Depending on how the Pro Shop wants to go about changing the span for the pinkie, the thumb might not need plugged. The great thing about slugs are they can be drilled out and a new one glued and pressed into the same hole and pitches altered a lot quicker than having to plug the hole and re-drill it. Depending on the outer diameter of the slugs currently in your equipment he could do it all in one shot using a bigger slug if possible. He could drill the old one out, drill the hole bigger for the bigger slug and then drill the actual hole for the thumb to slide into but move it up and right a little from the old location. If you change pitches in the finger holes, some plugging is going to be required, at least for the fingers, so it will be yours and his decision about the best way to do it.

Yeah, I will have to figure something out, because I'd rather give a ball away than have it pugged. That is just me.

People, I have some thing I wish you all woluld just try once. If you have an old ball you don't use any more incase you don't like my style. I have guys at the tounaments ask if they can throw mine once and try it out. I say sure , they throw the ball then turn and ask, What did you do to that thumb, they say it feels so good. I drill a 1 3/8" thumb hole, then fill it with wizard plug. I then dress it down then drill it to my size 31/32 which is just a bit snug. I then use a 180 grit pad on my dremel and round the edge of the thumb, then hone the ole out. When I can just slide my thumb in and out, I put my ball on the spinner and tak a 500 grit abrillon pad wrapped around my finger and wet the abrillon pad then I run my finger down in the thumb hole and smooth it out then I go up to a 1000 Abrillon then a 2000 then a 3000 the n finish with a 4ooo grit abrillon and polish the thumb hole to aq pearl finish. When you put your thumb in it feels like it is teflon coated or some thing. Every one that has tried one of my balls have said they'd like to try one. Do it on a ball you don't use much because every one doesn't like the same thing. I got several bags of plugs lying around because I never use them any more. It's hard to find anyone who will spend 1/2 hour messing with a thumb hole but I got tired of a bloody thumb. Mine was that bad. My thumb is back down to it's original size. Charles started doing his the same way, his thumb was almost twice the size of mine and now he's not much larger than mine. It stops that bowlers thumb. I found when the ball stops hurting your thumb, you concentrate more on the bowling inst4ead of the pain. I'd like to see some of ya try it. You'd be suprised. Gotta go, got sme post holes to dig. I still have to work raising horses is a job. Have a good day and bowl good.

I didn't quite follow that procedure but it seems hard to do. I'm curious what you other guys think of that.

I followed it, out side of letting the plug dry the most time consuming part is just getting the right fit, but I've never had "bowlers thumb" even with ill fitting balls. I think you could do the same thing with a thumb slug as well. I know some drillers around me will put some polish or something similar on their finger turn the spinner on and run the finger up and down the hole.

It sounds like a good procedure for those that really like the feel of a quick release.

Most women have to deal with tape because their thumbs naturally change within the month. So I personally have grown comfortable with the feel of grip tape.

But the premis is good for those that live in an environment that doesn't have drastic environmental changes that require tape fitting.

Erin

Sounds like a lot of work that could be avoided by not gripping the ball.

Amen to that lol. I mean, it's not like your could get away with a bad fit by doing that procedure right? If you have a proper fit I don't see why that would be much different than drilling a thumb hole the normal way with a thumb slug. If I wanted quick release like Erin said couldn't I just use the Hada tape(Blue or Red)?

If you have to do that to get the right feel I think something is wrong. That's how my driller feels about velcro. Speaking of which, what is the purpose of it(velcro)? Slower or faster release?

I think his process is to allow a tighter fitting thumb that you can still get out of with out too much issue if your thumb swells. If you want a quick release all the time it would be cheaper to in the long run than using Hada or similar products. I don't see it as something being wrong, different people like different feels. Some people like a slick thumb, others like them to be a bit more grabby, its a personal preference.

The Velcro was just something a member on this site used to try to snug up his thumb since he had nothing else at the moment, and it was free. It worked similar to Ron C's Magic Carpet, or so I heard.

I thought Velcro also had the effect of giving a clean release, I could be wrong though.

So, the objective of that process is basically a really smooth thumb hole so that even the snuggest thumb hole can still let you get out clean? I guess that makes sense but I don't think you should have to go through that much trouble to have a good release. The only thing I can figure out is how you get abralon pads in a thumb hole, they're too big. Do you rip a piece off or something?