Completely "forgetting" how to bowl

[Steve1591]

Hey all, figured i should post this finally..

In my past 10 or 11 sets (past 2 weeks or so) in league/tournaments i havent been able to break 600, and its starting to affect my average. This weekend i shot the worse ive shot in about a year...

Sat. Morn. 560ish, Sat Aft. Travel 529, Today on scorpion 155-156-188-146-136-139...

Now keep in mind my average is 190-200's.

Now i have noticed the backside of my thumb getting worse as far as skin getting torn up and today it finally broke open, leaving me in much pain for the last couple games. I have not been following through anymore and i am lofting the ball on every shot. I am being told that i am squeezing the ball, along with not following through, causing me to loft it every shot. So i went the last 2 games making 100% sure i was not squeezing the ball and i tried putting even more lift on the ball, but yet it was still rubbing on my thumb and it was lofting, however, i did notice that i still wasnt following through.

Now my approach definately isnt the best thing in the world, id say its on the side of Ugh to Sh**. But the approach isnt that important, although i have tried working on it lately. Now i think part of my problem is that the holes in my bowling balls are drilled too small, so i took my Hawg in last week and had a new thumb slug put in, drilled bigger, but that didnt solve anything as i have to use tape in that ball now. As i said, i know not following through is part of the problem, but the thumb hole isnt helping much either, so i am looking for somewhat of an easy/quick fix for the next few days, as i have matches for Highschool the next 3 days and practice on thursday, leagues on saturday and jbt tour. on sunday. Now my bowling runs like this constantly, so theres not much of a time where i can take my balls in and leave them to get plugged and redrilled, or any work on them for that matter. So with that said, any ideas/help would really be nice right now :)

Btw, i am going to grab one of those robbys revs 3 tomorrow to wear at highschool bowling to help me not squeeze the ball incase i am.

Also, i am getting my BWBite tuesday and am going to have that drilled differently from the start. I was thinking, would a different pitch possibly help?

[Rowdy]

The lofting the ball tells me you're "hitting up" on the shot. In other words,you're blowing through the release point. That's putting the stress on your thumb. The feeling you're looking for is that you're swinging a two ball bag. When the first ball gets to your ankle,release the ball INTO the lane. Follow through low and out on the lane. That should help your thumb.

[Steve1591]

But heres the problem, when i try to do that, the thumb tends to grab where it should come off clean, and sticks a little ways..

[Rowdy]

Thumb hole too tight? Take some tape out? Dab of EZ Slide? Magic Carpet?

[Rowdy]

Wait. I use Vise tape up the back of my thumb to stop that from happening. Forgot that one.

[Steve1591]

No tape in the hole Oo..

[Rowdy]

Since your rippin' the back of your thumb,you could wait until it's healed and see if a release change helps. Or open up the backside of the thumbhole. I always tear up the area just above the knuckle closest to the nail on my thumb. That's why I put the tape from the nail to the second knuckle. I still get the pop,but don't rip up the thumb anymore.

[ghc83]

i was just having the same problem with the anger i had drilled..now my release isnt anywhere near being perfect but it was better before i got the anger...the thumb is fine during the 1st game with 1 piece of tape...during the second game it starts to stick so i take the tape out..3rd game no tape and the thumb doesnt want to come out at all..the difference between this ball and all the others is that i have an oval thumb insert in this one...last nite at league it was stickin so i grabbed a piece of sandpaper and sanded the crap out of the insert untill it didnt stick anymore...im not sure what kind of insert you have in if any but i know this helped me quite a bit..

[Steve1591]

Since your rippin' the back of your thumb,you could wait until it's healed and see if a release change helps. Or open up the backside of the thumbhole. I always tear up the area just above the knuckle closest to the nail on my thumb. That's why I put the tape from the nail to the second knuckle. I still get the pop,but don't rip up the thumb anymore.

It would take about a week or better for it to heal..and i kinda cant stop bowling to wait for it :(

[Rowdy]

Good point,ghc. That's why theres some sandpaper in the bag.

[BubbaRay]

It would take about a week or better for it to heal..and i kinda cant stop bowling to wait for it :(

Steve untill that thumb heals use New Skin or put some Ebonite Protecting tape on that thumb. Take the ball to your proshop and have him take a look at the thumb hole. You might just need a pitch change . But if you are squeezeing the ball , it sure sounds like the thumb hole is a tad too big . You should have a relaxed grip all the way threw your swing without squeezing the ball.

[Spare Time Proshop]

Steve untill that thumb heals use New Skin or put some Ebonite Protecting tape on that thumb. Take the bal to your proshop and have him take a look at the thub hole. You might just need a pitch change . But if you are squeezeing the ball , it sure sounds like the thumb hole is a tad too big . You should have a relaxed grip all the way threw your swing without squeezing the ball.

Bubba is right...Take your ball to a local proshop and have the pitch checked also if you thumb hole to big add tape on the grip side so the thumb doesnt rub on the back side...