About 6 months ago, I started using a Columbia 300 'The Beast' I got in the early '90s (my first ball; used it until '93 when I quit bowling before starting up again last year). I found it more comfortable than my modern equipment as it is much easier on my thumb, so I started using it all of the time. I had the lifts replaced, but the drilling is the same as it was when I had it done in my teens.

It seems pretty stupid to keep using it, so I want to switch back to my modern stuff (which is just a T-Road Pearl and Hy-Road I've had for a year and a half). But, I've found I can't hook those anymore, really at all. I get better reaction from the Beast, which isn't good because that ball doesn't exactly cut it nowadays.

Does that make any sense? When I use my Storm stuff it's like the ball is off my hand so fast my fingers can't drive through the release, so there's no reaction (even though I'm not throwing them differently than I do the Beast). I think part of it is my lifts in those balls are pretty lose and worn-out, but I think there's more to it. The span/fit of the Beast actually seems very similar to that of my other two, but does this sound like a pitch problem or something? I've had those two re-drilled an embarassing number of times. They've at least fixed the spans on those to fit as outlined on here by CoachJim and others. I'm hoping to have some better ideas when I take them back again.

I just don't get how I used to be able to hook them adequately and now I can't. It's not like they've changed in the 6 months they were sitting in the bag.

I am going to bet that the grip is different in some way or other, most likely the span is too long and too much reverse pitch in the thumb, on your newer equipment, at least from your description. Have them measure the beast and see if there is a difference and have them fix the Storm stuff to match, and take some lessons in how to fit a person's hand properly, this is getting old.

Most of my posts are how to fix fitting issues instead of coaching. I would say 90% of shops don't have a clue how to fit a hand to a ball and just pop holes where they think they should go because that's the way they've been doing it for years and years.

Sorry for the rant, not directed at you, not your fault, but check my posts and see where I'm coming from, it is a global problem.

Your Pro Shop can exactly duplicate your old grip. He'll measure the span distances with a ruler and measure the thumb hole pitches (regular along the grip line, and lateral) with a pitch gauge. If he doesn't have a pitch guage, find another driller.

The only thing I've seen most drillers have trouble with is exactly matching an oval hole size. But you can fix that with tape.

Once you have a nice grip, buy some Vise Thumb Hole tape in one of 10 different intensities from really grippy to really slippy. One of them will be right for you. If your thumb hole is way too big, use white tape, and put the Thumb Hole tape on top of the white tape. The TA-2 series is for extra grip, and has 5 intensities. The TA-1 tape is for extra slip, and goes where black tape would normally go. It also comes in 5 intensities.

In my opinion, every Pro Shop should sell these, but maybe due to their cost (4 in a pkg for $3 to $4), only one of 5 pro shops I've been in have them.

Thanks; I wasn't sure if it was worth using the Beast as a model for drilling my newer stuff since it was drilled so many years ago. I'm sure drilling styles have changed since '92. I'll take my Storm balls in and have them compared to the Beast.

I do try and read the boards for questions similar to mine before posting. For me (and probably a lot of newer bowlers who are trying to learn), the ball fit is hard to diagnose. The coach I've worked with in lessons is also the person who drills my ball, which makes it all the more frustrating.

When working on things in my game, it's hard to tell whether a lack of progress in correcting problems is due to me not doing something right, due to the ball working against me because it doesn't fit, or both. I've read that you can't really work to 'accommodate' a ball that doesn't fit properly. I can't tell my coach/driller if it feels right because I don't know how it's supposed to feel. That's the rut I'm in right now.

The span is fine as far as not being stretched (edge of the finger hole is in the middle of my 1st and 2nd knuckles), but whether it's the proper length measured against the pitch, or what the pitch even is, I don't know. I don't even know if the Beast's fit could be made better or not. My thumb is clean, and not plagued by blisters, raw skin, and thumbnail problems like it was when I was using my Storm stuff, so I'm pretty sure it's at least BETTER. Funny that a ball that was drilled for me when I was 15 fits better than balls drilled for me in my 30s.

Maybe the answer is going somewhere for another opinion. I may be forced into that anyway, as my work might take me to North Carolina so I'd have to start over finding a new center, shop, etc.

Sorry for MY rant. I can't seem make real short posts, LOL. And as always, thanks to everyone for their help. You are all incredibly generous with your time and knowledge. Hopefully someday I can learn enough to pay it back to other bowlers on here.

Part of it is the bowlers knowledge of the game as well, I was in the pro-shop chatting one night and the driller was commenting on how both balls that he was plugging and re-drilling were because the bowlers wanted the span to be as stretched as possible, he drilled it correctly, offered to work with them, but they just want it stretched. I'm guessing they want it to feel like they are palming a basketball, probably trying to convert from thumbless too.

I see that you are from Iowa, if your coach/driller is Denny Torgerson, then you are in good hands there, he is one of the 10% that knows what he's doing, but that's just for a starting point, it's up to the bowler (like you said) to give feedback to the driller and let him/her know how the ball is coming off your hand and how the ball feels.



This is the problem we all have until we get the ball to fit, I myself may not even know how the perfect fit is supposed to feel, I have tried almost everything over my 32 years of experience, but who knows if there isn't a better way yet to be discovered, so you have to be open for new ideas, this is where the other 90% have the most difficulty because they don't want to learn new things, or listen.

I would start by having your pitches checked on your fingers and thumb and check the bevel on the thumb to see if there is too much, this can cause you to have to squeeze the thumb because there isn't an edge for the thumb hole to latch itself onto your thumb.

Let me know what part of NC you move to there are plenty of people on this board from there who will help you find a good driller and coach.

This is probably a silly question but do all the balls weigh the same? Maybe your older ball is a little lighter then your new stuff. Even 1 lb can make quite a big difference feel wise.

Wow, small world! Denny isn't who I'm working with now, but I did buy my Hy-Road from him and he did the initial drilling on it. It was very early on, so I didn't know how important fit was or that it likely would need to be adjusted, or even the value of lessons. He also didn't see me bowl before drilling (which was probably a good thing, my style was completely wrong so he might've just said no). That ball hasn't been adjusted very much so he must've been close. My style has also changed since then as I've learned. He seemed VERY knowledgable in general. I was a little intimidated by it. Shortly after I bought the ball, he moved his shop out of the center I was bowling at and into another one in the area he had just bought. I kind of forgot about him after that. I didn't realize he was known. A friend of mine I bowl with a lot has taken lessons from him and talked to him quite a bit. Apparetly he made positive comments about the lady I work with (as well as her husband she owns her shop with), so it sounds like I'm still ok. Nice to know he's always an option too, though.

If I end up in North Carolina, it would be the Charlotte area. I should find out pretty soon if/when it's happening.