so i showed up to a local tournament today to bowl and was promptly dq'ed because i don't use my thumb and have a balance hole...there can't be 2 unused holes drilled in your ball...and now i guess this lady is going to contact our regional manager (i bowl with him on tuesday nights and he has never said a word to me about it) to get my achievements taken because i bowled them this way...umm this might just be the stupidest thing i have ever heard...im sorry but there is no way you can tell me this makes sense... 

since it will probably be asked i use a balance hole because i only weigh about 145 and since you can only go down to 14 pounds before the core changes with most balls i always get one drilled to spare me a tiny bit more weight...

that is saying safety wise...i did find this so i guess it's true? what a stupid silly rule...

Question
hey russ hopefully you can settle a debate as there is no info on pba webpage..i throw a hook with no thumb in hole just two fingers. is that legal under all bowling rules. leagues? and pro tour? thanks

Answer
There was a guy Mike Miller on the PBA that won several titles in the early 90's.Chuck Lande in the regional PBA also bowled without a thumb.Here in south Texas, many bowl without a thumb. It is legal to bowl without putting your thumb in as long as you don't have a hole for your thumb & an extra hole like an axis hole.If no thumb hole, you can have 1 extra hole like the axis hole.
IT IS LEGAL IN ALL PHASES OF BOWLING AS LONG AS YOU FOLLOW THE ONLY 1 EXTRA HOLE RULE. ALSO, THROWING THE BALL LIKE THAT SHORTENS YOUR BOWLING CAREER BY PUTTING WAY TOO MUCH STRESS ON YOUR ARM.

#1 this lady is an idiot and full of herself if she thinks she is going to be able to take away any of your achievements.   She has no idea what bowling ball you used to shoot any honor scores.  Who's to say that whatever ball you used at the time didn't have any balance holes.   

#2  You can use a no thumb release with a thumb hole and balance hole if you can show that at least part of your thumb goes into the ball.  Meaning that you need a thumb hole large enough that at least the tip of your thumb goes into it.   Now that doesn't mean you must use it as a thumb hole, you just have to demonstrate that part of your thumb can enter it. 

#3  In regards to number #2,  you also have to have some part of your hand covering the un-used thumb hole.  This would be considered as thumb being used as long as the hole is covered up.  Technically the entire hole must be covered but there is some leeway on this and if you cover up a portion of the hole it's considered ok.

#4 what this all means if you do 2 and 3  you are allowed to have a extra hole in your ball for static weights.   Once you demonstrate usage of the thumb hole all other rules regarding extra holes will be in effect. 

Laugh at her, while everyone else laughs at her.   If you have any other issues just keep going higher up the association ladder until you have to get the rules department of the USBC involved. 

#1 this lady is an idiot and full of herself if she thinks she is going to be able to take away any of your achievements.   She has no idea what bowling ball you used to shoot any honor scores.  Who's to say that whatever ball you used at the time didn't have any balance holes.   

#2  You can use a no thumb release with a thumb hole and balance hole if you can show that at least part of your thumb goes into the ball.  Meaning that you need a thumb hole large enough that at least the tip of your thumb goes into it.   Now that doesn't mean you must use it as a thumb hole, you just have to demonstrate that part of your thumb can enter it. 

#3  In regards to number #2,  you also have to have some part of your hand covering the un-used thumb hole.  This would be considered as thumb being used as long as the hole is covered up.  Technically the entire hole must be covered but there is some leeway on this and if you cover up a portion of the hole it's considered ok.

#4 what this all means if you do 2 and 3  you are allowed to have a extra hole in your ball for static weights.   Once you demonstrate usage of the thumb hole all other rules regarding extra holes will be in effect. 

Laugh at her, while everyone else laughs at her.   If you have any other issues just keep going higher up the association ladder until you have to get the rules department of the USBC involved.

thanks for the tips and encouragement...i always drill my thumb hole almost right below my finger holes so the palm of my hand covers it...i just took her serious because in the 80's early 90's she was on tv with the pba and figured she knew her stuff but i had a college bowling coach drill a few of my balls (knowing i don't use my thumb) and he never said anything about it...ant my old center the guy who did the balls followed the pba senior tour and never said a word about it...

I'd probably name drop her publicly.

If she's:

A)  Got a personal vendetta (which it sounds like)
B)  Doesn't know the rules according to the book (according to the rules you should NOT have been DQ'd) and now you suffer.
C)  Well, simply b/c she's an idiot.

If she's going to be an uneducated jackass, she should be publicly shown as one........b/c............"thats what she is".  Not unfair, only accurate....

So, who is she?

Don't forget the midol

I guess I am just as confused... USBC allows up to 7 holes in a ball to be drilled. One for each finger, a balance hole and a vent hole. Now for those that use a balance hole and a vent hole... is that not the same concept of not using two holes in a ball?!? I know this is stretching the idea of two non used holes but still....

Personally these bowling balls are so advanced anyways that I feel we should void out the Static weights and let bowlers bowl with whatever they feel is going to work. Still need to make good shots with whatever your using and however you are throwing the ball. Just my 2 cents

The USBC allows 12 holes, 5 holes for gripping, 5 vent holes, a balance hole and a mill hole.

Quote from: Sleeve857 on October 07, 2013, 10:09:09 AM

I guess I am just as confused... USBC allows up to 7 holes in a ball to be drilled. One for each finger, a balance hole and a vent hole. Now for those that use a balance hole and a vent hole... is that not the same concept of not using two holes in a ball?!? I know this is stretching the idea of two non used holes but still....

Personally these bowling balls are so advanced anyways that I feel we should void out the Static weights and let bowlers bowl with whatever they feel is going to work. Still need to make good shots with whatever your using and however you are throwing the ball. Just my 2 cents

The USBC allows 12 holes, 5 holes for gripping, 5 vent holes, a balance hole and a mill hole.

So with that being said, is that not along the same principles of not using holes in the bowling ball? Like I said, it may be stretching the idea some.