I can't exactly answer your question. I do this exact thing to all my balls,i.e. ring finger is shorter than middle by 1/8". I have heard conflicting reasons for as to WHY to do it. For me, it gives me a cleaner release and allows me to either come up the back of the ball or around the ball, whichever I choose. I have heard for years that many top pros drop their ring finger (fit it shorter than it measures). It may help me because I am rev dominant, sort of like a modified Sarge Easter grip,by reducing the angle of axis rotation(not reducing revolutions). Or it may reduce the tilt(increase the diameter of the track). Perhaps someone with IBPSIA training can chime in and tell us what is happening. I just know, I like it a lot better than a traditional fit on the ring finger!
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the pooh

I agree with the pooh. BUT only because I did it a number of years ago to help me deal with tendonitis in the 2nd knuckle of my ring finger. Also I needed to tuck in my pinky, but only to the first knuckle to help me keep my grip.

I find I can mostly do what I'd like: stay behind it, use 45 degrees or use 90 degrees of rotation. It does take a short whiel to get used to. All your ball should be the same or one day you'll pick one up with the longer (or shorter) ring finger and get confused or you just won't feel comfortable.


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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

By puting more emphasis on the middle finger,(the turn finger) it will give you more axis rotation. In Mo's advanced IBPSIA class, when fitting, he will subtract 1/16th of an inch automatically from the ring finger span to take a little pressure off the ring. The ring finger tendon is probably the most commonly strained, because if over-spanning.
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Rich Huzina
Brunswick Pro Shop Staff
IBPSIA Adavanced Tech
USBC Silver Coach


The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of the Brunswick Corporation

I recently tried a 1/16 dropped RF for approx 4 weeks, and it seemed to cut way down on the amount of hook I had as well as sort of kill my ball.
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"Whenever I feel the urge to exercise I lie down until the feeling passes away."

Brick

I am so glad to find this topic...I was actually logging in now to ask for suggestions for what might be causing strains in my ring finger tendon (the tendon on the pinky-side of the ring finger, in the section between the two knuckle joints.

Several weeks ago I bowled 9 games in a city tournament.  The lanes were very dry and I was throwing hard and decided to tuck my pinky to get extra length.  My finger didn't hurt that day, but I haven't been able to make a tight fist since then and I can't put anything on the ball without pretty bad pain.  

Currently my ring and middle finger spans are the same.   I am going USBC next week, so I am going to have my driller shorten my ring finger span to take some pressure off of it. I enjoy bowling with my pinky tucked anyway, so this is probably a change that should have been done long ago.