Expert: Chip Aki - 2/9/2007

Question
I've started bowling again last year and bought my first beginner ball, Brunswick power groove reactive, 16#, fingertip grip. I used to bowl with a plastic ball (can't remember name), 14#, conventional grip. At that time I had no problems with the weight and didn't really consider the consequences of using a heavier ball.  I now realize that the ball may be heavier ,not that it affects my arm swing, but more of an affect on my wrist position.  I use a Robby's original wrist support with my new ball and have made several observations:

With my thumb at the 1:00 to 2:00 position - Even with the support, my wrist breaks position through the swing and release.  The ball will go straight, but my accuracy is some what scattered.

With my thumb at the 12:00 position -  I seem to gain some leverage on the ball and can maintain the wrist position over 50% of the time. My accuracy increases and I gain some hook to the ball.

With my thumb at the 10:00 position - I can maintain the wrist position over 75% of the time and my ball hooks even more.  Accuracy is better, but i tend to loft the ball more.

I would like to keep using it until I'm ready to move up to a mid-range ball, then I would go down a pound or two on the weight.

Is changing my thumb position the best way to overcome a heavier ball than I'm used to or is there another way without buying a lighter ball?

I was watching ESPN Classics and noticed during a match of Danny Wiseman that he had something like a band around his index and middle finger so that it kept them together.  My other question:  

How does the index and/or pinkie finger affect the ball when they are kept close together to or spread apart from the middle and ring finger?

Again, thank you so much in advance for your advice.

Answer
Lofting will not come from the wrist position unless you are trying to cup the ball and the lift it instead of rolling it off of your hand.  The most common way to learn to hook the ball is to have your thumb at 1 oclock during the swing and rotate it to 10 or 11 oclock during the release.
Bringing the index finger in close to the middle finger can help your create more roll while moving it away from the middle finger will help create spin.  Moving the little finger doesnt have as much affect on the release but will have some of the same affect on the release.

Good luck,
Chip