I'm a thumbless bowler but all of my equipment has a thumb hole drilled. I plan on converting to using my thumb in the near future. What should I do as in technique wise to get a better roll and keep it from rolling over the thumb. I just hate the untrue roll that I have and thumping sound it makes!

You are going over the thumb hole with the thumb in the ball or out of the ball?

Sorry for not clarifying...While bowling thumbless

You can switch to a full roller, that might help.


Seriously, if you had the ball drilled with no thumbhole, then added a thumbhole later, I doubt it's worth much with either style. You'll probably be best off at this point if you plug all three holes and get the ball re-drilled.

That's usually caused by having your hand on the side of the ball early. Stay behind the ball until your ankle.



Why? If the thumbhole was put in to fit his hand, what is the point of plugging and redrilling the same way?

You're asking me to remember long-ago conversations with Pro Shop guys, so I can't vouch for any degree of accuracy.

(I always wound up getting a thumbhole drilled at purchase--I'm used to it, and the feel of it on my palm helps ensure the ball is placed in the same spot every time--so I've never had to deal with this particular problem. I've been informed sternly that I shouldn't get the ball drilled with no thumbhole with the idea of putting one in later, though.)

The point IIRC is that the thumbhole also acts as a giant weight hole, so drilling without a thumb gives a different CG and requires a different set of measurements.

I've only seen four balls ever drilled with out a thumb hole, they were owned by the same thumbless bowler but were for sale at a Pro Shop, I guess trying to just get rid of some. I've seen plenty of thumbless bowlers with thumb holes and some of them use it for spare shooting. That's how I started my transition into using my thumb for every shot.

Reconbbs, are the balls drilled conventional or finger tip?

I think either way you need to make some change in the hand position and release, probably coming around the ball early. Try What CG recommended.

My balls are drilled fingertip...I can't stand conventional drillings. I'm sorry for the really late response.