Help! My thumb sticks!!
One of the most frequent complaints the pro shop gets is a sticking thumb. Let's see what can cause that, and what you (we) can do about it.
Size
One of the most seemingly obvious reasons (though not the most frequently found) is that the hole is too small. Maybe your thumbhole really was drilled too small - that's an easy fix - we'll either open it up with the rotary sander or re-drill it with a larger bit. Sometimes your thumb swells and shrinks depending on weather, diet, or other factors. In that case, same as above, and we'll suggest tape inserts for those "small-thumb" days.
Shape
More often, the thumbhole (typically drilled round) needs to be more oval, since most folks' thumbs are wider in cross section than they are tall. We can open up a thumbhole in this direction with the sander, or we can plug and re-drill an oval hole to accommodate the more extreme oval thumb shapes.
Pitch
The pitch of the hole is defined as how close to the center of the ball the center of the hole is angled, either forward/reverse or left/right. The longer the finger-thumb span, the more thumb pitch away from the center (reverse) is generally required. Also, the more flexible the bowler's hand, the less reverse is required. Too much reverse, and you have to squeeze to hold on; too little and your thumb can't "come around the corner" to exit. Ideally, you should have the most forward pitch possible without restricting your thumb exit, to help you relax your hand. Depending on how your thumb hinges, small changes in left/right pitch can take pressure off the sides of your thumb, which will also ease your grip and your thumb exit.
Squeeze
Many bowlers, especially newer ones, used to squeezing ill-fitting house balls, bring that habit to a custom-fitted ball, where it's not necessary. Bending the knuckle of the thumb closest to the nail makes it wider as the skin compresses. This makes what was a proper sized thumbhole too tight, and makes the bower think the hole is too small. A better way to hold the ball is to grip the ball very lightly with the base of the thumb, keeping the last digit straight. You can even experiment with toughing the back of the thumbhole with the thumbnail. Holding the ball this way will normally ensure a clean thumb exit - a major ingredient for a consistent, more powerful release.
Fitting the bowling ball grip is not an exact science. Sometimes trial and error is the only way to get the best result. Bring us your grip issues and let us help you "get out" of them.
