Need some help

[m_james]

I got my ball drilled a few weeks ago. Got my spare ball drilled first and got the pap off of it for my main ball. I don't know what my pap or anything is, I didn't ask and he didn't tell me.

But I am absolutely hating the ball reaction I'm getting. I included a pic of the layout. Going by this (http://d1msaulk40dheh.cloudfront.net/BB_2009_New_AsymSym_DrillLay_Inst.pdf) it looks like he used the maximum hook and arc high Track layout. He asked me what kind of reaction I wanted before he drilled it and I told him I put decent lift and rotation on it so I didn't need a lot of hook, that I like to play down and in, 1st to 2nd arrow straight across. But I can't control this ball and can't stand the line I have to play, this is on THS and I've gone in and bowled on fresh oil right when the center opened and it's the same line no matter what.

The layout:
156

I have to stand far left, throw hard over 3rd arrow to 1-2nd board and most of the time it's coming back high dead on the head pin. After 2 games I'm tired from having to put so much zip on it. The driller told me that that down and in shot isn't gonna happen, everything is too angular now.

Is that true? Should I have the Pro Shop re-drill to a different pattern or should I just find an adjustment to make this layout work for me? I included a pic of about what my line looks like with this ball(C - System 3.5). After bowling today I just got so frustrated and used my spare ball (Columbia Blue Dot) that was drilled flat, nothing on it and was able to play the line I want to play, straight down the 1st arrow and went right into the pocket.

I don't know how to approach the driller cause he's a USBC Silver Coach so he should know more than me, but I just can't work with the ball the way it is. If I'm off a board it's in the gutter.

The line how it is now (usually high hitting just the headpin):
157

Would going to the length, or length and back end layouts take some off where I can play a straighter line? Or should I shelve the ball and get something weaker. I don't have a lot of money so would like to make this one work for now.

[threeripmin]

i think that thats a heavy oil ball and if you can play the line you like to play with a white dot then you really need a less hooking ball. i think i would have it plugged and re-drilled for it to go as long as possible.

otherwise i would say try playing even farther left, like over the 4th arrow where most of the oil is.

i dont really care if the guy is a usbc coach, i think he sold you the wrong ball. i went to a usbc ball driller and had to have it plugged and re-drilled because he made my span too short. i was thinking about taking a few lessons from the guy and was told by all good bowler to stay away.

[m_james]

Yeah I think I'm gonna try playing farther left first and see how that does. I found this vid:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Txi8jCoM3Xs
And Brian's revs and line look about the same as mine except he's playing farther in like you suggested, like the whole line is 5 boards left, over the 4th to the 1st arrow, let it get the heaviest oil, vs. my 3rd arrow to 1st board, and I think on our THS the far outside is dry so you can recover. If that doesn't work I might polish it up some and take some bite off of it. And if that still doesn't do it then redrill for the legnth, or legnth and back end drill patterns.

I love the ball actually, the pin reaction is insane, but so is the hook on this thing. I just got to find my line. The way it breaks I just been trying to get it as far away from the pocket as possible when it does react.

[Strike Domination]

Yeah, that's a pretty strong ball. Might be for heavy oil but at least for med/heavy. Since it's summer the center might be putting less oil on the lanes than normal. Moving left and adjusting the surface are about all you can do with this ball from what you're saying. I'm wondering where the MB is on it and what the layout is. It looks like the weight hole drilled it out or it's right around there. I'm willing the bet this is at least a fairly strong drilling if I'm right about the MB.

Considering you can play that line with your spare ball, I'm thinking you wouldn't really be able to play your preferred area with 99% of the reactive equipment out now. You could most likely do it with a urethane ball though, with most of the weak reactive stuff I think you'd still be inside 2nd arrow. That's a lot better than what you're forced to do now though.

[JAnderson]

I love the ball actually, the pin reaction is insane, but so is the hook on this thing. I just got to find my line. The way it breaks I just been trying to get it as far away from the pocket as possible when it does react.

It's awesome that you understand that point. You wouldn't believe the number of entry-level sport bowlers that can't grasp that simple concept (and its inverse). Your conceptualization is good: moving left to get more oil in the heads and mid lane. The break point should be further from the pocket when you much of a change in direction on the back end.

There are some things other than changing the layout you can do to the ball to tame down the ball reaction, but they generally involve changing the cover stock in a way that's usually counter to the design of the ball. For example, using a polish (for an extreme example, consider Turtle Wax) that will clog the pores of the ball preventing it from absorbing oil/conditioner. Even using "clean and dull" on a spinner can reduce ball reaction.

Do you only have this and a white dot?

[Stormed1]

Keep in mind the the #1 factor that affects ball motion is SURFACE. Not knowing your PAP unless you are a low track player and not being able to see where the cg is located from the pic the ball shouls be reasonably long and smooth as far as the drilling goes. I would recomend going to the pro shop and have them adjust the surface to a smoother grit and add polish. As your pro shop said on most THS the down and in at 2nd arrow usually is not available with any ball that has good dynamics as todays house walls are a puddle between the 2 second arrowa and the Sahara outside 2nd arrow

[JAnderson]

Keep in mind the the #1 factor that affects ball motion is SURFACE.

When you isolate to the equipment, yes. Do not under-estimate the power of a surface change. However, the bowler is still the #1 factor in ball motion.