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Index finger hole?

Posted: January 13th, 2011, 1:35 pm
by MoRichBowler300
A guy came in to the pro shop with a ball drilled with a third finger, his index finger. The ball driller he went to told him that this would help him get more lift on the ball, thus resulting in more revolutions. This finger hole addition stemmed from the fact that the man was having trouble holding on to the ball altogether. After further investigation, I came to find out that his span was stretched 1/2" and his finger nails were white. Once doing the wiki fitting on him, he no longer "needed a third finger hole to get a better grip." The ball was now relaxed in his palm and he actually started to work the ball from underneath instead of off the top right. I think he was perhaps working the top right of the ball BECAUSE of the third finger hole. Could that have been making him hold onto the ball for an extra split second, thus increasing his tilt? His track was going over the index finger and part of the thumb hole. Now, with the wiki fitting system, his initial track is almost an equal distance away from thumb hole and finger hole. He is still tracking high but not high enough to go over the thumb hole, which is great. I guess my question to anyone out there is: When would a third finger hole ever be necessary? Has anybody done this and seen the customer be successful with it? What will a third finger hole do to the release? I only ask because, from what I've seen out of the wiki fitting, no matter how weak a bowler's hand or wrist may be, there should be no need for a third finger hole, right? Would anybody like to add to this concern? Thanks!

Re: Index finger hole?

Posted: January 13th, 2011, 1:48 pm
by steve s
Weakness of grip is the only reason I would consider it an option ....Some people with arthritis in the fingers are the ones I'm thinking of....Steve S

Re: Index finger hole?

Posted: January 13th, 2011, 5:30 pm
by JohnP
I agree with Steve S, and would suggest trying a conventional span first. -- JohnP

Re: Index finger hole?

Posted: January 13th, 2011, 6:13 pm
by elgavachon
I damaged all 4 tendons in a non bowling accident. I had to put all 4 fingers conventional for about a year. I then went to a sarge easter with the pointer finger conventional for another 10 years (I called it the bird grip because it looked like I was flipping the bird). I then went fingertip with the pointer and middle fingers for probably another 5 years. Ring finger still bothers me but I am using the wiki grip at present. I have been told to use my little finger with my current grip but I have not tried it.

Re: Index finger hole?

Posted: January 14th, 2011, 10:51 am
by proshop
I seem to remember that Steve Fehr used this drilling in the 1980"s while on the PBA Tour. I drilled a ball with this drilling but had problems with the flare rolling over the index fingerhole.

Re: Index finger hole?

Posted: January 14th, 2011, 4:09 pm
by ch_flash
My father had an index finger hole in all of his balls because he hurt his middle finger. When I was a kid, I thought everyone was suppose to have four holes. lol.
I hurt my hand when I was a child. My hand isn't flat across the palm pad(where the fingers start). The fingers all angle towards my index finger when I bend them. With that said, I have had trouble getting fitted. When someone would check my span, they would drill the ball and it felt like it was rocking back and forth in my hand. It was a pain in the rear telling a driller all this just to have him drill it (his way because he knows how to and you are the dumb customer) with the wrong pitches over and over. I like for the ball to rest on my palm. It feels comfortable and controllable that way. I'm right handed and the finger pitches look like a lefties. 0-0 for the RF, MF is 7/16 left(?). I like a wider bridge also. I have even pressure and no calluses except for the finger pads.

Kenny

Re: Index finger hole?

Posted: January 23rd, 2011, 3:49 am
by Vendetta
We have a gentleman who was a machinist and lost his middle finger in a "shop" accident. His grandaughter asked him to join her team on the Monday Mixed Charity League, so he came into the Pro Shop to see what we could do. We drilled his thumb & ring finger for fingertip and then had him put his thumb in the the ball and lay his fingers over the ball. We traced his index finger, drew a new centerline through that tracing and gave him a conventional index finger hole. He rolls a nice down & in hook .... is averaging in the 170s .... and most importantly is enjoying spending time at the lanes with his family.

Re: Index finger hole?

Posted: January 25th, 2011, 9:27 pm
by clatara
proshop wrote:I seem to remember that Steve Fehr used this drilling in the 1980"s while on the PBA Tour. I drilled a ball with this drilling but had problems with the flare rolling over the index fingerhole.
of course you'll have the flare "rolling over the index finger hole". If you have in mind to add
another finger hole you'd better drill a hole for the pinky finger. I did it sometime
for few bowlers ( wery few indeed, I would say 4/5 in 25 years of ball drilling),
and it works.