I recently had a couple balls drilled up to start out the season this year.  Since I hadn't bowled in 5 months and sold all of my old equipment over the summer, I decided just to use specs from last year.  After first league night (actually in the middle of 2nd game), my hand started to get really sore.  By the end of the night, it was painful.  I bowled the following night as well, and it was painful right from the start.  I have two main areas that hurt.  First in the very tip of my ring finger.  Both on the top with the nail and the bottom of the finger.  There dont' seem to be any marks or discoloration, but it is very sensitive.  Secondly, my thumb.  Almost perfectly centered in the middle of my thumb nail, I have a huge red/black mark.  Seems to be blood under the nail?  It was painful from as soon as the ball started the swing, all the way until the release.

After league (different house than where I was fitted and had equipment drilled), I spoke with the proshop operator.  He looked at my hand.. and said it definitely was a fitting issue.  Now that I think about it, at the end of last year, it was getting pretty sore.  He measured my span using a amber colored plastic wheel device (never had seen one before).  My span to the very edge of first joint of my middle finger measured to 4 1/4" and my ring was 4 5/16".  These measurements are quite a bit longer than my specs had said...  my equipment was drilled at 4 1/16" and 4 1/8"

What are some of the signs of a span that is too short?  Would 3/16" of an inch cause pain in my fingers and thumb?  (I had been using 3/8" forward pitch in fingers and 1/8" forward and 1/8" left in thumb (Right handed)).  Are the pitches possibly wrong?  Right now I know something isn't right...  what do you think?

Thanks,
S^2
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actually, the fingers are pitched 3/8" away from the center of grip...  so i guess that's reverse pitch...  sorry.   Yes, I had also thought that appropriate span ended with first crease in fingers somewhere near the center of holes...
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S^2, I won't pretend to know as much as KOTM or STR.  I did drill my own equipment for awhile.  All I can say, if it hurts you need to change something.

Is the pain only in this one ball?  If so, I would guess the pitches or span is messed up if you weren't having pain before.

In 1999, my span was 5 1/16 with 0 f/r in the fingers, 1/2 in the thumb.  My hand was always torn up.  Now, after alot of trial and many errors, this summer I changed  some more and I am now 4 1/2, 1/4 rev in fingers, 0 and 1/16 palm in thumb.  Now, I can bowl 10 games one day and come back the next bowl 10 more and my hand will be less fatiqued than it used to after 3.

I have never had more control over the ball than I do now.  It has paid off big, 3 300's since August 1st, 1 800, and 792(pesky ten pin).  Don't be afraid to change, as we age, flexibility changes and thus our grip on the ball has too.  

I will probably try some forward pitch in the next ball I have punched.

Good Luck,
Andrew
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FUFU

Gore in '06!

I picked up the ball last night with the lengthened span (+ 1/8" on each finger) and adjusted thumb pitch (from 1/8 forward to 1/8 reverse).  The grip felt very comfortable and not long as I sort of expected it might feel.  I wasn't able to throw the ball, but did swing it a few times.  I'm not sure if this is going to get rid of the problem, but it feels like it is a step in the right direction.  I will report back after leagues tonight and tomorrow night.  On one hand, I hope that it works out, but on the other, I really don't care to plug and redrill all of my equipment  .

S^2
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No suggestions here for your issue just stating my own observation.
Everyone is different and what works for 1 may not work for another.
I for 1 went to a relaxed span (1/8") after getting a recommendation from someone that I have great respect for and it worked great. I have made adjustments to the new grip adding more forward pitch a little bit at a time and my release keeps getting better and more consistent. After this trial which worked wonderfully for me I suggested it to a team mate who was struggling to get a consistent release and it caused him to go in the wrong direction. This really surprised me since he was originally fitted by the same person and he had the same type of issues that I had and the same wear areas on his fingers and thumb.
Basically I am saying take respected people's suggestions and try them giving them a reasonable amount of time to become comfortable and if they don't work make a move in a different direction, eventually you will find what is best and most comfortable for you.

KEEP AN OPEN MIND AND YOU WILL FIND THAT ALL ILLUSIVE PERFECT GRIP!
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www.Bowling-Info.com

BR.com's unofficial FAQ section

Well this is interesting!

Since I have been helped with fit by King and Mo Pinel I think they know what they are doing ....but I also agree with the points made by Saw in the following manner.

REverse pitch in thumbs is neither good nor bad and is somewhat dependant on span.

Over 4 1/2 spans should USUALLY have some reverse(given average thumb flexibility).  HOWEVER...those using more relaxed spans than the old FULL fingertip often end up needing less reverse than the tables.  Ie if your last joint touches the back of the finger hole YOU are not using a full fingertip AND therefore will end up dropping unless one goes quite a bit forward of the Bill Taylor thumb pitch tables(in which 4 1/4 span = 0 F/R pitch).

The interesting point to make is that team USA bowlers in general already have high revs!  They are also bowling on conditions much different from your leagues.  Ie there conditions have sharp edges!  There is very little blend to the pattern or side of the patterns they see and strong hit and lift is rewarded with a big jump!  Versus many of us bowl instead on heavily blended patterns that turn in to carrydown and what we need is MORE hit and lift and turn to carry!  And yet we are trying to drill and fit like better ...stronger bowlers bowling on different conditions.

And yes like Saw the Rack says Pete Weber uses 1/4 reverse(this is new for him I think) but he also uses 1/4 forward AND power lifts on his fingers and he has a beautiful release that clearly works anywhere!

Just like in golf....I saw everyone go towards weaker grips when they couldn't properly draw the ball....In waterskiing skiers were worried about all sorts of refinements when they couldn't run decent rope lengths.....So it is in bowling.

The PC or politically correct grip is shorter than yesterdays grip, more forward in the thumb than yesterday's grip less lateral under palm pitch than yesterday's grip and frankly seems for many people to generate less lift accuracy and power....yet we want to copy the top players whose problems are too much power on extreme conditions.


Should we be trying to copy them when our problem may be ....too little power?

Something to think about!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS my final thought on this subject is lately I have been getting to travel a little and have stopped in to watch bowling in high level leagues in different parts of the country.  My observation is that the once a week bowler who wants to average over 210 to 220 and is able to accomplish it seems to often be a guy using yesterday's grip principals....A good full fingertip, reasonable amount of reverse if he has a long hand....lateral under palm and he's getting a hell of a lot of lift and hit on the ball on league conditions!
PPS the gurus I really believe when observing a bowler are looking for a certain sequence of thumb release .....lag and then finger lift to represent proper release and then also they watch the follow thru of the arm in relation to the initial ball path to determine if they have the right lateral thumb and finger pitches.  Much as Saw describes above!

My statement on Pete's powerlift was based on the post by Storm's ErnestG here on this site and messages to him that he answered for me.

He may have misunderstood my question regarding powerlifts and responded "Yes" by accident.  I have never laid eyes on Pete Weber or one of his bowling balls in my life though I have seen him on TV...and just drove into St. Louis and flew out today!

REgards,

Luckylefty

Edited on 9/15/2005 1:51 AM

Well...  made it through another week of leagues.  The change in thumb pitch (from slightly forward to slightly reverse) seems to have helped.  Although my thumb was still sore in the same place, it occured much later (second game on wednesday) this week than the previous week (middle of second game on tuesday league).  Overall, the slighly longer span w/ reverse seems a little more comfortable than the shorter one with forward, but similar.  I am going to play around with it a litle more... I think I am on the right track... now I need to tackle the ring finger problem.  A slight mark on the center of the nail towards the tip...  still some pain.  Again, this maybe something I have picked up over my 6 month break...but I'm thinking it may be related to oversized grips...  my proshop only carries full sized grips, when I'm actually a half size...  I ordered a few sets of 1/2's so I'm going to try those out...

Thanks for all the comments and posts!

S^2
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