How big is your hand that his metal ruler was too short?

He Gueesed? That not a good sign at all. I never seen or heard of driller guessing someone span. You need find a new driller then.

You must have an extraordinary large span. I have one of those metal rulers used by pro shops for measuring spans on bowling balls. It can measure spans up to 6 inches. Normally if a span is too long the back of your thumb will be in constant contact with the back of the thumbhole and/or the pads of your fingers will not grip the inside walls of the fingerholes. Your fingers will be gripping the ball by the inner edges of the fingerholes and your fingernails may by in contact with the back of the fingerholes.

If it is decided that your span is indeed too wide you need to have the thumbhole plugged and redrilled with the proper span. Your driller probably opened the hole up and shortened your span in the process and now the hole is too big requiring tape.

My driller just included one of those balls designed for fitting new customers. The ball accepts inserts of various diameters and besides adjustments to the span, the pitches can be adjusted in four different directions. Devices like this have been available to proshops for many years. The one my driller bought is only the latest one on the market. The only thing the ball lacks is adjustment for weight.

My hand measures about 8 ¼ inches from the base to the middle finger tip.

I think I should finish out the season using tape. Even though I bowl in a league once a week, I get $0.99 games there, except on dollar nights. So I use the ball 2 to 3 other times a week. My only other ball is plastic.

I just measured mine and my hand is 8". Unless you are all fingers, then he should have a ruler that long. My spans are 4 13/16 for my ring finger and 5 for my middle.

My fingers are pretty long.

Ken Simmard last year telecast had a span 5 1/2 +