I am currently 27 years old and have been bowling all my life. Since highschool, I have avg'd between 195-210 consistently. Over the course of the past 2 years, my avg has been dropping steadily from a 208, to 201, to 193 and then to 188.
Before my skid, I had a decent sized arsenal, everything seemed to fit properly and I never really had thumb issues. I then got my bowling balls stolen and had to start with fresh drills for the most part (for whatever reason, my proshop guy was missing my more recent drill charts and only had ones from 10 or so years back which were worthless in my opinion).
Anyway, since I've gotten my new balls, Attitude Shift and Cell Pearl, I have been having major thumb issues. I used to be able to throw 10 games in a row if I had to, now I'm lucky if I can get 1 game in without some serious thumb swelling. I've been to the proshop numerous times to try to remedy this and I seem to keep making the hole a little bigger in spots and using tape in the ball. (I use thumb slugs btw in both balls).
Currently, I can notice my thumb already swelling by the time I am done with league practice. I am at wits end over this, because it is seriously effecting my game, either physically and/or mentally. I am constantly screwing around w/ at least 2 pieces of tape and by the end of the first game, I am applying powder to my thumb before each frame.
I am a lefty bowler so the left side of my thumb is a little rough, I wouldn't even call it a callus. Likewise, if I apply pressure to the base of my thumb, where it reaches my palm, I find it to be a little sore, even a week after bowling. I am wondering if my thumb pitch is off (not a clue what mine is set at). Is there anyway I can measure this pitch with household measuring devices? I do not work at a proshop and therefore I do not have any of the proshop measuring tools.
Please let me know what you guys think I should try. It is extremely aggravating that my thumb getting stuck is causing me to ruin at least 5 shots a series where I am getting a less than adequate release.
