Types of Bowling Ball Finger Plugs

Plugging a bowling ball is the act of pouring a plugging solution into the holes in a ball and then redrilling the ball to create a new set of finger holes. You can drill a plug in three primary ways, each with its own benefits and suited to certain types of hands.

  1. Pouring the Plug

    • The first step in adding a plug of any style to a ball is to fill the prior holes drilled into the ball. Add coloring to the plug solution, if desired, to create a plug that matches, or even contrasts, the color of the ball. Once you find a proper color, add the hardening solution and pour the mix into the hole. After the plug has cured, sand the ball so the plug matches the rounded form of the bowling ball. With the plug now turning the ball into a solid sphere, drill it in one of three ways to create the desired style of plug.

    Full Finger Plug

    • Drill a full finger plug to allow for the insertion of the bowler's fingers all the way down to the second knuckle. This is a grip most commonly used by beginning bowlers, as it makes it easier to maintain control over the ball. A bowler using a full finger plug is likely someone who have seen his fingers grow smaller or who has purchased a ball from a bowler with a similar grip length but thicker fingers.

    Fingertip Plug

    • Fingertip plugs are much shorter than full finger plugs, as they only are drilled to allow for the first digit of the ring and middle fingers to enter the plug. Fingertip plugs are more likely to be used by an experienced bowler comfortable holding the ball due to the increased ability to put spin and pace on a ball, compared with a full finger grip. A player with a hand shorter than the ball's drilled holes can use a fingertip plug to grip the ball, as it allows the hand to stretch farther out before reaching the holes.

    Hybrid Plug

    • A hybrid plug is drilled between a full finger plug and a fingertip plug; it allows the bowler's second digit on the middle and ring fingers to enter the ball partially, but not down to the second knuckle. This style of grip finds a balance between the control of a full-fingered grip and the speed and spin of a fingertip grip. A full-finger bowler using a ball drilled slightly larger than her hand can also use this plug, as can a fingertip bowler with a ball drilled slightly smaller than his grip.