Reverse Pitch

[PASSIONATEBOWLER]

I had one balled drilled with a little reverse pitch last year. I've noticed that when my fingers swell, this is the only ball that feels most comfortable. When I bought the ball, the pro shop told me they thought it was a good idea (because of the length of my thumb). Apparently, this allows me to come out of the ball earlier so that my thumb doesn't hang up.

Now that I'm in the process of buying another ball, I'm debating on whether or not to get it drilled the same. Are there any disadvantages to having some balls drilled with reverse pitch, rather than every ball in my arsenal?

[blistershurt]

First off, most bowlers have reverse pitch in their stuff and because of it squeeze, remember to let your hand relax, and if the ball doesnt fall off of your hand, then reverse pitch is right for you, although it isnt right for the majority of bowlers.

I'd suggest switching every ball in your arsenal to what your correct pitches are to avoid injury and discomfort.

[JaraTo]

Short Answer: If it ain't broke don't try to fix it.

[PASSIONATEBOWLER]

First off, most bowlers have reverse pitch in their stuff and because of it squeeze, remember to let your hand relax, and if the ball doesnt fall off of your hand, then reverse pitch is right for you, although it isnt right for the majority of bowlers.

I'd suggest switching every ball in your arsenal to what your correct pitches are to avoid injury and discomfort.

Thanks guys.

[bluerrpilot]

Thumb pitches both front to back and right to left are a product of ones flexability. There is a starting point of how much reverse should be used depending on the span. But again, thats only a starting point. Its really based on the flexability of your hand.

Some drillers will have certain methods or ideas that they will promote. I try to promote as much of a relaxed grip as possible. Therefore, I try to use very little reverse if any at all.

[PASSIONATEBOWLER]

Thumb pitches both front to back and right to left are a product of ones flexability. There is a starting point of how much reverse should be used depending on the span. But again, thats only a starting point. Its really based on the flexability of your hand.

Some drillers will have certain methods or ideas that they will promote. I try to promote as much of a relaxed grip as possible. Therefore, I try to use very little reverse if any at all.

Thanks for the feedback. I think I will be going to a different driller this time, so I will keep my mouth shut, and listen to what they advise.

[bpickell]

Thumb pitches both front to back and right to left are a product of ones flexability. There is a starting point of how much reverse should be used depending on the span. But again, thats only a starting point. Its really based on the flexability of your hand.

Some drillers will have certain methods or ideas that they will promote. I try to promote as much of a relaxed grip as possible. Therefore, I try to use very little reverse if any at all.

Can you do me a favor and call my driller... When I ordered my new ball I specifically said that I wanted 1/4" forward pitch in my thumb since my BWS has 3/8 reverse pitch and I keep dropping it.. Anyway I ordered it with 1/4 forward only to get my brand new ball drilled with 1/16 reverse.. It feels better but I can still feel it slipping on the backswing causing me to grip it.

I just don't understand why he will not drill my ball with forward pitch in the thumb.. He refuses to do it.. Can you possible explain why he won't do it... He tells me because I need to have a little grip pressure.. HUH???

[BubbaRay]

I hate to say this, but this is the second time he has done this . It's time to find a new driller or refuse to pay for the ball. Explain to him it's not what he wants in the ball it's what you want and you cannot keep the ball fro slipping off your thumb with the reverse pitch in it.

[bpickell]

actually I might have double posted.. I thought I posted that on a different forum... sorry about that.

[Sparehater]

i actually need to add reverse right now. i have 0 all around in the thumb, but my span is like as long as it can go, and i cant get my thumb to get out if i add any tape, gonna try 1/8 reverse.

[bluerrpilot]

i actually need to add reverse right now. i have 0 all around in the thumb, but my span is like as long as it can go, and i cant get my thumb to get out if i add any tape, gonna try 1/8 reverse.


shorten your span

[pba6285]

....... I've noticed that when my fingers swell, ........

Swelling is a product of squeezing.

[Sparehater]

blue. is reverse bad? if not y should i shorten my span instead of just switching slugs and adding reverse.

[agroves]

Place your thumb into the ball.
Lay your fingers across the finger holes.

Now, where is the crease(joint) closest to your finger tip?

It should be about 1/2 way across the finger hole. That is the "proper" span. Again, some go a touch longer or shorter based on feel.

If your crease is near the bottom edge of the finger hole, get refitted NOW. Have your finger flexibility checked, thumb flexibility, skin dryness, etc.

[Sparehater]

agroves, its at the bottom of the grip, maybe even lower i dont have it with me right now, just going by memory the way he fitted me by PULLING the fingers and i mean pulled.

[agroves]

agroves, its at the bottom of the grip, maybe even lower i dont have it with me right now, just going by memory the way he fitted me by PULLING the fingers and i mean pulled.

I'd find a new driller.

[bluerrpilot]

blue. is reverse bad? if not y should i shorten my span instead of just switching slugs and adding reverse.


Reverse isn’t bad, but you said your span was as long as it could go. IMO, that is bad.

Longer spans force you to “hit up”
Longer spans force more loft
Longer spans require more grip pressure
Longer spans need more reverse which produces more side roll

Shorter spans reduce loft
Shorter spans promote better roll of the hand
Shorter spans require less grip pressure
Shorter spans need less reverse which produce better forward roll

When I measure people for a fingertip, I put the edge of the grip or cut halfway between the 2 creases on your finger. If they want longer, I would not recommend going any longer than 1/4" short of the first crease.

Here is what Agroves is refering to about the span. This is my span.

http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/span.JPG

[Sparehater]

blue, i need side roll haha im almost at dead over end and i have no revs so maybe "hitting up" would be a good thing haha.

[Steve1591]

my span has been stretched for a while now..however we know that and have purposely drilled up balls that way..but lately ive been thinking of having the thumb on my radical plugged and moved up about 1/8 or so and trying it out..after reading through this thread i think i might give that a try, seeing as i have been having problems with releasing the ball and not lofting it :o

[idlehourlegend]

Yea mines always been stretched out pretty far to where my hand lays flat on the ball, starting to get sore on the webbing/muscle between my thumb and pointer finger and Im thinking this could be why, throwing great though so dont know if I want to change that.

[Steve1591]

Yea mines always been stretched out pretty far to where my hand lays flat on the ball, starting to get sore on the webbing/muscle between my thumb and pointer finger and Im thinking this could be why, throwing great though so dont know if I want to change that.

Yeah ive been having the same problem with pain right there...ima take this into the shop tomorrow and hopefully shoot it thursday at my travel practice..might stop it :cool:

[idlehourlegend]

Yeah ive been having the same problem with pain right there...ima take this into the shop tomorrow and hopefully shoot it thursday at my travel practice..might stop it :cool:

Keep my updated on that.

[Rowdy]

Reverse isn’t bad, but you said your span was as long as it could go. IMO, that is bad.

Longer spans force you to “hit up”
Longer spans force more loft
Longer spans require more grip pressure
Longer spans need more reverse which produces more side roll

Shorter spans reduce loft
Shorter spans promote better roll of the hand
Shorter spans require less grip pressure
Shorter spans need less reverse which produce better forward roll

When I measure people for a fingertip, I put the edge of the grip or cut halfway between the 2 creases on your finger. If they want longer, I would not recommend going any longer than 1/4" short of the first crease.

Here is what Agroves is refering to about the span. This is my span.

http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/span.JPG

That is way too short for me. I'd never be able to roll a ball with a grip like that.

One thing I'm not getting is how a span like that reduces grip pressure. I'd be so afraid of dropping the ball with a span that short I'd have a death grip on it.

[bluerrpilot]

That is way too short for me. I'd never be able to roll a ball with a grip like that.

One thing I'm not getting is how a span like that reduces grip pressure. I'd be so afraid of dropping the ball with a span that short I'd have a death grip on it.


The fingers still go in the ball only to the first crease. Stretching out your hand naturally puts more tension in it. You can actually hold on to the ball better with half the grip pressure. Its been pointed out many times that with the proper fit and pitches, you would not have to squeeze it and it wont fall off. Thats how I can get away with 3/8 forward pitch and still get out of it.

[agroves]

Rowdy, what you feel and what you see are different. Yes, it looks somewhat short, but the feel isn't short. The fwd pitch sets your thumb at a more natural position and decreases the grip tension. The length of the span feels fine as well.

[Rowdy]

The fingers still go in the ball only to the first crease. Stretching out your hand naturally puts more tension in it. You can actually hold on to the ball better with half the grip pressure. Its been pointed out many times that with the proper fit and pitches, you would not have to squeeze it and it wont fall off. Thats how I can get away with 3/8 forward pitch and still get out of it.

I understand how far the fingers go in the ball. Now,how much room is there between the palm of the hand and the ball?

[bluerrpilot]

I understand how far the fingers go in the ball. Now,how much room is there between the palm of the hand and the ball?

Some people dont get that part. They think the fingers need to get crammed in to that mark.

Its kinda hard to take pictures with my left hand and hold the ball. Especially the shot of the outside of my hand. You can see the weight of the bal sits right on-top of the pads in my palm

http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/grip1.JPG
http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/grip2.JPG
http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/grip3.JPG
http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/grip4.JPG

[Rowdy]

Those sure were cute pictures. Now try it without anything helping the ball stay on your hand. You know,like the table,ball stand,gravity etc. In other words,turn your hand over and let the ball hang there. I can already tell from one of those pics that the span is too short.

[bluerrpilot]

Well since I roll and release the ball from the bottom, I guess I didnt think of that. but thank you. The picture does show that with my shorter span and thumb pointed almost straight down, there is still very little tension in my hand and its not falling off.

http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/grip5.JPG
http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/grip6.JPG

[bluerrpilot]

......oh, and for those that have asked and those that are thinking it, No, I dont have a huge amount of bevel in order to get my thumb that far in the ball.

http://members.cox.net/bluerrpilot/thumb.JPG

[Sparehater]

blue y would u need bevel to get it in that far?

[bluerrpilot]

I dont....but some have said " you cant get your thumb in the ball that far with that short of grip unless you have a ton of bevel "

Usually more bevel is needed when you lengthen the span

[Lonewolf300800]

hey bluerrpilot, i used to have a ton of bevel in my thumb with my old span. now that i've shortened it quite a bit i don't have near as much, very little, in fact. still getting used to the new span though but progessing very nicely.

[Sparehater]

blue thanks, i just didn't realize y u noted that.

[Flessan]

I finally got my gear re-drilled, and it turns out, I was at 1/2 reverse:eek:

We bumped it down to 1/8 and shifted the thumbhole towards the middle finger side, the ball feels 5000 times better in my hand and in my release. I'm still very short on revs compared to most bowlers, but I think I can work on that now that I'm not gripping the ever loving bajeezus out of the ball. I think I'll try 1/16 reverse on my next ball.

[agroves]

What was/is your span? Still the same or different?

[Flessan]

The span to my ring finger was altered, of course. I think it was somewhere around 4.25 on an average between them. My middle finger is busted and twisted a bit, so the span is not exactly normal.

[bluerrpilot]

hey bluerrpilot, i used to have a ton of bevel in my thumb with my old span. now that i've shortened it quite a bit i don't have near as much, very little, in fact. still getting used to the new span though but progessing very nicely.

Its definitely a preference thing. But having less bevel will also force you to relax a bit as well. if you squeeze on it, the sharp edge cuts into your thumb.

[Steve1591]

Keep my updated on that.

Update: Havent had any problems since ive had the two redrilled/refitted and im shooting better as well :p