I am here on the road in western canada, serving many customers and meeting alot of new ones. They all generally all seem to have the same problem. Spans which are too long with thumb pitchings that are off the wall.

Consistany they all have similar track patterns, higher trackers, about 30% clipping atleast there thumbs. Some are showing PAPs has high are 6 1/8, but all have PAPs that are up vertically.

They all seem to exhibit the samething, heavy midlane roll, often too early for the patterns they are seeing now and loosing alot of energy in the backend.

Is it a regional thing, because back east you see alot of differences. Lower tracks are more often than higher, it's the majourity of players with PAPs below 5 1/4 but here i think i have measured two people with PAPS below 5 1/4.

Once again all seem to have the same problem with spans too long, and too much pressure on there ring finger. In my experience out east, often this made players spin the ball or come around it too fast. Effectivly lowering there tracks a bit too much.

Of course my job out here right now is to measure there hands properly, but i haven't seen this many high trackers and full rollers ever.
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Timothy @Juniors Pro-Shop
Roto-Grip Star Proshop
Staff Writer 7-10 Split Magazine,EGO Communications
Montreal, Quebec.

I see a huge amount of bowlers with spans too long by an avg. of 1/4". Some done by old school drillers that line up the first joint with the edge of the grip . I think some layout the ball and drill the fingers without allowing for the grip thickness and are then off by that amount.  High tracks you are correct, are not caused by long spans. Everyone I have seen too long is forced to side the ball to try to pry that thing off that is locked on their hand. The tracking over the thumb part can be the span though. Was at a Visionary clinic with Frankie May...his explanation was ...if tracks too close to thumb but away from fingers, bowler is hanging on thumb and late thumb release...if close to fingers and away from thumb ( inverted) , then slight hang on fingers or on fingers too long after thumb releases. I have found this to be true, esp. the hanging thumb.This just drives me nuts with ball drillers....but then some of the blame goes to the bowlers too. I get customers that refuse to let me shorten their span, and think all is great with their last ball and do not want a change. I reluctantly will do this with multiple warnings and explanations of inconsistent releases as well as long term injury. If there is a current injury, ugly back of thumb, swelled finger joints, sore elbows and wrists, then I refuse to drill.  Some of the stubborn ones finally give in and let me shorten and correct their fit , and they smack themselves in the forehead for not listening sooner. If too short, I suggest a correct fit but won't push it as hard if they want to stay the same(even though this creates ugly release consistencies).  Hang in there and keep fixing those high trackers out there!  Al

too bad I missed you out here Tim, I had to go back home for the holidays. next time you are out here I will have to get in touch. I noticed the same thing just looking at peoples hands when they put it in the ball lots of grip pressure. Don't know about the pitches but I've seen a few blisters on new drills from a refit and people getting sore thumbs and fingers.

Hope all is well
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Bowler19
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