Same drilling layouts on multiple balls

[Joker]

Lately I've been seeing a lot of bowlers and even pros like dick allen saying he has the same drilling on different balls. Would this be advisable? Doesn't this in some way limit yourself on the multiple reactions you could be getting?

[RobLV1]

All the layout does is to position the core within the ball. When you use the same layout on multiple balls, you can get a very accurate read on the differences based on the differences between the balls without muddying the waters by using different layouts. If you want a ball that goes long and snaps, don't buy a ball that hooks early and arcs and try to drill it to go long and snap. I interviewed Tony Reyes a few years ago, and he told me that he had over 30 balls on the truck, and all had one of only three pin positions.

[Joker]

but wouldnt having similar pin positions limit you on the different patterns. Long vs short patterns, flat vs forgiving? Wouldnt you need multiple pin positions to give you a more versatile look?

[Perrin]

If you have 30 balls you can control your variations by coverstock and surface prep.

Look at it this way,
We pick a ball and drill it for a situation since we have limited options from a ball perspective.

The pro can pick a drilling they like and put it on a ball to meet the situation since they are not limited in that manner.

[bowl1820]

Most all of the balls I have had with some minor variations essentially use the same layout. I haven't really ever felt it limited me, I've tried once in a while having a radically different layout. To see if it gave me something different, but I wound up going back to my typical layouts.

[RobLV1]

but wouldnt having similar pin positions limit you on the different patterns. Long vs short patterns, flat vs forgiving? Wouldnt you need multiple pin positions to give you a more versatile look?

No, you'd need multiple balls to give you a more versatile look. Personally, as Bowl1820 says, other than layouts for particular unusual situations, I find two or three are plenty. I use two pin up layouts, and one neutral pin layout. The only time I drill something pin down is when I need it to go extremely long.

[Aslan]

I don't think different layouts do nearly as much as peple tend to think.

Sure, if you're Pete Weber...or Sean Rash...maybe a Virtual Gravity pin up does something noticeable versus pin down. But I've yet to see any data that suggests pin position and/or layout have a noticeable impact on how well the average bowler scores. Surface? Cover stock? Absolutely. But I don't think the USBC has yet published anything using their robot where it threw multiple pin positions and say a difference.

I leave it up to the ball driller. They ask me a couple questions...look at what I'm already using...and then drill it to comfortably fit my hand. The only time pin position has ever even came up was in terms of whether or not the ball needed a balance hole or not and where to put it based on pin length.

[Perrin]

There was a study done by Mo Rich if I remember correctly.
Same ball Same coverstock with different Drills on it. it altered the Transition points on the lane. Skid to Hook and Hook to roll as well as the length of the transitions.

I will see if I can find it again... Hopefully the didn't take it down.

[Joker]

There was a study done by Mo Rich if I remember correctly.
Same ball Same coverstock with different Drills on it. it altered the Transition points on the lane. Skid to Hook and Hook to roll as well as the length of the transitions.

I will see if I can find it again... Hopefully the didn't take it down.

i figured this is kind of similar to what I was thinking based on the transition timing. If everything I drilled was pin up and needed things that needed to start either earlier or later, wouldnt that be important enough for more drilling in your arsenal

[Perrin]

Found it. Page 54 through 56 of this PDF from BowlingChat.net.

http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/images/9/9c/Truth_About_Drilled_Balls_Seminar.pdf

all rights to Mo and all that legal stuff

[Perrin]

i figured this is kind of similar to what I was thinking based on the transition timing. If everything I drilled was pin up and needed things that needed to start either earlier or later, wouldnt that be important enough for more drilling in your arsenal

If you had a limited choice in coversocks it would require more drillling options. but if you can use the same drilling on different balls you are better off.

If you look at page 23 from that same PDF it shows the 18 most important variables for ball reaction and the Top 5 are all related to coverstock/surface prep versus anything you can do with the drilling of the ball.

[Aslan]

If you look at page 23 from that same PDF it shows the 18 most important variables for ball reaction and the Top 5 are all related to coverstock/surface prep versus anything you can do with the drilling of the ball.

That was my understanding.

[Joker]

this is interesting, thanks everyone for their input

[MICHAEL]

this is interesting, thanks everyone for their input

If you don't have a spinner, think about getting one for a Christmas present for your wife, or girlfriend if she lives with you. I have a BLAST with my nearly 15 balls trying out different surfaces.. It's amazing what you can do with a balls reaction. They are great for sooooooo many things! NO better way to put polish on the ball. JUST MAKE SURE TO KEEP GOOD RECORDS on each ball when you modify it, so if you like the results, you can replicate it when the time comes again to put some surface on the ball.