Building a good arsenal

[dougb]

One of the discussions in the recent threads inspired me to dig up some articles on how to build a good arsenal. I just went through this process myself, choosing a 4-ball arsenal to cover different lane conditions and to give me different angles to the pocket on THS.

I hope people find this useful, and it comes from our site sponsor!

http://www.bowlingball.com/BowlVersity/how-to-develop-a-good-bowling-ball-arsenal

[Mgower]

I bought my bowling balls using the perfect scale on bowlingballs.com. One high, one mid, and one lower on the scale. Seems to be working for me at the moment.

[RobLV1]

I wrote an article for BTM a couple of months ago called "The Spaces Between" that gives a different perspective of how to build an effective arsenal.

[dougb]

I wrote an article for BTM a couple of months ago called "The Spaces Between" that gives a different perspective of how to build an effective arsenal.

Rob,

I read this article when I considered my new arsenal, and didn't know you were the author!

I stuck pretty close to this for a low revs/speed bowler, also taking into account cores I match up well with (the Melee and Vintage series cores), cover stocks (Solids and pearls), and having discussed with several Brunswick staffers what those covers were like with surface changes. Here's what I did:

Melee Cross

[dougb]

Rob,

I read this article when I considered my new arsenal, and didn't know you were the author!

I stuck pretty close to this for a low revs/speed bowler, also taking into account cores I match up well with (the Melee and Vintage series cores), cover stocks (Solids and pearls), and having discussed with several Brunswick staffers what those covers were like with surface changes. Here's what I did:

Melee Cross

Sorry I'm on my phone and can't seem to edit the reply after I accidentally posted it. Let me try again:

Melee Cross (2.487)
Melee Jab (2.487)
Gold Rhino Pro (2.52)
LT-48 (2.565)

I diverged slightly from your formula on the Jab but I want this ball specifically when I need to open up the lanes and all accounts this is a ball to do it. I also know as a rev-challenged player I do well with low RG pearls for this type of situation.

Since I know how I am going to lay each of these out, now I need to figure out where the new Sky Rocket I won will fit in (2.55). Good problem to have!

Thanks for a thought-provoking article and for participating here!

[RobLV1]

Sorry I'm on my phone and can't seem to edit the reply after I accidentally posted it. Let me try again:

Melee Cross (2.487)
Melee Jab (2.487)
Gold Rhino Pro (2.52)
LT-48 (2.565)

I diverged slightly from your formula on the Jab but I want this ball specifically when I need to open up the lanes and all accounts this is a ball to do it. I also know as a rev-challenged player I do well with low RG pearls for this type of situation.

Since I know how I am going to lay each of these out, now I need to figure out where the new Sky Rocket I won will fit in (2.55). Good problem to have!

Thanks for a thought-provoking article and for participating here!

If you use the same layout on the Sky Rocket as the LT-48, you should have a pretty similar kind of spread as you do with the Cross and the Jab (solid/pearl). I've long been a proponant of using two or three layouts exclusively to allow the differences in the cores and the surfaces to dominate the ball reactions. It also makes ball changes during bowling much easier. As a side note, I drilled up the Mastermind Einstein for league last night and really like it. They modified the core to create a higher rg, and used a hybrid cover. It is surprisingly strong, but very clean through the heads - I know this verbage is very familiar from many ball reviews, but it really applies in this case.

[dougb]

If you use the same layout on the Sky Rocket as the LT-48, you should have a pretty similar kind of spread as you do with the Cross and the Jab (solid/pearl). I've long been a proponant of using two or three layouts exclusively to allow the differences in the cores and the surfaces to dominate the ball reactions. It also makes ball changes during bowling much easier. As a side note, I drilled up the Mastermind Einstein for league last night and really like it. They modified the core to create a higher rg, and used a hybrid cover. It is surprisingly strong, but very clean through the heads - I know this verbage is very familiar from many ball reviews, but it really applies in this case.

I stick to 2-3 layouts. Pin is usually under the ring finger and CG kicked out. Depending on the desired reaction, my driller may move the pin closer or farther away from my PAP, increase or decrease the angle of the CG, and fine tune it with a weight hole. Sorry I don't know dual angles. I am lucky enough to to have a PSO who knows my game and can drill a ball to do exactly what I want.

I was actually toying with the idea of a label leverage drill or RICO for the sky rocket just to give me a different look.

As for the Einstein, I'm not surprised. The core looks very similar to the Melee. I watched a guy kill it with his Scholar recently. The ball was clean through the fronts and mids and then made a surprisingly strong move off the friction.

Thanks for the advice.

[RobLV1]

Always happy to help.