Never had many revs to start with, but recently went from a stretched span to a more relaxed one, and my driller also ovalled my middle finger hole. He did it to accomodate a bone that sticks out a bit, near the last joint of that finger (due to an old injury). Every since, my revs have been WAY down. Almost throwing a straight ball or plastic ball at times ...or so it seems.

I did not ask him to do the ovalling, but he must have felt that my finger would not clear the edge of the hole otherwise. I recently had another ball plugged and matched by a different driller whom I asked to match one of the ovalled balls drilled by the first one. I did not ask him to oval or not oval that hole, so he did not, and I tried it and liked it....better.  And felt as if I had regained at least some of the revs.

I always accepted that some of the lost revs were from going to a more relaxed span, but now think maybe the ovaled middle finger could be the cause. I don't use grips, and although the ovalled balls ARE comfortable and do not feel as if they will fall off my hand prematurely, the NON-ovalled ball feels a little more secure and I feel I can put some spin on the ball when releasing it.

So... am curious if anyone out there has experimented with ovalled middle fingers and whether it helped, hurt, or had minimal impact on your game.

Also...if it would be a cause, is there anything I can do (besides re-plugging and re-drilling the 7 to 10 balls drilled that way) that would "un do" the ovalling?  Maybe putting tape in the left hand portion of the hole to make it smaller/rounder???

Thanks.

Edited on 6/13/2009 6:01 PM

Edited on 6/13/2009 6:08 PM

Yes... I have very little bevel on my equipment too for exactly the same reasons you mention.

Only... in this case, it's not that the middle finger's hole is beveled. It's actually drilled in a slight oval shape.  So... it does not feel loose when I'm holding it and most times when throwing it, because from top to bottom, the size of the hole is just right. But when I want to get a little something extra on the ball....either speed or revs... I feel as if I have to wait a little longer into the delivery before applying any force (lift, turn, whatever). If I try to throw harder or put more lift on the ball, and I do it too early, it's like a slipping clutch or something.

The worst part of it is that to someone watching, they cannot see that the ball is falling off my hand or any other visible signs that I don't have an optimum grip on it. They just see a lousy shot.

Then I start getting comments from persons trying to help, when the real problem is ---maybe---the fit. Only unlike problems with fit that I have had in the past... the ball does not feel loose or uncomfortable. But there is some missing  degree of confidence that (to use your phrasing) the ball will hold me, vs me having to hold onto the ball.

I guess the only way I'll know for sure is if I try something like putting a piece or two of tape on the side of the hole to "Un-oval" it. But was hoping someone could definitively say whether ovalling [the sides of] the hole would have an actual physical affect on the delivery. Or--- if it's something else like the relaxed span, and that the ovalled finger hole would have no affect except psychologically.

The relaxed span, I still feel is better for me in the long run so I don't stretch/damage my finger muscles or tendons. But I dont see any advantage to the ovalled finger hole, and am hoping there's at least no dis-advantage, and that I do not have to have all those balls re-done.

And it's not the cost. It's just the hassle of having to bring them to the pro-shop one or two balls at a time, explain what I want, wait for the plugging -redrilling for a few days, then re-test each ball.