What is "track" and how do I read it?

[Bendial]

Can someone please help me understand what the "Track" is on my ball and how to read it to know if I have a high, low, or medium? Also what is "Flair"?

[bowl1820]

The "Track" is referring to the oil lines you see on your ball after you roll it down the lane. It's where the ball touches the lane as it rolls.

"Flare" is referring to how much that oil line precess's (moves) around the ball.

http://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/images/physics_bowling_10.png

http://www.real-world-physics-problems.com/images/physics_bowling_9.png

How close the first oil line is to the finger & Thumb holes tells you if you have a high, low, or medium track.

Basically:
Low 3" or more away from the holes (axis tilt of 25° or more)
Medium is about 1" or 2" away from the holes (axis tilt of 10° to 25° or more)
High is 1" or less (axis tilt of 10° or less)

[J Anderson]

The track is the area on the ball that comes into contact with the lane as it rolls toward the pins. You can 'read' it by looking at the oil rings on the ball when it comes back. A high track would have the oil rings coming very close to the finger holes. The less axis tilt, the higher the track.

Flair is change in the track as the ball goes down the lane. On a ball with a symmetric core, there will be little change and the ball may come back looking as if there is a single oil ring marking the track. An asymmetrical core will cause a change in the track and the ball will come back with a numbers of distinct oil lines intersecting in a 'bowtie'. The more the lines diverge, the more flair.

[Judy clemons]

now, that we know what track is and how to read it explain please, what the purpose is in knowing it and how it is used?

[Bendial]

LOL good reply Judy ;-)

Thanks everyone else as well for your response! Is the track pretty much always going to be to the left of the finger holes as shown in the diagram (for a right handed bowler)

[bowl1820]

The track is the area on the ball that comes into contact with the lane as it rolls toward the pins. You can 'read' it by looking at the oil rings on the ball when it comes back. A high track would have the oil rings coming very close to the finger holes. The less axis tilt, the higher the track.

Flair is change in the track as the ball goes down the lane. On a ball with a symmetric core, there will be little change and the ball may come back looking as if there is a single oil ring marking the track. An asymmetrical core will cause a change in the track and the ball will come back with a numbers of distinct oil lines intersecting in a 'bowtie'. The more the lines diverge, the more flair.

it's "Flare" not "Flair"

"Flair" is A natural talent or aptitude; a knack: a flair for interior decorating. 2. Instinctive discernment; keenness: a flair for the exotica. 3. Distinctive elegance or style: served us with flair.

As for

On a ball with a symmetric core, there will be little change and the ball may come back looking as if there is a single oil ring marking the track

That's not right...
A symmetrical core can flare just like a asymmetrical core can also, How much would depend on the layout and how many rev's you can put on the ball. (The more revolutions you can create, the more flare you will get.)

Most all the sym. core balls out now have 6"-"7" of flare. That's not going to look like a single oil ring!

[MICHAEL]

it's "Flare" not "Flair"

"Flair" is A natural talent or aptitude; a knack: a flair for interior decorating. 2. Instinctive discernment; keenness: a flair for the exotica. 3. Distinctive elegance or style: served us with flair.

As in Iceman,,, Iceman has a Flair for bowling even at the age of ....... Did I say I had a 300 4 weeks ago (:)

[ArtVandelay]

Here's a question:

Is more flare or less flare better?

There's a part of me that things if you have less flare, the ball is rolling on a more predictable plane. BUT, then again, perhaps MORE flare exposes more coverstock to the lane and perhaps putting fresh coverstock on the lane helps the ball grip...? hmmm... Interesting!

[bowl1820]

Here's a question:

Is more flare or less flare better?

There's a part of me that things if you have less flare, the ball is rolling on a more predictable plane. BUT, then again, perhaps MORE flare exposes more coverstock to the lane and perhaps putting fresh coverstock on the lane helps the ball grip...? hmmm... Interesting!

Yes flare exposes more clean/dry coverstock to the lane and that helps the ball grip the lane. that the purpose of flare.

Is more flare or less flare better? its not a matter of which is better, its about having the right amount on the right conditions.

you would tend to want more flare on oilier conditions and less on the dryer ones.

[bowl1820]

now, that we know what track is and how to read it explain please, what the purpose is in knowing it and how it is used?

Knowing how much flare potential a ball has, gives you a idea of the hook potential of the ball. You can then either take advantage of it or reduce it by how you drill the ball.

[billf]

After the first roll with my Revenge tonight I looked at the flare. It covered half the ball while the track went completely around it. Given it was the Shark pattern, low volume, I balled down. I still get a ton of flare but not that much. And this was with me attempted to take revs out of the ball ;(

[J Anderson]

it's "Flare" not "Flair"

"Flair" is A natural talent or aptitude; a knack: a flair for interior decorating. 2. Instinctive discernment; keenness: a flair for the exotica. 3. Distinctive elegance or style: served us with flair.

As for


That's not right...
A symmetrical core can flare just like a asymmetrical core can also, How much would depend on the layout and how many rev's you can put on the ball. (The more revolutions you can create, the more flare you will get.)

Most all the sym. core balls out now have 6"-"7" of flare. That's not going to look like a single oil ring!

This is why I'm not a professional proofreader.

Wow I was completely wrong. For some reason I thought it was the asymmetry of the core that caused the ball to precess. So only a ball with a pancake weight block would not flare?

[bowl1820]

So only a ball with a pancake weight block would not flare?

No even a plastic ball with a pancake weight block can flare (Though not a lot, ), depending on how you drill it and the conditions you use it on.

[got_a_300]

That's not right...
A symmetrical core can flare just like a asymmetrical core can also, How much would depend on the layout and how many rev's you can put on the ball. (The more revolutions you can create, the more flare you will get.)

Most all the sym. core balls out now have 6"-"7" of flare. That's not going to look like a single oil ring!

True very true as I have an old Ebonite Evolve that I bought back in 2011 when I first
came back to bowling that has a safety drill on it as I didn't have a PAP established yet
and it has no special drilling or weights done to it more or less a straight up label drill.

It has the symmetrical core that will flare almost as much if not as much as any of my
asymmetrical core balls do unless I take a lot of hand out of it but if I rev it up then it
will flare just like they do and even if I don't rev it up hard it still flares quite a bit.

The only time it doesn't flare a lot is if I take everything off of it and throw it with an end
over end row like you would with a straight spare ball then it may have one or two flare
rings on it.

[Greenday]

As for the effects of where your track is, the higher the track, the more the ball will grip the lane, the harder it will move. For me, my normal track is about 1 1/4" away from the thumb hole. Gives me a strong, controllable hook. When I mess up and roll a ball with a high track, the ball grabs earlier and goes high.