Where Are Key Pressure Points When I Grip My Bowling Ball?

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 10/28/2015; Updated: 4/20/2022

As an advanced and skilled bowler, you may ask where are key pressure points when I grip my bowling ball?

Since every bowler has a different feel when gripping the bowling ball, there are a couple of pressure points you can make yourself aware of to help you gain a consistent release and an effective roll on your bowling ball.

It all begins with knowing your options when gripping the bowling ball so your hand a chance to do the job of providing you with increased power, reduced power, axis rotation, and speed or loft distance control.

If you prefer to keep all fingers close to one another when gripping your fingertip ball, you tend to stay behind the ball and produce a low axis tilt release which, in turn, produces a moderate or small hook motion on the back-end of the lane.

The pressure points are focused in one small area on the ball surface by your hand when your index finger and pinky finger grip the ball in contact with your middle gripping fingers.

Spreading your bowling index finger offers an option in ball motion control.

Because more of your hand spans the circumference of the bowling ball when your index finger is spread away from your middle finger about as far as you can move it away from the middle finger, you can gain increased stability in your hand making it easier to rotate your bowling fingers quickly and aggressively at the moment your release occurs.

By increasing your finger rotation by turning your bowling fingers quickly and in a snappy fashion, you generate a higher than normal axis tilt and increase your rev-rate.

A high axis tilt with increased “revs” can produce an increased bowling ball angle of entry into the pocket.

Another advantage of spreading the index finger is to gain a well-balanced grip on the bowling ball so you reduce any tendency to “figure eight” your hand while swinging your bowling ball.

With your index finger spread wide, you can control the position of your hand staying behind the ball as your hand reaches the critical delivery zone on your forward swing.

You can also spread your “pinky” finger widely away from your ring finger and coupled with the spread index finger, you will have maximum hand covering the surface of the ball for maximum stability swinging the ball.

By applying slightly more finger gripping pressure than normal on the pads of your gripping fingers, , you will help your thumb to exit the ball more quickly than with a light pad pressure on your gripping fingertips.

A fast thumb exit from the ball encourages a lively finger action and a strong release.

When your index finger is spread wide and you bring the tip of the finger back toward your thumb slightly, perhaps ¼ to ½ an inch, and press down on the ball noticeably with the tip of your finger, you will promote a faster yet thumb exit from the ball and get maximum finger action when releasing the ball.



Finally, another gripping option commonly used to help your thumb exit the ball quickly and favor good finger rotational action at the time you release your ball is to tuck your “pinky” finger (where the fingernail is in contact with the ball surface up to your first small knuckle joint) and press fairly hard the tip of your index finger on the ball surface.

This gripping technique promotes a powerful release as your thumb will exit the ball very quickly.

Power players typically spread the index finger to gain maximum releasing action to develop high revs and a strong bowling ball hook motion.

Some experimentation is necessary to master the feel of these gripping pressure point options so you can rely on them during competition.