Drilling legality question

[tonx]

Now I know that you are able to have 5 holes drilled into a bowling ball for gripping purposes, another 5 as vent holes, 1 as a balance hole, and 1 mill hole, but what I want to know is what is the ruling if you are born with 5 fingers and a thumb?

The question was posed on ballreviews.com, with no-one able to come up with an answer as yet...

Maybe Aussies are able to work out the call on this rule, as we are considerably smarter than Americans!!!

Any thoughts?

 

[LIZ]

I think i may have the answer....
i dont think it really would be any different if u have 5 fingers and a thumb.

consider this if most ppl have 4 fingers and a thumb they only use 2 fingers and a thumb when bowling i dont really see how there would be any difference between situations if you have 5 fingers and a thumb

but then again i could be way off the track

 

[LIZ]

I think i may have the answer....
i dont think it really would be any different if u have 5 fingers and a thumb.

consider this if most ppl have 4 fingers and a thumb they only use 2 fingers and a thumb when bowling i dont really see how there would be any difference between situations if you have 5 fingers and a thumb

but then again i could be way off the track

 

[Ash]

From the TBA rule book (v. 6.0):

RULE 603 DRILLING SPECIFICATIONS
Holes
The following limitations will govern the drilling of holes in the ball:
1. Holes or indentations, not to exceed five (5), for gripping purposes.
2. One hole for balance purposes not to exceed 1 1/4 inch in diameter.
3. No more than one (1) vent hole to each finger and/or thumb hole not to exceed 1/4 inch in diameter.
4. One mill hole for inspection purposes not to exceed 5/8 inch in diameter and 1/8 inch in depth.
Any hole drilled for gripping purposes will not be deemed to be a balance hole. However, when delivering a ball that
has a thumb hole drilled, the player must have his/her thumb in or over the thumb hole. It may not be 180 degrees away
from the thumb hole. If a bowler delivers a ball and did not have his/her thumb as defined, the ball will be deemed
illegal for that delivery and pins knocked down with that delivery will not be counted.
VERSION 6.0 – 11/3/05 34
Balance
The following tolerances will be permissible in the balance of a bowling ball used in accredited competition: Refer to
Rule 127 for the penalty for bowling with a ball that is found to be illegal.
1. 10 pounds or more:
(a) Not more than three (3) ounces difference between top half of the ball (finger hole side) and the bottom
half (side opposite the finger holes).
(b) Not more than one (1) ounce difference between the sides to the right and left of the finger holes or
between the sides in front and back of the finger holes.
(c) A ball drilled without a thumb hole may not have more than one (1) ounce difference between any two
halves of the ball.
(d) A ball drilled without any finger holes or indentations may not have more than one (1) ounce difference
between any two halves of the ball.
(e) A ball used without any hole or indentations may not have more than one (1) ounce difference between
any two halves of the ball.
2. Less than 10 pounds:
(a) Not more than one (1) ounce differences between the top half of the ball (finger hole side) and the bottom
half (side opposite the finger holes).
(b) Not more than 3/4 ounce difference between the sides to the right and left of the finger holes or between
the sides in front and back of the finger holes.
(c) A ball drilled without a thumb hole may not have more than 3/4 ounce difference between any two halves
of the ball.
(d) A ball drilled without any finger holes or indentations may not have more than 3/4 ounce difference
between any two halves of the ball.
(e) A ball used without any hole or indentations may not have more than 3/4 ounce difference between any
two halves of the ball.
Plugs and Designs
1. Plugs may be inserted for the purpose of redrilling the ball.
2. Designs may be embedded in the ball for guides, observation or identification purposes, provided such designs
are flush with the outer surface of the ball.
3. In all cases there will be no interior voids.
4. Plugs and designs must be made of material similar to, although not exactly the same as, the original material
out of which the ball was made, and will otherwise comply with all other specifications for a bowling ball.
5. No foreign material may be placed on the outer surface of the ball.

This was found on the TBA website www.tenipn.org.au

The rule is pretty specific, basically, if you have 5 fingers and a thumb, one finger would not be able to be used in a gripping hole. I'm not sure if you can apply for an exemption, being as it is a special instance. it might be a good idea to contact someone from the TBA to get a proper ruling.

hope this helps.

 

[willey]

Exactly as Ash has stated, but a couple of things need to be clarified, if you have 4 finger holes in a ball all 4 must be used all the time, where it says there is to be no viods, this means that if a thumb solid is inserted in a ball it has to be drilled right through or it creates a viod at the bottom.

In the unlikely event that if a person has more than the 5 fingers and thumbs, I would find it incredible that they would actually want holes drilled for them anyway. If you drill a hole for your Pinky you will find it flattens the ball, drill for your Index finger and you can increase your hook, Dana Miller -Mackie was bowling with her Index finger, drilled into the ball, in the last few years she competed in the WPBA.

willey.

 

[smart86]

The rule is clear about a gripping hole for each finger. Even the rule does not consider such case, it is reasonable to think that a bowler with 6 fingers would be allowed to have 6 holes for gripping purpose. Like a bowler missing a finger would only be allowed 4 holes for gripping reasons.

 

[RobbieB]

The rule does not say a hole for each finger - it says "Holes or indentations, not to exceed five (5), for gripping purposes." Otherwise Belmo would be allowed to have ten holes (or maybe 8, seeing as he doesn't use his thumb...) .

Five gripping holes is it.

 

[~Mrs STORM~]

I think if I were born with 5 fingers plus a thumb...Id want something removed lol!

 

[double_d]

hi
i havent bowled for a long time i think 8 years now
but when i was a youth bowler i had a columbia beast which was drilled for me with a lot of side weight and after reading the rules i thought i would try an excercise and drilled 2 more finger holes just off my track and used the same thumb hole it was the talking point in the whole alley but did not really prove to be anything than a straight ball with a slight hook at 50 feet when before i could bowl 5 board and snap at 45 - 50
but worth a try you dont know till you try

 

[alexnjudy]

I think if I were born with 5 fingers plus a thumb...Id want something removed lol!

or never bowl a 300 game

 

[TheMatrix]

Another silly question -
It doesn't state in the rule how the holes should be drilled as long as they don't exceed the legal size and can make the ball within the "legal balance".
My question is : Can I have the thumb hole drilled slightly off to the left instead of straight down in the middle of the 2 finger holes ?
Thanks,
G.

 

[Brunswick Tech]

You most certainly can. Though I must ask the question......why do you want to do this? I would suggest you seek advice and guidance from a competent ball driller before trying to bowl with an offset thumb hole.

One way to check to see if your thumb does or does not align down the center of your 2 bowling fingers.............pick up a pencil or pen using only your thumb and 2 bowling fingers, having picked up the pencil, keep a firm grip on it, turn your hand over so that the palm faces you, look to see if the centre of the thumb is pointing towards the 2 fingers. You may want to mark the centre of your thumb tip with a pen for ease of measurement, if indeed your thuimb is not pointing down the centre of the 2 fingers. Repeat the test several times to ensure you are getting a accurate measurement and be sure that you don't think about where you pick up the pencil, you must not be thinking about where your fingers and thumb are when doing this test, it must be a natural thing!

Hope that helps............

Neville

 

[TheMatrix]

Thanks Neville - With the test, almost everytime I pick up the pen, my thumb seem to align with the middle finger than between the 2 fingers. Anyway, I will definitely seek proffesional advices, either from a coach or a driller.

The reason I ask is because I find it a bit hard to get my hand under the ball with the normal drill. Maybe I am doing it all wrong, I have just recently started to bowl finger tip. I can quite comfortable be a stroker, bowling down and in from a 5 board but when I move inside a little I cannot get my hand under the ball to create more rev.

I can sort of create the rev I want when bowling thumbless but then I cannot hold the ball steady to be able to repeat shots and maintain accuracy. If I want to use the thumb, the hole needs to be drilled to the left.

In my understanding, the thumb is only to hold the ball steady and balance so it should not matter where it is drilled.

Thanks again for your advice
Cheers,
G.

 

[Brunswick Tech]

No problem, mate........glad I could help.

If your thumb is pointing towards your middle finger when you done the test, then, yes, you will need to have thumb hole drilled offset, meaning the hole will be off the centre of grip line. Because your thumb is pointing towards your middle finger, the thumb hole will be drilled away from the palm rather than under

If you have been bowling with a coventionally drilled ball, than one would expect you to have a sore and sorry thumb after bowling................best to get this looked at ASAP, if you don't, sub-consciously your brain will send signals to your hand to change posistion or alter the grip to avoid the pain that it knows it's going to recieve. Bowling with a painfull grip is one of the quickest ways of developing bad habits which could take a tremendous effort to rectify or un-learn.

Good luck sorting things out.

Neville

 

[tonx]

Sorry Shawn,

Dont blame me if i dont come to you any time soon to get a ball drilled.

Offset thumbs are a myth. ALL the offset is doing, is lengthening the span of the ring finger. The pencil test is a more basic form of the coke bottle test, and is designed to test the lateral pitch of a thumb, not the offset.

G, what I would suggest with the bottom of my heart, is to go to your local ball driller. If he isnt the 'best' person available, I would suggest taking the time to go see someone else. The fit of a bowling ball is the most important part of a bowlers game. Without the best fitting ball, the rest is just developing poor habits.

Cheers mate.

 

[Brunswick Tech]

Tonx, what if the offset thumb is under the palm, is that also legthening the ring finger span?

I don't see much difference between the two tests, they are both designed to determine the natural alignment of the thumb with the bowling fingers, though I do believe the pencil test would give a more accurate indication due to the close proximity of the fingers and thumb. I have never performed the "coke bottle test" (I've never had a need) so I am unable to comment on it's good and bad points.

Offset thumbs may be a myth to you, Tonx, but in reality they do exsist, I did bowl with a 1/4" offset (away) thumb myself, with a laterial pitch on it as well, and it was more than comfortable. I've also drilled numerous balls with a slightly offset thumb for some very high scoring/average bowlers in and around Brisbane, and from memory had only 1 or 2 who felt discomfort, which would have been a result of my poor judgement regarding a measurement rather than it being totally wrong.

As you enjoy reading my try hard witty comments, here's another one for you...............Men, as well as women, are much more often led by their hearts rather than by their understandings!

 

[tonx]

Offset thumbs may be a myth to you, Tonx, but in reality they do exsist, I did bowl with a 1/4" offset (away) thumb myself, with a laterial pitch on it as well, and it was more than comfortable.
Shawn

So you lengthened the span of the ring finger. *yawn* If a right hander moves the 'offset' to the right, then off course the middle finger span is increased.

The angle of the thumb should/can be correctly aligned with what is called Centreline Transposition(CLT for short) Google it, its a rather good read. It actually aligns the finger pitches, which in turn changes the angle in which the hand is inserted into the ball. Most people havent heard anything of it, however every single person that has ever come to me has prefered CLT to standard T-bar grip.

You drilled 20 years ago? When massive reverse in the thumb, a ****load of forward in the fingers, and stronger revolutions/roll were created by 'hitting' up on the shot. Nothing in this sport has changed since then has it.....

Take this knowlege 1 of 2 ways.

Either:

Make another annoying post with concepts that were designed 20 years ago, and end it with a "witty" comment.
or
Learn something today. Because we are all students of the game. Research what I have explained to you, and then come back with your verdict, along with a "witty" comment stating that you learned something today.


Here is my attempt at a somewhat witty comment.

You are annoying, like a woman.

 

[Brunswick Tech]

You are annoying, like a woman.

Your somewhat tryhard witty comment should prove popular with the ladies..........

You try and set yourself up as some sort drilling guru.........how long have you been drilling balls?, how many balls have you drilled? How many hands have you measured?

I am not a student of the game! I was simply trying to help a fellow member with a question that he posed.................my knowledge of ball drilling may not be the latest innovation, however it did prove helpfull to the member who asked for advice. Was that not the objective?

I was giving him advice based on personal experience and knowledge gained from 20 years of ball drilling, from where have you derived your vast experience and knowledge from?

I have no problem, if you want to correct me or offer differring advice, however you would be well advised to do so in a civil manner. It would also be much appreciated if you respond without using banned words in your posts.

I have a third option............I will take your profound knowledge on ball drilling and write it down where it belongs.............on the back of a stamp!!

Your personal experience is minimal and limited, so here is another tryhard witty comment best suited for you...........Remember; Success truly is a result of good judgement. Good judgement is the result of experience, and experience is often the result of bad judgement.

Kind Regards

 

[tonx]

I am not a student of the game!

This is not exactly the best comment to make. WE ARE ALL STUDENTS OF THE GAME. Bowling is like computers, its great to have the experience. Don't keep up with the times? Useless.. Let me guess, you believe fingerweight gives extra length, and thumb weight is early roll?

I've seen some drillers that have been drilling for alot longer than you make comical errors (mass bias placements, slug drop, incorrect XH placements etc etc) No drilling 'guru' here, just up to date with the times. I seem to be competent enough to drill High performance balls for high performance bowlers of todays game, regardless of how long ive been drilling for. MANY others consider me more than competent in TODAY'S game when it comes to ball drilling. I've never had a ball drilled by you, so im not going to comment on what you can or can't do, however in this case, your knowlege is superseeded.

Like I said, google CLT, its a great read, then spend months in the proshop perfecting it. I've been using CLT for quite some time now,and I still don't consider myself 100% perfect all the time.

On edit: CLT INSTRUCTIONS


Kindest of regards...

 

[Brunswick Tech]

Sorry, Tonx, but ..............I AM NOT A STUDENT OF THE GAME, I do not and don't want to know about the latest innovation, it interests me not!

I don't bowl, nor do I drill balls any longer, in fact I don't even work in a bowling centre! So you can understand why my knowledge is superseeded.
The last time I was in a bowling centre, I was using it as a short cut to get to the other side of the shopping centre. My only contact with the bowling industry is through my membership at several different web sites, along with the quarterly share holders meeting that I attend at the centre at which I own a small percentage of.

My passion has, and will always remain for the technicial aspect of the equipment and machinery associated with Tenpin bowling, I have very little interest for the game itself, no disrespect intended to the people who have a passion for the game.

I will try and help someone if I believe I can offer them some usefull advice in any aspect of the Tenpin bowling industry, and like I said, I have no qualms about being corrected if indeed my knowledge, information and advice is not the latest up to date available.

This site is all about exchanging and discussing ideas, information, thoughts and knowledge in every aspect of the Tenpin bowling industry, should I not comment unless I first check to see if my information is not the latest available?

You seem to have trouble answering my questions? why would that? surely you can divulge the length of time you have been drilling balls, can you not have a educated guess on how many balls you have drilled or hands you have measured in that time?

You seem like a intelligent young man who is obviously well educated in the latest innovation of ball drilling technology and furthermore has a passion for drilling balls........congradulations.
I do hope your attitude does not prevent you from fullfilling your potential.

I only ask one thing, if you are replying to anything to which I have posted in regards to ball drilling, please don't try and discredit me for the sake of it, if I'm wrong or have posted outdated information, by all means point it out and correct it, but don't try and critize me for trying to help a fellow member.

Yet, another tryhard witty revelant comment to end my post...........
I am not discouraged, because every wrong attempt discarded is just another step forward............

FYI...............I collect famous quotes, methaphors and proverbs, what you refer to as, "tryhard witty comments"..............at last count I had more than 50,000 in my data base and I'm only too happy to share them at every opportunity.

Have a nice day.........