Jose's
Corner

Fingertip vs. Conventional
Drilling

  These are things I hear in the pro shop.  “Should I try a fingertip?”, “There’s no way I could throw a fingertip drilled ball!” or “I tried that once, and I couldn’t handle it.”  These are things that I hear from both new bowlers and bowlers wanting to improve their game.

  Let’s go back to the older days when fingertip first began.  The old methods of drilling included:

• Conventional drilling:  Locating the finger holes at the second knuckle.  This was intended for the straight ball bowler.
  
• Semi-fingertip drilling:  Putting the finger holes between the first and second knuckle.  This was intended more for the bowler moving from a straight ball into the hook ball delivery.
  
• Fingertip drilling:  Moving the finger holes out to the first knuckle or farther with an extreme stretch of the hand.  This was intended for the bowler to get maximum “lift” for a greater hook.

  Conventional drilling is still intended for the straight ball bowler.  The basic idea of the fit is the same with pitches (angles) of the thumb and fingers varying a little.  This drilling is great for the beginner bowler and bowlers content with the straight ball release. 

   The old method of fingertip drilling is very different from the new method.  The old method of fingertip drilling was an extreme stretch of the hand and a large amount of reverse pitch (angle away from the palm) to get the thumb out quickly.  This was great for the bowler with a stronger hand, but it could cause problems for those who did not have a strong hand.  This could cause tendonitis and problems in the joints of the hands. 

  The new method of fingertip drilling is not such an extreme stretch of the hand.  In fact, it is closer to the semi-fingertip drilling than fingertip drilling.  It is a much more relaxed span between the fingers and the thumb.  The angle of the thumb also enables the bowler to have a better hold of the ball without having to grip it. It is much easier to roll the ball over your mark if you are comfortable.  Most bowlers who could not use the old fingertip drilling can use the new one.  It enables the bowler to get the same performance out of a much more comfortable grip.  This is what is recommended for bowlers wanting to learn the hook roll or bowlers who have an old fingertip drilling that is starting to become uncomfortable.

  There you have it.  We have now compared fingertip drilling to conventional drilling to help you decide which one is more suitable for you.  If you have any questions, please email Jose at .

Jose