Im visiting my dad in texas and went to one of AMF's bowling centers, completely different than my local one. I could not play ANYWHERE to the right of the 25, it was as dry as the sahara. But it definitely gave me a big learning boost for dryer lanes, I never thought I could be good at playing deep inside like that, but with the dryness of those lanes it worked out pretty well... after 7 games lol. It was almost like the oil pattern was 10 feet shorter than my normal one I play on. When I threw it down it almost made a V shape when it entered the roll phase.

Sub question: What do you guys use for thumb swelling and most importantly, prevention of it. After the 3rd game, the rest of them after that are totally ruined. Even using the little blowers on the ball return, I can never cool off that thumb, it stays hot and creates moisture inside my ball, and I hate to keep removing and adding tape. But the tape gives me enough friction to hold on to the ball longer, and allows air to escape when I need it to. Without the tape, the hole is just so slippery and the sweat makes it sticky.

You might try using Magic Carpet in the thumb hole. My thumb usually shrinks during play, and this allows me to add less tape during play - usually only a piece or occasionally two, rather than the 3, 4 or even 5 pieces I have had to add in the past. Should work roughly the same (just in reverse) for the thumb swelling.

I like the feel it gives me too - snug but not too tight.

Do you know if the lanes were fresh when you went? Also, if your thumb is swollen you can stick it in a potato over night and it will take the swelling down. Ibuprofen works too.

I have no idea, all I know is that I've never seen my ball do what it did that day, flabberghasted I was.

My worst problem is that my hands and thumb generate a stupid amount of sweat. Whats the magic carpet feel like?

Feels like the soft part of Velcro.

What usually causes your thumb to swell is it is rubbing in the hole. Rubbing is usually caused by:

1. You squeezing/bending your thumb and pressing it against the hole to hang onto the ball.

2. Humidity

3. Sensitive skin.

2 and 3 kind of go together as the humidity causes the sensitive skin to swell.

To get your thumb to stop swelling, learn to not squeeze the thumb. If you can't keep your thumb straight in the hole without the ball falling off, then take it back to your Pro Shop and see if they can give you some advice or alter the fit by making the hole tighter, or moving the pitch forward. Just make sure you have your span right or you will wear the ball for a hat.

Well my grip on the ball has definitely improved. The ball wont fall out of my hand if I'm standing with my arm at my side, but during the approach it would definitely fall out, but since I cup my wrist, it usually stays in

I have been fully wrapping my thumb with protection tape and using the Magic Carpet. I have noticed a much cleaner and more consistent release, and sweating is no longer a problem since my thumb is fully covered. Some of the sore areas on my thumb have been healing too, due I think, to not having to grip the ball now.

If you do decide to try the Magic Carpet I recommend using protection tape for at least the back of the thumb, because the Magic Carpet can rub the skin off (it did to me the first time), due to the rough texture. With the protection tape though - no problem.

Does the magic carpet cirle the entire thumbhole? Or is it just one side.

It's about an 3/4-inch to an inch wide, so it just goes on the back. It can be oriented for either a quicker or slower release, depending on which side is up and which is down.