In the high-stakes world of ten-pin bowling, your choice of technique can make or break your game. The question of conventional vs. fingertip bowling is a critical one, as it can be the deciding factor between consistently rolling strikes and struggling with spares, wins, and losses.
If you’re a regular on the bowling lanes, you know how maddening it can be to miss those crucial spares. However, could it be that your frustrations stem from using an ill-suited bowling technique?
Before you chalk up your hands and grab your ball, you won’t want to skip this essential guide.
What Is A Conventional Grip Bowling Ball?
The conventional grip is often referred to as the “standard” or “traditional” way to grip a bowling ball. It enjoys widespread popularity for its straightforward execution and ease of use.
To form a conventional grip, you’ll begin by inserting your middle and ring fingers fully into the ball’s finger holes.
Simultaneously, position your index and pinkie fingers on the ball’s surface and place your thumb in the ball’s side hole.
When you perform this accurately, your hand will be in a “cocked” position—meaning your hand will tilt slightly forward, with your fingers aiming downward toward the lane.
The conventional grip is best for you if you’re just starting out as a bowler or you want to focus on accuracy.
Pros Of Conventional Grip Bowling Ball
- Easy To Use: One of the reasons why the conventional grip is so popular is that it’s easy to learn and use. The hand positioning here is also natural, and there are no complex finger movements, making it easy to adopt.
- Stable Grip: If you’ve spent some time in a bowling arena, you’ll have seen people have their bowling balls slip out of their hands during release. This usually happens when you don’t have a stable grip on your ball, but with the conventional grip, you won’t have to worry about this happening to you.
- Reliability: In bowling, one of the things you should always aim for is consistency. Lots of beginners miss this by focusing on more complex bowling styles. However, in the end, the aim is still to get as many strikes and knock down as many spares as you can. Conventional grip bowling offers you a reliable roll that will consistently give you the results you want.
Cons Of Conventional Grip Bowling Ball
- Spin Control: Although conventional grip bowling grants you a more stable grip, it doesn’t offer you as much control over the ball’s spin. So, you may find it harder to master techniques like hooks and curves.
- Power: Another trade-off for the stable grip this technique grants you is that you’ll generate less power. This is because the conventional grip engages more of your hand, which also limits wrist action.
- Bad Habits: Conventional grip is relatively simple to learn and master, so lots of bowlers using this style run the risk of developing poor techniques. These can be hard to unlearn when you’re transitioning to more advanced grips.
What Is A Fingertip Bowling Ball
A fingertip bowling ball grip is unique compared to the conventional grip. In this grip, you’ll hold the ball such that it “sits” in the palm of your hand.
Here, instead of inserting your fingers deep into the bowling ball’s holes, you’ll only insert the tips of your middle and ring fingers. However, your thumb positioning will remain the same as in the conventional grip style.
Fingertip bowling usually requires a greater understanding of bowling mechanics, including how to effectively control your ball’s spin, hook, and overall trajectory.
So, if you’re not an advanced or professional bowler, this may not be the right bowling technique for you.
Pros Of Fingertip Bowling Ball
- Better Spin Control: If you’ve been using the conventional grip for a while but the ball spins keep messing up your throws, try fingertip bowling. The fingertip grip offers you superior spin control, plus you’ll also be able to pull off cool moves like hooks and curves.
- Power: As mentioned above, one of the major setbacks of the conventional bowling grip is that it limits wrist action, thus limiting the amount of power you can generate on your throws. The fingertip grip, however, promotes increased wrist action. The result? Way more power!
- Better Form: Fingertip bowling might be more challenging to learn than the conventional style, but in the long run, it does pay off. This bowling grip technique actually encourages proper technique, so will cut down on all your bad habits.
Cons Of Fingertip Bowling Ball
- Complexity: As has already been highlighted, the fingertip bowling grip is more challenging to master than its conventional counterpart. So, it will take some time and a lot of practice for you to be able to use it effectively.
- Strain Potential: Fingertip bowling involves several nuanced finger and wrist movements. While this helps you achieve better bowling results, it does mean you may have to deal with muscle strain or even injury sometimes. This is especially true if you use this grip technique incorrectly.
- Cost: To use the fingertip grip effectively, you will need to get custom-drilled bowling balls. These balls tend to be more expensive than their traditional counterparts.
Which one is better, Bowling Fingertip Grip vs. Conventional?
From all that has been said so far, it should already be clear to you that a conventional vs. fingertip bowling comparison isn’t straightforward.
Choosing which bowling ball grip technique is better for you comes down to skill level but also your specific bowling goals.
For casual bowlers or those who engage in the sport solely for recreation, the conventional grip is an excellent choice. It offers a quick path to consistent performance with minimal risk of physical strain or injury.
On the flip side, if your sights are set on competitive or professional bowling, the fingertip grip becomes virtually indispensable.
This advanced grip style opens the door to a range of specialized techniques, providing you with nuanced control over your ball’s trajectory and spin.
Conclusion
The “best” bowling grip depends on your bowling goals. For casual bowlers playing for fun, the conventional grip is probably the best.
However, if you’re eyeing competitive or professional bowling, the fingertip bowling technique is the better option. It offers the control and finesse you need to elevate your game.
The “better” grip technique in a conventional vs. fingertip bowling comparison is not a one-size-fits-all answer. Rather, it depends greatly on the context of use.
Want to bowl for fun? Try the conventional grip. Want to go pro with bowling? The fingertip grip is a must-learn.