Static ball weight and layout.

[John_Velo]

Hey Guys,

Ok a technical question and thought for this ten minutes.

Below are two similar bowling balls by two very different bowlers.

Ball 1 has the thumb to the right of the grip centre line and Ball 2 has it to the left.

So, now to the question, when measuring the bowling balls static weight where is the centre of the grip?

Looking closely at the two example you can clearly see the cut lines of the drilling layout indicating where the centre of grip should be.

Both of the bowling balls are for right handed bowler, how is the thumb used on ball 1? The answer, it is not.

The hole looks more like a rule requirement placed clearly as a weight balance hole for a two handed bowler. Is this an unfair advantage?

Pleae note, I have absolutely no problem with two handed bowlers, they are recreating the bowling world and I absolutely support their style and love watching their hitting power. But do they have an unfair advantage by placing a thumb hole where they like to gain a weight imbalance advantage?

I would be interested to know how some of the ball drillers here view this.

 

[Easy Tiger]

Hi John,

Excellent question.

The first thing to ask is this, can the two handed bowler using ball number 1 cover the hole with the palm of their hand? Looking at that picture I would say no, or they must have some good flexibility!

If the answer is no, then it's illegal anyway. Edit - just saw Brenton's post below. This is true, however it becomes a grey area as to what is a thumb hole and what is a balance hole. That could still conceivably be deemed a thumb hole in pic 1 and by looking at just the picture I couldn't be sure.

If yes, then I will leave that to others to debate. Some say static weights have practically no bearing on overall ball reaction anyway and that the coverstock is much more important.

 

[Brenton_Davy]

Ball 1 looks like it has been drilled for a 2 hander, no thumber. As a result the hole is not used as a grip hole and the statics are measured from the middle point between the 2 finger grips. The 3rd hole is purely to bring the statics back to legal.

Ball 2 would see the statics measured from the traditional grip centre, ie the grip mid point on grip centre line as that third hole is obviously used as a gripping hole.

 

[Brenton_Davy]

ET.

That hole does not have to be covered or used as it is effectively a weight hole. That hole only becomes illegal if there if there is another hole. IE If that hole shown is not used as a weight hole AND is not gripped or partially covered AND there is another hole.

Hi John,

Excellent question.

The first thing to ask is this, can the two handed bowler using ball number 1 cover the hole with the palm of their hand? Looking at that picture I would say no, or they must have some good flexibility!

If the answer is no, then it's illegal anyway.

If yes, then I will leave that to others to debate. Some say static weights have practically no bearing on overall ball reaction anyway and that the coverstock is much more important.

 

[Easy Tiger]

Good point very true.

Back to the original question then is it an unfair advantage.. I'd have to say no.

 

[mickyd213]

It is conceivable that a bowler could bowl with both balls 1 handed albeit uncomfortably... Having an offset thumb is not uncommon but pic 1 surely looks like it's laid out for a 2 hander... But if he can bowl with it 1 handed then it's a thumb hole and static weights would be measured accordingly...

 

[mickyd213]

Hey Guys,

The hole looks more like a rule requirement placed clearly as a weight balance hole for a two handed bowler. Is this an unfair advantage?

Pleae note, I have absolutely no problem with two handed bowlers, they are recreating the bowling world and I absolutely support their style and love watching their hitting power. But do they have an unfair advantage by placing a thumb hole where they like to gain a weight imbalance advantage

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John... You can't have a weight imbalance problem... Every ball must fall within static weight limits to be used in tournaments or to receive awards for honor scores...

 

[John_Velo]

Hi Michael,

That is my point exactly. If the ball is measured by drawing a line from the bridge to the thumb centre, then measured for static weight it, is true and legal. But when bowled the hand is laid in the ball in a way that the thumb is not used, then the ball should be measured with a line going from the bridge to the where the thumb hole would be if it were used.

It is clear in the ball drilled for the two hander just where that hole would be due to the drill mark-up lines that are still present on the ball.

Sorry, it just seems odd and an advantage of sorts. Sure it could be a Sergeant grip, but the drill mark line indicate otherwise.

 

[Brenton_Davy]

Hi Michael,

That is my point exactly. If the ball is measured by drawing a line from the bridge to the thumb centre, then measured for static weight it, is true and legal. But when bowled the hand is laid in the ball in a way that the thumb is not used, then the ball should be measured with a line going from the bridge to the where the thumb hole would be if it were used.

It is clear in the ball drilled for the two hander just where that hole would be due to the drill mark-up lines that are still present on the ball.

Sorry, it just seems odd and an advantage of sorts. Sure it could be a Sergeant grip, but the drill mark line indicate otherwise.

John, the lines are irrelevant. if the hole is not used for gripping, the static weights are taken from the point between the inserts, ie between the finger holes.

 

[Aussie]

"HOLES" It was a good Walt Disney movie.

 

[John_Velo]

John, the lines are irrelevant. if the hole is not used for gripping, the static weights are taken from the point between the inserts, ie between the finger holes.

Hi Brenton,

But relevant if the palm covers any part of the thumb hole?

Thanks for your input guys, all this stuff is interesting. I like looking at different ball layouts to see how the different bowlers lay their kit out and finish it off.

 

[RobbieB]

IIRC, the hole has to be capable of being used as a gripping hole to qualify as a thumbhole, as well as be covered by the hand during the swing. If it is claimed to be a thumbhole, a tournament director would be well within his duties if he asked the bowler to bowl a ball with the thumb in. If that is not possible, then as Brenton pointed out the centre of the bridge is the centre of the grip for balance purposes.