Expert: Susie Minshew - 9/5/2009

Question
first, congrats on your 42nd question, secondly my question : If I am having trouble squeezing the thumbhole, what should i do?, I have had my balls redrilled so that is not the issue.

Answer
Thanks! Curious question. Why would you think that just because you had the fit adjusted, you wouldn't squeeze the ball? The tighter your thumbhole, the easier your thumb will exit the ball. If you are squeezing the ball, you must have room in the hole to do so. Therefore, whether it's been redrilled or not, if you are still squeezing, you have some adjustments yet to do. If you have a brown mark on the pad of your thumb or a callous or knot on the back of it, you're squeezing. Stop it!:) (One of my most effective teaching techniques!)

Squeezing the ball hurts a lot of different things in your game. It compromises your accuracy. The pins always know when your arm is tight. It fatigues you more quickly. Your rev rate is lower. Other than that, it's an okay idea.... I think you need to have your fit evaluated by an IBPSIA professional. There can be lots of reason for squeezing - the hole is too big, too much reverse pitch, too long a span - things that only someone who can put their eyes on your ball and your hand can determine.

You should be able to hold the ball, swing it, and release it with no grunting. Keep your thumbnail against the back of the hole. If you can't do that without feeling like you are going to drop the ball, there you have it. If your fit is snug and you 'hold' the ball with the lower part of the inside of your thumb, you're in good shape. If you are squeezing, that's not happening.

You need to eliminate the ball as the issue. So, let's say that you do that. If the ball REALLY fits you and you are still squeezing, it's on you. It's not like your hand squeezes the ball without some participation from your head. Who's in charge of your hand? You get my drift. If it's really not the ball, then relaxing your shoulder should do the trick. At a minimum, you should relax the joint above the problem area. You can't relax your hand without involving your shoulder, so you might as well start there. Your arm is just a place for the ball to hang until it's time to let it go.

Check your fit first before you try to change you. Changing the fit is a whole lot faster (and much less work) than changing you. Good luck!