Tip To Avoid Overturning Your Bowling Ball

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 12/5/2014; Updated: 8/5/2022

If you would like a tip to avoid overturning your bowling ball, then the simplest and easiest way to think about it is to keep your bowling thumb outside your middle bowling fingers throughout your release.

If you are a right handed bowler, your thumb should exit the ball slightly before your fingers and must remain to the right of your fingers as you release and follow through.

The opposite will work for left handed bowlers.

Overturning the ball is every bowler’s challenge to avoid.

If you are overturning the ball, you are risking keeping your thumb in the ball longer than intended and reducing the effective roll on your ball.

Overturning the ball also means you could pull the ball off of your intended delivery path to your target.

Overturning the ball can result in topping the ball with your hand turning completely over the top of the ball as you release the ball.

Topping the ball weakens your release unless you are super-skilled enough to do it by choice to lower your axis of rotation and tilt.



We hear the term “stay behind the ball” to get good roll and make accurate deliveries.

Making sure your thumb is outside your fingers during your release and follow through will help you achieve the results you are searching for and will stop you from overturning the ball.

With a little practice and getting used to a new feel when you deliver your ball will go a long way to helping reduce the overturn you presently are experiencing.

Your thumb is very important in keying a consistent and effective release.