Hi All,

This is my second post here and I have been reading some awesome stuff from all of you. Thank you for providing such great information.

While I am fairly new at the game i am still trying to figure out how everything should feel. I have managed to completely relax my arm during my swing and since changing to a lighter ball and a better fit, I think I have a good grip.

I am wondering how this should ultimately feel and if any should be taking the weight of the ball. When the ball first starts to swing back, I can feel the weight pull my thumb skin which locks the ball to my thumb. It feels like my thumb is the main anchor that is holding the ball to my hand on the back swing. On its way back following the ball it feels pretty relaxed and i don't notice any pressure. I guess my main question is should my thumb be the one that is taking most of the ball weight on the back swing?

Welcome to the site.

You shouldn't feel much of anything except a slight heavy feeling on the fingers after the thumb comes out at the release point by the heel of your sliding foot.

what about at the start of the swing?

The weight of the ball should be in your non bowling hand,(left hand for right handers), at the start lift the ball up slightly, then turn the weight of the ball from the left hand to the right hand and drop it into the swing.

As soon as my ball starts to drop into my backswing, it feels like it falls just a little off my thumb and crates a lock. This also feels like the whole weight of the ball is on my thumb the whole way back into the back swing. Coming forward I don't have this issue. I just let the ball more or less hang on my thumb so i dont try and squeeze.

This is a prime indication that you have too much reverse pitch in your thumb especially if the thumb hole is tight enough. What is happening is as the ball starts to slip from your thumb, then you have to catch it, this is detrimental to your swing because you tense up your hand and shoulder to catch the ball instead of letting the ball swing your arm you then have to pull the swing back to make up for the lack of momentum.

My fingers used to hurt after I was done bowling a lot of games. I learned that my span was 3/8" too short. I was really gripping the ball. I also took out the inserts. I bowled a couple of Sundays ago for 2 hours straight. No pain at all afterward. During my swing and when the ball leaves my fingers, I don't really feel anything. My fingers are at 0x0 and my thumb is 0x3/8 reverse (my span is 5 x 4 13/16).

I wish I had the money to get my thumb pitch straightened out... As it feels like the ball has a tendency to start slipping off my thumb. Just wondering what would be the best approach, I'm guessing 1/4" of forward pitch and go from there? As my thumb hole currently has zero pitch.

Then there's the fun of having a broken rib which is keeping me from placing the weight of the ball in my left hand allowing me to loosen my right arm. Plus the fact I can seem to get any of my right side spares currently because of the rib.

I think he set me up as a beginner and I think the thumb is at zero. It doesn't slip out a lot so Im going to try tape to see what's happening. I can let the ball hang without gripping it so im guessing the thumb hole is pretty close to being tight enough. It does throw me off when all of the sudden I feel all of the balls weight on my thumb like its going to pull it off.

this is what is supposed to happen at the release, that way the ball comes off your hand the same way every time automatically without you having to consciously release the ball by unsqueezing the thumb.