  How would I go about getting the
" Thumb Straight "?  I could really use something like this to get corrected. I have league coming up on Wed. evening.

Don

ANSWER: Don,
Some pro shops carry it. Costs around $10 (retail) but comes in several sizes, we need the size of your existing thumb hole. I can arrange something, once I know the thumb size I can send you what you need?

Or, can you have your pro shop guy get a hold of me (through my website: www.revbowl.com) and I can hook him up with a supplier, or get the thumb size. Thanks for the question and follow up. Good luck and good bowling.

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

QUESTION: Many thanks Warren,
for all the assistance, I did see them online, but would rather go through you...will give my pro your email so he can stock some of these. I know they come is all sizes and it looks like I would take a large.  I will just bowl with a wider opening until I receive it. Let me know how I can arrange to pay you.

Don

Answer
Don,
Look forward to getting the email from your shop guy. I'll check on freight (don't expect it to be much), where will I need to send it (them)? Send info to my store website (revbowl@revbowl.com). You can pay with a check or credit card. You can call my cell number when I get your info and we can work out the details. Talk to you soon.