Graaille

The correct info as I know it (hehehehe)
PAP is more determined by how you normally throw the ball than any type of drilling. The key to understanding is in the word *normally*. If you have to come more up the back, make a change in your axis tilt, come around the ball more, etc.... it will change your PAP.

But as a rule of thumb, your PAP *based on your normal ball release* can be used to assist in laying out a ball to help it provide roll characteristics that you desire. And yes, plastic/polyester/older urethane balls are the best for determining your PAP due to the fact that they don't absorb the oil quickly, and they usually have a low flaring core which makes determining the initial flare ring easier. There are many sites out there that provide written instruction/video instruction on how to determine your PAP (Brunsnick dot com / ebonite dot com and Youtube dot com come to mind immediately), but I don't believe that they go into the "Why" or "how much does this really matter to me" all that well.

You can put generic drillings on your equipment and do pretty well with it, hence the generic drill sheets that come with every ball from the factory. Will this knowledge allow for major changes in your ball reaction? Jury's still out on that one -- it will depend on your level of facility with a bowling ball. The only real way to prove it to yourself is to buy 6-8 of the same bowling ball and put different drillings on each to see how they react on the lane. But this implies 1. monies enough to put toward 6-8 balls and drillings to prove this to yourself, and 2. the ability and familiarity to read the reaction of each to recognize how they differ. A difference of 1" can make a large difference for a low speed/higher rev bowler, a difference of 2" won't make a tremendous difference for a high speed/low rev bowler.