1fife, here are some suggestions..

1. Because you're hitting on the front left of the thumbhole, you will usually need more right pitch. You can also try more reverse pitch, i.e. 3/4"

2. The span is slightly too long, because you feel the front edge of the hole as you're putting your thumb in the ball.

3. Because your thumb is short, stubby and not very flexible, I would think that your ring finger should be shorter. Place your thumb in the ball, then lay your fingers over the holes. Then measure the distance from the front of the hole, to the crease of your finger. You want the distance to be the same for both fingers. The crease should almost be in the center of the hole, but probably just before.

Let me know what you come up with for the distance of the crease to the front of the hole for both fingers.

4. You will need more/the proper bevel. Bevel is the most important thing concernig a thumbhole. Try beveling down deeper inside the hole, and taper it out towards the top like a funnel. This will allow your thumb to go in deeper, but also come out without hanging.

Keep beveling the ball, wherever you're hanging, until you don't hang anymore..!! Then, tape up the hole on the front and backside, until you're able to hang on to the ball without squeezing it too much, while also being able to release the ball whenever you want to without hanging.

Do whatever you have to do to get rid of the hang, as far as reverse pitch and bevel goes. You say you're using a lot of bevel, but it probably is beveled properly.

So, my recommendation is to use 3/4 reverse, 0 lateral pitch. Let's start out with alot of reverse, so you can clear the ball. It's better to exaggerate to the extremes, so you can feel the difference and get the desired effect. Then, you can cut back on it later if you want.

Also, I'm guessing that we'll have to shorten your ring finger to 4 3/16. This should get you out of the ball along with some bevel. After you're clearing the ball cleanly, you can start to reduce the reverse pitch and bevel to where you start to hang again. Then, you'll know where you should be.

There's nothing wrong with using 3/4" reverse pitch, it's only a number and may be what you need, depending on your thumb and how you want to release the ball. =:^D


Edited on 9/12/2003 10:12 PM

Ok, the more you bevel your thumb, possibly the more you will squeeze it later when it gets cold.  It appears to me that you need a oval thumb.  Go back to you original pitches and oval the thumb.  No ones thumb is perfectly round.  Please remember, more bevel means you have to squeeze the ball.  It will change your release point to some degree.  Also, if more bevel is working, then your span is too long.  All bevel does is place your thumb into the ball at an angle and sometimes if too much will cause you to knuckle the ball.  Go to a good pro shop that has a Mill/Drill and let him oval your thumb.  Good Luck

Stan

T-God I am not saying not to bevel the thumb hole, but just make it enough to be comfortable.  I agree that tape has got be be used in the thumb in order to maintain a good feel.  Too much bevel is not good for anyone and I srtongly disagree that it is used to change the roll on your ball.  Yes you will release the ball differently with a lot of bevel but with too much tape, you will not obtain a smooth release.  It sounds like you are a avocate for a lot of reverse with even a lot of right lateral (right handed) and just use a lot of tape to keep the ball on your hand.  This may work for you, but when it comes to forward or reverse thumb pitch, it is based on the bowlers physical makeup.  Lateral pitches can be used to drill for performamce.  The more right lateral (right handed)the easier it is to turn or spin the ball.  As I said, most people need an oval thumb in order to get a good snug fit (with tape but not too much).  Review the IBSIA guide for fitting.  I know the current guide is outdated, but there are still some basic guidelines that can be followed.

You fit the ball based on the bowlers makeup, then you fine tune with lateral for performance.

The unfortunate thing in all this is pitch is all about experimenting, i used to use 1/4 under and 3/8 reverse, always had to oversize the hole and didn't know it until i looked at my thumb at the end of the night. I now use 0 and 1/16 forward, much more comfortable for me. As most have said, tape is a necessity, or Magic Carpet, talk to my buddy Ron Clifton if you wanna try that, aka magic carpet on this site. Just keep trying new stuff, but remember, you want a snug fit that you can release without grabbing the ball, once you find that write it down and remember it.

Finger pitches can be critical to the release of the ball, depending on the flexibility of the finger joint.  If the joint (of either or both fingers) is stiff, it has the same effect as lengthening the grip.  I've put my customers into finger pitches as high as 3/4" reverse, with the only effect being that they can release the ball properly and their finger no longer hurts.  It does not seem to reduce the amount of lift on the ball.  But if all else works, do as T-GOD said and keep increasing the amount of reverse thumb pitch until the hanging stops.  --  JohnP