I’m in desperate need of some help with my span and pitches. My current span is 4 13/16 (middle) 4 15/16 (ring) with 0 pitch in the fingers and 1/8 forward and 1/8 left in the thumb (45 degree oval). I just don’t feel comfortable and it’s killing my game. I also have some broken blood vessels under my middle finger nail, which doesn’t seem to help much either. I originally I had some reverse in the thumb, but I always felt like I was coming out too soon and would grab the ball during the downswing. So that’s why I decided I needed to add some forward in my thumb. I’ve done the coke bottle test on myself and my thumb points directly towards my index finger. I’m pulling shots, sending wide ones, washing out and started adding a little bit of muscle in my swing, which I never used to do. I keep getting lousy ball reactions and it’s getting very frustrating.

I know I need to change some stuff with my span and pitches; I just don’t know what.


Any help is greatly appreciated!
--------------------
The bowling gods said "let there be strikes" and then there was Dyno-Thane!

See your ball driller, you need someone to look at it in person, all any of us can do is guess as to how to fix the problem.  Grip fitting MUST be done in person, it can't be done over the internet.  If your current ball driller can't fix your grip, find a new one.

JJWeb,

I hate to say it you've entered the Twilight zone!

That area that can also be called the all F-d up zone.

Often this starts with the coke bottle test.

I find many people can not do it properly!  They want a certain result.
Even with me standing right there guiding them and trying to relax their hand often they WANT a certain result.  ie thumb lateral out.

Failing to ever get them relaxed the fitting ball is the key.   A snug thumbhole and adjusting until there is no biting on the corner of the thumb nail works every time!  The guy can even be stiff!  Then a toss to the driller of the fitting ball and even the stiffest of hands wanting the most unfitting of grips cannot fool this test.

Leave the twilight zone.  Go to a driller with a fitting ball.  Also ask him do most of your students end up with a certain lateral pitch.  IF he says no whatever they test out at you know you've found the right one.

I have a funny feeling it will be your lateral pitch of thumb but whatever it is you will get it fixed with a no bias driller and a fitting ball.

I GUARANTEE it.  If it costs 15 to 20 for this fitting session it IS worth it!

Get it right!

rEgards,

Luckylefty
IF I was standing with you we would get it fixed but I can't!

Stormin1, I had a 1/4 reverse before but I always felt the need to grab it at release. I do NOT bend my thumb or knuckle the ball, but I did when I had reverse.


Lucky, my driller does have a fitting ball. Every other driller wouldn't listen to me, they wanted it to fit a certain way. Whether or not it was comfortable, but because "Oh, this will help your rev rate" or some other crap like that. After doing the coke bottle test again (about a 100 times in-a-row now) my thumb does point in between my index and middle.
--------------------
The bowling gods said "let there be strikes" and then there was Dyno-Thane!

What about span and finger pitches? The 1/8 forward I find very comfortable, especially since I no longer feel the need to grab it.
--------------------
The bowling gods said "let there be strikes" and then there was Dyno-Thane!

You mean like putting my thumb in the ball and seeing where the fingers fall?

The edge of the insert is about a 1/8 higher than my middle finger's first joint, and the ring almost 3/8ths.
--------------------
The bowling gods said "let there be strikes" and then there was Dyno-Thane!

Edited on 10/12/2004 2:36 PM

Yep,

O lateral pitch and a little less forward or slight touch of reverse should get you back to near correct.

Also if middle finger continues to have pressure you must reverse finger or shorten spans slightly.

The effect of your forward thumb fingers and span length makes it play like a 5 1/4 to 5 1/2 inch span for a normally supple hand with standard pitches!

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS tables show a 5/16 reverse is standard for that span so you have really lengthened the feel of that span!

Edited on 10/12/2004 2:51 PM

I did some flexibility tests as stromin1 advised. I don't have much flexibility in my thumb, it's rather stiff. My fingers do have decent flexibility, not sure of the angle though...

Here is a pic of where the midline of my fingers meet the insert edge:

http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNjAwMTM0NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

You can see the blood under the nail too.
--------------------
The bowling gods said "let there be strikes" and then there was Dyno-Thane!