If one does not have a fitting ball (the best method) but wants to get there lateral thumb pitch correct.  A very important task analgous to getting a proper grip in golf.

You see the proper lateral thumb pitch allows one to use there natural anatomy in their favor and if set properly allows the bowler to easily and naturally get the fingers around the side of the ball so that the arm can travel up the path of the ball(or even to the outside of the ball slightly and give the ball enough side turn to get back to the pocket).  This proper motion is analgous to the inside out swing in golf.  Those with the proper grip can return the clubface to square or slightly closed to the path of the clubhead swing and get the ball to draw(hook).  Those with the improper grip cannot swing on the inside path and get the ball to hook, they can only hook if they pull the ball.

So it is in bowling.  Those without this position properly set for their anatomy cannot properly get their arm to swing inside out and still hook the ball without all sorts of compensations.  (Why make it hard).

Thus the Coke bottle test to determine the proper lateral pitch!  Very good substitute for the fitting ball.

Many people however have trouble with the coke bottle test.  Recently one of our users on this site JJWEB was trying to fix pitch and span.  Honestly looking for help he sent pictures to our community asking for help.

I think I and some of the in the business drilling daily gurus have maybe helped him.  I also pointed out to him his incorrect steps in performing coke bottle test and hopefully helped him do it correctly.

He was nice enough to allow me to use his pictures to illustrate how not to do the coke bottle test and how to do it right!  This is not meant to insult him but only to possibly help others!  I thank him for his pictures!

Here we go.

1st attempt
http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNjAxMTk4NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

This won't do, this bottle way smaller than a 16 ounce or 20 ounce coke bottle does not even cause the user to grasp it with the thumb.  Object is just in palm of hand.  Falsely gives a result of 1/8 lateral out.

2nd attempt
http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNjAxNjg1NnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg
This won't do either, this LARGE 24 ounce coke bottle does not allow grasping with the thumb also giving a false result of 1/8 lateral out!

3rd attempt
http://www.we-todd-did-racing.com/wetoddimage.wtdr/wNjAyMDYzNnM0MTNkZmQzMXk1NDE%3D.jpg

Ah hah finally a bottle that allows grasping a 16 ounce bottle!!!
The coke bottle at 16 ounces to 12 ounces is still thebest!
But now we see the real result.  Thumb TIP points at his RING finger!  
Well that is a big difference! That calls for 3/8 lateral right.

Quite a difference from our first result of 1/8 left lateral.

I've made some recommendations based on these pictures to Mr. JJWeb lets see how things shake out!

Thanks JJ.

REgards,

Luckylefty
PS hope this helps somebody!
PPS again the final test is to go out to your center and see where your arm travels in relation to your ball path.  Here is a great test if you have the resources to do it!  
1. Drill up 3 to 4 balls exactly the same except for lateral thumb pitch.  Since I test at 1/4 lateral under palm(left for me) I bring balls set at 0, 1/8 lateral under palm, 1/4 lateral under palm and 3/8 lateral under palm.
2. Throw each one being careful to monitor where your arm travels inrelation to the ball path.  All of a sudden you will see it!  

The balls with too little lateral under palm for you will NOT hook back if you swing your arm to the outside of the ball path even the least little bit!  The balls with Too much lateral under palm pitch will always have to be thrown with your arm traveling well outside the proper ball path and will make it hard to stay behind the ball if you decide to do that.  Finally with just the proper lateral  under palm pitch your arm will be able to go straight up the ball path or just slightly outside the ball path and still return the ball back to the pocket.... ah perfection.  (note the answer does not HAVE to be lateral under palm, it more often is but it does not HAVE to be for your anatomy).

This exercise is so much easier to do with golf.  We just take a student and teach him how to swing the club thru the tee spot on an inside to out line.
If he slices we strengthen the grip until the ball starts to return back towards the target(the perfect small draw).  We don't have to bring four sets of grips etc.  

However the concept is the same!  Bon Appetit!

for example,..I drilled my Au79, that I want as a skid/flip ball, with the thumb 3/8 rev, 3/8 rt lat. This sets my thumb to give me the ease of clearing the ball earlier, and with more tilt, results are more revs and flare for the desired reaction. If I'm drilling a ball I want to use for a more forward roll, like my Anomaly in heavy oil, I take out some of the lateral, say back to 1/8 rt lat. If I know that I want to drill a ball that will clear the heads I'll take some of the reverse out of the pitch so I can loft it easier over the foul line with out having to knuckle the thumb..Duke drills all his thumb holes with "0" lateral, and adjusts his tape tightness and hand position to get the desired results,..he's great and can do that. I've found, along with a lot of others, it's easier to move the pitches, rather than to try and change releases.  Basically I'm a 1/8"rev and 1/8"rt lat,..but have found that adjusting pitches helps me to do more of what I want to with the ball in specific conditions with different balls. Years of trail and error,..having access to pro shops, and being able to drill my own stuff is nice to help be able to do this. For the average bowler with 5-6 balls bowling a couple leagues a week, this might be a little much. But it's something I feel is a necessity to be able to compete at a higher level. Just by changing balls with a different pitch, I can create a different reaction, roll, and entry angle. jim
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www.dynothane.com

same basic thing,..for the ones that can do it,..it's not for everyone whether golf or bowling,..Irwin, Woods, Garcia, can all work the ball by changing grips and set up from strong to weak, etc...bowling is the same,..you can either change you grips from strong to weak with pitches,..or change your release from strong to weak...6 of one,...half a dozen of another.
What I'll sometimes suggest for customers that are looking for "more hook" is a pitch change that will allow them a little more revs, and a faster release..Rather than buying a new ball, we'll just "soup-up" the old one..
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www.dynothane.com