Unusual Flip Grip

I struggled with a 1¼ turn for over 40 years. My best tournament ever was under 40%. After an injury and a whopping 8% at a state tournament, I decided I could do no worse left handed. The double flip seemed to be the easiest to pitch. I think I had a pretty conventional flip grip. In 3 years I topped out at about 30% and was having some strain on my little finger. Watching the Junior Championship at Red Deer, I thought I saw a much different grip. I copied what I thought I saw and have improved slowly ever since. My Natstats were over 50% for over a year. I have pitched a 60% tournament and several 70% fifty shoe games. My wife, Audra was a single flipper and her game had been down for several months. She committed to the same style Oct 2006. Her first tournament was 28%, but she averaged 55% at 2007 State which was higher than any event for her since Jan 2006.

If you are still with me, here it is: Pitch a shoe with a low toe caulk. Audra pitches the Imperial Original drop forged (no longer available). The Diamond Tournament (which I now use) and some others are very similar. We both pitch with all caulks down (if you have all caulks down, you do NOT want a flip only horseshoe). With your arm at your side hold the shoe as if you were carrying a bucket (all fingers in all the way). Put your thumb on top of the shoe and curl your fingers on top of your thumb. Don’t squeeze-just keep enough pressure to hold the shoe in place until you get your forward swing started. The fingers do most of the work after you start your final forward swing. I imagine there are others using this grip, but I haven’t seen any except a few I have started. There have been at least a couple of 30’ double flipping World champions including 2006-07 champion Thomas Lee. Most of you may know that there has never been any 40’ flip pitcher win the Open Men’s Division of the World Tournament. Part of the reason may be because some good flip pitchers have changed to the turn because they knew there were no 40’ Open Men flip champions. There is a 2 time Senior (40’) World Champion. Ed Arionus of TX won in 1996 (71%) and 1999. If you check his profile, you will see he pitched the Diamond Tournament shoe. If this method works better for you than it does for me (LEFT HANDED born in 1940), maybe you will be a 40’ world champion flipper. I have never excelled at any other sport and that makes me believe my results are due to my method rather than my ability.

Gregg Craven
gregg_audra@sbcglobal.net

PS
I believe I have found a better alternative to the Diamond Tournament (for me anyway). I had only 2 events over 50% in a year with them. I have since pitched Pythons (Canadian) and had 4 over 50% in my first 6 events. They are harder and stay much smoother where I hold them.