Amateur, you shouldn't have to apply any pressure with your fingers or thumb. Your thumb looks like it went through a meat grinder. Everyone has told you not to bend your thumb and the ball should come right out.

If your span is correct, the webbing of your thumb should hold the ball on your hand without any squeezing. Rather than second guessing the ball driller, you should rely on his opinion and stop squeezing. It works.

If it keeps slipping from your grip to the point that you have to squeeze it, contact the guy at k&k and let him know and see what he says you should do, he has seen your hand, we haven't.

Amateur, we've said everything we can about this topic. You shouldn't have to squeeze, you shouldn't be in pain, end of story.

I have confidence in the driller. He drilled me up a great fit, as far as span and finger pitches go. I just think there's a possibility that I need a slight thumb pitch change, but I hope that's not the case. I will contact the guy that drilled for me after the next time I bowl to make sure there's not anything I'm doing wrong, then I'll see what he could suggest.

Just to be clear though, I know for a fact knuckling is squeezing. But is applying a little pressure without bending the thumb okay(i.e pressing with the pad or even the base)? Also, are there any products that might reduce the need for squeeze? I doubt it but just making sure.

In order to put any pressure on the pad of the thumb you have to bend the thumb knuckle, so no, its not ok to apply pressure like that. As it has been stated many, many times before, if you have the right pitch and span and adjust the hole accordingly with tape, you should not have to apply any pressure period.

Okay I see your point about the pad part of the thumb because I just tried it. However applying pressure with the skinny part of the thumb and the base is possible while keeping the thumb straight(but harder to do). I have to at least do that to hang on to the ball with a tight thumb hole. If I applied 0 pressure I'm basically where I started at the beginning of this thread, in the sense that the ball will fall off my hand right after the push away. I'd like to show a video when I get the chance.

I am guilty of applying some pressure myself, however mine is only until the top of the backswing and then its relaxed. Probably another on the long list of things I do wrong. I have been told forever though that you should not apply pressure at all, I just haven't mastered it myself.

It is not a mastering type of skill unless you are a ball driller, if the ball is slipping from your thumb you probably need to go forward or in dd's case right and forward with the thumb pitch.

Amature, I believe I posted a link to the Rowdel bowling tape that is rubber and gripy it will prevent the ball from slipping. I don't feel like looking it up again, they sell it on Buddies Pro Shop dot com look there for it.

Yeah I just looked up the tape on their web site. Does that necessarily mean regular white tape will still have the ball slip even with proper span and pitch? I figure rosin, even when using white tape, will work almost as well. I know some people use Hada Patch tape but I don't know if that's mostly for protection or to actually affect the grip. I've even considered Ron C's Magic Carpet.

I'm not sure how far I'll have to go to achieve a true relaxed grip, but I feel like more forward isn't the answer alone. I may need a product or a combination of products like the ones mentioned above. Is that possible or should everyone be able to get by with just the correct fit and grip tape?

Everybody is different, the tape is not that expensive, what do you have to lose at this point?