Finger Grip fit etc

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krava
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Finger Grip fit etc

Post by krava »

https://www.bowlingthismonth.com/bowlin ... es-part-1/ (not much there)
also I couldn't find any info on youtube about it except you don't want to have to force your fingers to get into the ball.

I think a good fit is when you have to just slightly have to push your fingers into the inserts and can go to the 1st knuckle without much effort at all, and really no way to get it to the 2nd knuckle even if you force it hard.

I have some balls 2-3 years old with the same inserts and they are warped (I know they need to be changed). I have balls that one finger hole is pretty tight (which is good) and then the 4th finger is too big and I can push the whole finger down in it easily. I might have 1 ball that might have like a very good fit and then the rest either have 1 or both just slightly too large.

When the PSO ask how it fits, I make sure it fits good, but then putting them in changes the size slightly. Also there is no way to put tape on the finger like the thumb.

There is alot of talk about having proper fit thumb hole span etc. What happens if your finger grips are just slightly too big. or one is perfect and the other one is slightly too big?

Also is regular just oval finger grips enough or do most people use the one with the lift pads?
300Bowler
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Re: Finger Grip fit etc

Post by 300Bowler »

The lifter grips are a personal preference but most of the better bowlers prefer ovals. Lifters change the pitch and may cause you to hit up on the ball which is bad. You are better off rolling the ball and following through the ball instead of hitting up on it. I usually change the grips out to a 1/2 size smaller every winter then back up a 1/2 size when things get warmer. You really want a snug fit on the fingers so you do not have to squeeze the ball. In a pinch you can also use some of the backing that bowling tape comes on as a shim in the back of the grip where it is not glued.
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sportcoupe
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Re: Finger Grip fit etc

Post by sportcoupe »

This may sound stupid... but I've found this to be true: Grips vary by manufacturer and color. I prefer the feel and sizing of the Vise grips that are black in color. I find that the orange and purple color have a bit more forgiveness to them. If the black feels a little tight in a particular ball I'll switch to orange or purple in the same size... or if a black feels too big, I'll switch to a purple or orange a half size down. I don't like the feel/texture of the blue at all, and most other colors do not feel as good as the black, orange or purple to me. I've never tried the clear, but I have friends that swear by them.
Again... this may be crazy talk, but it works for me.

Lifts vs Ovals: My 1st lesson many years ago was with CDB. She told me to get rid of the Lifts. I've never questioned it and I've never looked back.
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Re: Finger Grip fit etc

Post by MegaMav »

sportcoupe wrote: December 4th, 2019, 7:51 pm Lifts vs Ovals: My 1st lesson many years ago was with CDB. She told me to get rid of the Lifts. I've never questioned it and I've never looked back.
I'd like to know the reasoning behind this.
I'm very soft at the bottom and use lifts.
Switching from lifts to ovals may help clear a stretched span.
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bowl1820
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Re: Finger Grip fit etc

Post by bowl1820 »

OK just to make sure, we're talking about the inserts that give you like a 1/8" or 1/4" of forward pitch.

Given if you had your grip "properly" fitted in the first place, You had the correct spans, Laterals and Fwd/Rev pitches that suited your thumb and finger flexibility etc.

Why would you then use grips (lifts) that would change that proper grip by increasing span(slightly) and adding forward pitch? If you wanted more forward pitch for your fingers, why not just drill it into the ball in the first place?

I also heard many times that if you wanted to use lifts, you should adjust your org. grip spec's to compensate for the span & pitch change they caused.

I thought about that, If you did that you'd windup with your grip being the way it would have been had you not used them and used the org. spec's. in the first place. What did you gain ? other than maybe having inserts that had a little flatter/wider pad area for your fingertips to rest on.
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Re: Finger Grip fit etc

Post by 44boyd »

Like anything else it’s about feel, but yes it’s drilled different if you want a lift vs an oval.
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Re: Finger Grip fit etc

Post by sportcoupe »

MegaMav wrote: December 4th, 2019, 9:20 pm I'd like to know the reasoning behind this.
I'm very soft at the bottom and use lifts.
Switching from lifts to ovals may help clear a stretched span.
Simply that lifts will cause a bowler to hit up on a ball. This is not necessary with modern bowling balls and leads to inconsistent ball reaction.

Having a soft hand is a great advantage, I believe. Flip your grips on one of your balls. Do a bunch of 1 step shots. See if you can feel and see a difference.
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Re: Finger Grip fit etc

Post by 44boyd »

Maybe you were hitting up on the ball and she gave you advise to get rid of them. Eric’s game is solid, he doesn’t need to change anything unless he doesn’t like the feel.
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Re: Finger Grip fit etc

Post by sportcoupe »

44boyd wrote: December 5th, 2019, 3:04 pm Maybe you were hitting up on the ball and she gave you advise to get rid of them. Eric’s game is solid, he doesn’t need to change anything unless he doesn’t like the feel.
No doubt, I was hitting up on the ball... Along with a lot of other things that I needed to work on to transform my game. This topic is subjective... My intent is not to ruin anyone's game. This is advice that was given to me by a highly qualified coach, and it worked for me*

*Disclaimer: Your results may vary

The true answer to any bowling question is "what ever works best for you" But... A bowler should be never afraid to try something new/different/exciting to improve his/her game. If this something new is a failure: SO WHAT? Go back to what you were doing before.

I'm an Engineer by profession. I see a bowler delivering a bowling ball as a system. The input to the system is a bowler on the approach with a bowling ball in his/her hand. The expected output of the system is an X on the scoresheet... What are the procedures, processes and feedback loops necessary to create the expected output? It shouldn't end as "pick up your spare ball"
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