Maybe this was answered before, but here I go. I've always used regular thumbnole, no oval, no slug, no nothing. But recently my coach noticed that the drilling in my balls was a little too long for my hand, so I went with a new pro shop and indeed, it was just a little bit too long, so he told me about changing that. He suggested me using slug, that way the feeling will be the same when I switch balls, instead of having different sensations due the different material of each ball I own. He didn't have to plug the ball since it was just a small change, so he just made a bigger hole and he worked on the slug. I used today and it was tighter than my regular feeling with the thumbhole. I never had any swelling or sore thumb issue of any kind, but by the third game I had some issues with my thumb (my thumb kinda got stuck one or two times) and I was feeling the hole even tighter. I don't know if it was just me trying to get used to it, since my regular thumbhole was always kind of loose I never felt that before.

So, what should I do? Is it a real advantage to use slugs? I left two other balls today so he can put the slugs in the balls (I liked the feeling, at least for the first two games) and he told me that he can make the slugs a little bit wider to fix the issue. When I asked him about the interchangeable thumbs he told me that if I don't have any sore or swelling thumb he wouldn't recommend those to me. And I never had any issues, until today...

Suggestions? Opinions?

Personally I would think it shouldn't make any difference.  I always have my thumbs drilled larger so I have room to adjust for swelling.  So the feeling in all my balls is tape.  Just my opinion.

I never been a tape fan... It seems to much hassle to use tape every single night, but again, that is just me. Though my coach suggested me to use some tape from time to time.

Two replies were posted while I was composing mine.

Reasons why to use tape:

http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/btm04_files/btm4.htm

Bowlers use tape.

People that bowl don't.

Bowlers use tape.

People that bowl don't.

Thank you. I guess.

Sounds like the hole size drilled in the slug was too small.

I have used slugs from the beginning because other wise the inside of the hole from ball to ball will have a wave affect in most cases dues to the different materials.

My thumb from bowling over the years has become more oval. Because of that the easy option for me is to drill the hole large enough my thumb fits in it easily. Then I go to the thinner side of my thumb which is the thumbnail side and the finger print side and add 2-3 pieces in the front and 3-4 pieces in the back of the thumb hole. It creates a perfect oval for my thumb that as weather changes I can remove or add tape as needed. Usually it is only removing the tape.

I can get an exact great fit in every ball with minimal work and can make easy adjustments in a matter of seconds if needed.

Yes, thats why I changed to slugs, because the feeling from ball to ball was different because of the materials. However I never experienced a tight feeling in my thumb, but my pro shop guy said that that could be fixed easily, and he also suggested me going a little bit wider and then use tape as needed. The same thing that my coach told me, so I guess I'll have to buy some tape now lol

Even if you buy the interchangeable thumbs you need tape, right?

Bowlers use tape.

People that bowl don't.

Indeed....And today's bowlers use skin protection tape...You get a nice snug fit...a clean release...your thumb doesn't get sore...it reduces the need for tape in the hole...and you will see more REVS on the ball...