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How many finger holes can you have in a bowling ball?

Author

Rachel Ellis

Published Jan 09, 2026

1: Holes or indentations for gripping purposes shall not exceed five and shall be limited to one for each finger and one for the thumb, all for the same hand.

Why does my bowling ball have 4 holes?

Background. A balance hole is an extra hole in the bowling ball that is not used for gripping purposes. Balance holes are primarily used to make the ball static weight legal to the current USBC Equipment Specifications and Certifications Manual if they are outside the legal limit after drilling.

How many finger holes are in a 10 pin bowling ball?

How many holes are allowed in a bowling ball? The rules of tenpin bowling allow for a total of 12 holes in each ball. You are allowed one for each finger and thumb for gripping purposes.

Is it better to bowl with 2 fingers or 3?

Your best spare strategy is to employ a traditional three-finger grip. Using the thumb hole will heighten your control of the ball and reduce your hook. Some bowlers even elect to throw a separate plastic ball for spares. Plastic balls slide more smoothly down the lane.

Can 2 handed bowlers have a thumb hole?

A two-handed bowler is required to use the same dominant hand during their delivery on both their first and second shots (this refers to the hand in which the bowling ball rests). They also have the option of utilizing a thumb hole or not—both are acceptable. However, only one set of gripping holes is allowed.

29 related questions found

What is an illegal bowling ball?

Related: The Storm Spectre bowling ball, which the USBC banned from all USBC certified competition, is not allowed in any level of PBA competition. Purple Hammer bowling balls manufactured in 2016 and 2017 were banned from USBC certified competition, and are not allowed in any level of PBA competition.

Is it legal to bowl without finger holes?

No. If a bowler doesn't use their thumb during a delivery, they can either have a thumb hole or a balance hole but not both. If the ball has a thumb hole but the bowler doesn't use it, then as long as it meets static balance requirements, the ball is allowed.

How far should fingers go in bowling ball?

First, check the size of the holes. When you place your fingers in the ball, they should slide comfortably to the first crease down from the fingertips for a standard “fingertip” grip. If you're jamming the fingers in because they're too tight, change the inserts or have the holes opened slightly.

What weight bowling ball should I use?

A bowling ball should weigh 10 percent of your body weight (up to 16 pounds), which means you really shouldn't be grabbing, say, an 8-pound ball if you weigh 150 pounds. You want some weight to the ball, but it shouldn't be so heavy that it's uncomfortable.

How do you release a bowling ball with no thumb?

Thumbless Bowlers Need to Cup Their Wrist

When bowling without a thumb,your wrist is cupped and you are basically holding the ball between your arm and wrist. you can only go so high with your back swing before you lose control of the ball. So you are not able to gain any adjustment by not cupping the wrist.

How many holes are in a standard bowling game?

Bowling balls vary, depending on the type of bowling. Ten-pin balls are about 8.59 inches (21.8 cm) in diameter, typically have three holes, and weigh from 6 to 16 lb (2.7 to 7.3 kg). The size and spacing of the finger holes on non-customized balls are generally smaller on lighter balls to accommodate smaller hands.

How many bowling pins are there?

Ten pins are arranged at the end of the bowling lane at the beginning of every frame. They are arranged in a triangle formation, with the point of the triangle facing the bowler. There is one pin in the first row, which is the head pin, two pins in the second row, three in the third, and four in the fourth.

How heavy is the heaviest legal bowling ball?

Find the Right Weight for Your Game

The heaviest legal bowling ball weighs 16 pounds. The lightest weight you can usually find at most bowling alleys is six pounds. That's a significant 10-pound range, and you can choose a ball anywhere within its limits.

Is a balance hole illegal?

1 and that means effective today if you have a balance hole (or weight hole) in your bowling ball, it is officially illegal in USBC competition. It's Aug. 1 and that means effective today if you have a balance hole (or weight hole) in your bowling ball, it is officially illegal in USBC competition.

Can you still use retired bowling balls?

Re: Not allowed to use OLD bowling balls

The usbc will side with the league officials 100%. The rules clearly state any tournament director or league board can ban any balls they chose for no reason what so ever.

Can a bowling ball be plugged and Redrilled?

The reasons a ball might end up plugged are quite varied, but the bottom line is that plugged and redrilled bowling balls are extremely common. In fact, it isn't at all unusual to look at a rack of bowling balls during a typical league or tournament and see more plugged balls than non-plugged balls!

Is a 10lb bowling ball too light?

Weight of Bowling Balls

Bowling balls range from 6 lbs to 16 lbs. In other words, you cannot have a bowling ball lighter than six pounds, and you cannot have one heavier than sixteen pounds.

Is it better to use a heavy or light bowling ball?

In general, the heavier the bowling ball will be, the better as a heavy ball will be more impactful, carry more power, and will have more chances of hooking than a lightweight bowling ball. The heavier ball will be able to knock down more pins when two bowling balls are thrown at the same speed.

Should I use a 15 or 16 pound bowling ball?

In general, the best ball weight for you is the heaviest ball you can comfortably throw for an extended period of time. A ball you can throw with ease for only one game doesn't do you much good if you have two more games to bowl. For most adults, this ranges from 14 to 16 pounds.

Why do bowlers tuck their pinky?

Tucking the pinky finger works best on a full fingertip grip as opposed to the conventional grip. Because your pinky finger is tucked, your bowling fingers are naturally propped toward the palm of your bowling hand which will encourage a pronounced finger action when the thumb exits the ball.

Why use finger inserts for bowling balls?

Inserts provide the ability for your fingers to apply an enhanced delivery action on the bowling ball after your thumb exits the ball first. Inserts provide contour to fit your knuckle shape which in turn helps to prevent finger irritation or chaffing on the sides of the knuckle joints.

Can you bring your own bowling ball?

You'll need to rent or bring your own bowling ball, and you'll be expected to put on a pair of those ultra-fashionable bowling shoes. Most places provide the shoes when you pay for a game, and some serious bowlers bring their own, but regardless, you aren't allowed to wear “street shoes” while you bowl.

Is 2 handed bowling legal?

The United States Bowling Congress (USBC), the sport's national governing body, studied this issue early on and determined there are no rules violations using the two-handed approach.

Is a Four finger bowling ball legal?

USBC's specification states: Holes or indentations for gripping purposes shall not exceed five and shall be limited to one for each finger and one for the thumb, all for the same hand.

How much does it cost to get finger holes drilled in a bowling ball?

Custom drilling services can cost anywhere from $50 to $70 at your local pro shop. Installation of finger inserts, thumb slugs, switch grips, and thumb molds are also available for custom drilled bowling balls. Choose your drilling options and we will professionally drill your new bowling ball.