Rev Dominant or Hi Track Tips to Improve

[RobLV1]

I have no idea if Vegas bowler is speed or rev dominant but I will somewhat disagree with you on the drilling thing. For a bowler who is balanced speed and rev wise it may be hard to put a drilling on a ball that completely won't perform. For bowlers who are speed or rev dominate though it is relatively easy to produce a ball that won't perform adequately by drilling. I could probably double thumb the least aggressive ball on the market and it would still roll out on me before hitting the pins with my lower speed it's just way to early for me. My wife who tends to be more speed dominate isn't going to perform well with a drilling that promotes length even on a pretty aggressive ball. on a lot of patterns it will just never get into a roll for her.

Add in the fact that many bowlers tend to have a preferred sweet spot area they are most comfortable bowling in the correct drilling can allow that bowler to play that area of the lane or play it longer than they could with a different drilling. Cover stock, surface and core are always going to be the biggest factors in where and how a ball rolls best but the correct drilling for your stats and where you tend to play the lanes can make a ball that is a marginal fit work and a good fit work longer. Does that mean I can go drill a Grudge or some super early ball no but it can make some balls a little more useful for me. I've learned enough to buy balls that fit my game but for average joe bowler who buys a ball because it looked good when Tommy Jones threw it or they like that color or that one smells nice it's an important tool.

There is only one reason to buy a bowling ball and try to make it either more or less aggressive by using a particular layout, and that it not understanding anything about modern cores. The only thing that a different layout does is to change the core numbers from the undrilled ball. If you buy the right ball to begin with and use a layout that has proven to work for you, then there is no reason to try and reinvent your layout on every ball you have drilled.

[Amyers]

There is only one reason to buy a bowling ball and try to make it either more or less aggressive by using a particular layout, and that it not understanding anything about modern cores. The only thing that a different layout does is to change the core numbers from the undrilled ball. If you buy the right ball to begin with and use a layout that has proven to work for you, then there is no reason to try and reinvent your layout on every ball you have drilled.

I've seen some of your conversations on this at Bowling Chat and I'm not going to try and change your mind here about it but I will make a couple of points and move on.

1. Each core is different and your changing the dynamics of the core however you choose to drill the ball is still a changed dynamic.

2. I'm not saying to try and make balls that go long start early or to drill the guts out of a aggressive ball to try and make it weak but I will see where the hole is in my bag and pick a ball and a layout the enhances the reaction I'm looking for.

If I had ten balls I wouldn't have ten layouts but I also will not assume that the same layout on every ball is the best choice either. To do so is similar to only buying high rg balls or only buying balls with high differentials. Why not use all of the tools at your disposal to get the reaction I want. To me it's about the same as saying I really want a pearl Storm Lock and waiting 6 months for it to come out instead of buying the lock and polishing it (yes I realize there may be some small difference). Use the tools at your disposal to get what you need how you need it.

[RobLV1]

I've seen some of your conversations on this at Bowling Chat and I'm not going to try and change your mind here about it but I will make a couple of points and move on.

1. Each core is different and your changing the dynamics of the core however you choose to drill the ball is still a changed dynamic.

2. I'm not saying to try and make balls that go long start early or to drill the guts out of a aggressive ball to try and make it weak but I will see where the hole is in my bag and pick a ball and a layout the enhances the reaction I'm looking for.

If I had ten balls I wouldn't have ten layouts but I also will not assume that the same layout on every ball is the best choice either. To do so is similar to only buying high rg balls or only buying balls with high differentials. Why not use all of the tools at your disposal to get the reaction I want. To me it's about the same as saying I really want a pearl Storm Lock and waiting 6 months for it to come out instead of buying the lock and polishing it (yes I realize there may be some small difference). Use the tools at your disposal to get what you need how you need it.

The nice thing about internet chat sites is that the moderators, by definition, get the last word by locking the chain. The nice thing about being a bowling writer is that we are read by a much larger audience. All I'm trying to do is to make a very complex subject (modern bowling balls) as simple as possible by eliminating as many variables as possible to give every bowler maximum control over his/her arsenal. See my last word in my next BTM article, "Making the Case for Limited Layouts."

[Amyers]

The nice thing about internet chat sites is that the moderators, by definition, get the last word by locking the chain. The nice thing about being a bowling writer is that we are read by a much larger audience. All I'm trying to do is to make a very complex subject (modern bowling balls) as simple as possible by eliminating as many variables as possible to give every bowler maximum control over his/her arsenal. See my last word in my next BTM article, "Making the Case for Limited Layouts."

That's true about the moderators and every forum has their own thought processes. I don't think we disagree much especially for newer bowlers. Part of my thoughts on this depends on how much of a quality PSO you have. If you have a really good PSO who truly understands your game and how to layout a bowling ball you can do more than if you've got the guy who drills balls out of his garage because he happens to own a drill press. I also think a lot of this is determined at what level you are competing at. I think you can divide it down to three groups really.

Group 1- Casual league bowlers who buy 1 to 2 balls a year or every other year mainly throw in one house. For this bowler yeah you can put the same layout on everything. My biggest problem with that mindset for this group is they are the ones most likely to pick the wrong ball for them. I do believe that a good PSO can at least shave the edges off the square peg you picked for the round whole with a layout. Many bowlers buy what they seen on TV or like the color smell of even against the best advice of the PSO believe me I see it happen all the time.

Group 2- Serious league bowlers who buy 2-4 balls a year and bowl in multiple houses. This bowler may need a couple of layouts probably has 3-6 balls he uses on a regular basis. Has at least some understanding of how balls work. Does he need a different layout on every ball? No but if I drilled up a ball with an early rolling layout and liked it but I want something that I can play deeper with I'm not going to put that same early rolling layout on it either.

Group 3- Serious tournament and sport shot bowlers buys multiple balls per year. This is the bowlers who drill up balls to bowl on specific shots and probably buys as many as 5-10 balls per year. These bowlers have the best understanding of their ball motion and actual tune their game to the pattern. I know a few of these guys and I'm not in that club but they believe they can give themselves an advantage this way.

As usual your point of view depends on the audience that you are trying to reach and which group you fall into. Myself I feel like I'm group 2. Of the 4 balls I'm currently using the most 2 have a symmetrical length layout, 1 has a low flare layout and 1 is a asymmetrical layout that I bought before I even had a basic understanding of layouts and I'm not sure what is on it. As a group 2 bowler I'm going to buy balls it's to much fun to try new things out not too. In my opinion it's one of the great things about modern bowling is that you can actual purchase equipment that changes your game (it can be a curse too).

If I could only afford to buy 1 ball a year and it had to be good then I would feel differently about it but luckily if I don't like something I can afford to trash it and I kind of feel if I don't experiment some with the layouts some I might be missing out on something. I really didn't care for the low flare layout and I really have been wanting to try something with a motion hole layout as I haven't tried it and it sounds like it would fit my game.

[1VegasBowler]

That's true about the moderators and every forum has their own thought processes. I don't think we disagree much especially for newer bowlers. Part of my thoughts on this depends on how much of a quality PSO you have. If you have a really good PSO who truly understands your game and how to layout a bowling ball you can do more than if you've got the guy who drills balls out of his garage because he happens to own a drill press. I also think a lot of this is determined at what level you are competing at. I think you can divide it down to three groups really.

Group 1- Casual league bowlers who buy 1 to 2 balls a year or every other year mainly throw in one house. For this bowler yeah you can put the same layout on everything. My biggest problem with that mindset for this group is they are the ones most likely to pick the wrong ball for them. I do believe that a good PSO can at least shave the edges off the square peg you picked for the round whole with a layout. Many bowlers buy what they seen on TV or like the color smell of even against the best advice of the PSO believe me I see it happen all the time.

Group 2- Serious league bowlers who buy 2-4 balls a year and bowl in multiple houses. This bowler may need a couple of layouts probably has 3-6 balls he uses on a regular basis. Has at least some understanding of how balls work. Does he need a different layout on every ball? No but if I drilled up a ball with an early rolling layout and liked it but I want something that I can play deeper with I'm not going to put that same early rolling layout on it either.

Group 3- Serious tournament and sport shot bowlers buys multiple balls per year. This is the bowlers who drill up balls to bowl on specific shots and probably buys as many as 5-10 balls per year. These bowlers have the best understanding of their ball motion and actual tune their game to the pattern. I know a few of these guys and I'm not in that club but they believe they can give themselves an advantage this way.

As usual your point of view depends on the audience that you are trying to reach and which group you fall into. Myself I feel like I'm group 2. Of the 4 balls I'm currently using the most 2 have a symmetrical length layout, 1 has a low flare layout and 1 is a asymmetrical layout that I bought before I even had a basic understanding of layouts and I'm not sure what is on it. As a group 2 bowler I'm going to buy balls it's to much fun to try new things out not too. In my opinion it's one of the great things about modern bowling is that you can actual purchase equipment that changes your game (it can be a curse too).

If I could only afford to buy 1 ball a year and it had to be good then I would feel differently about it but luckily if I don't like something I can afford to trash it and I kind of feel if I don't experiment some with the layouts some I might be missing out on something. I really didn't care for the low flare layout and I really have been wanting to try something with a motion hole layout as I haven't tried it and it sounds like it would fit my game.

The only thing I would add to this is 1 more category of bowler. The Social Bowler.

This is the type of person who really doesn't care. They are more of a social butterfly who's only real purpose is to show up, grab a ball (their own or a house ball) and toss it for 3 games and socialize with everybody there with no cares about their average.

I know these bowlers too well because I had 3 of them for teammates this past season. The best average for those 3 was 134, while mine stayed around 180.

One in particular wanted a high five after each time she was done with a frame. Whether it was 3 pins or a X for the frame, she had to have some skin.

I've been competitive all of my life and I make no apologies for that. It's just the way I'm wired. When I don't do well, I blame nobody except for myself. I also don't like high fives for every strike or spare, and I certainly am not a fan of rooting for my opponents.

However, I certainly will acknowledge somebody who makes a very difficult spare or who gets on a run of multiple strikes, and bowling a great game overall. And while I like being sociable, there is a time and place for it.

Then again, maybe I'm too old school.

[Amyers]

The only thing I would add to this is 1 more category of bowler. The Social Bowler.

This is the type of person who really doesn't care. They are more of a social butterfly who's only real purpose is to show up, grab a ball (their own or a house ball) and toss it for 3 games and socialize with everybody there with no cares about their average.

I know these bowlers too well because I had 3 of them for teammates this past season. The best average for those 3 was 134, while mine stayed around 180.

One in particular wanted a high five after each time she was done with a frame. Whether it was 3 pins or a X for the frame, she had to have some skin.

I've been competitive all of my life and I make no apologies for that. It's just the way I'm wired. When I don't do well, I blame nobody except for myself. I also don't like high fives for every strike or spare, and I certainly am not a fan of rooting for my opponents.

However, I certainly will acknowledge somebody who makes a very difficult spare or who gets on a run of multiple strikes, and bowling a great game overall. And while I like being sociable, there is a time and place for it.

Then again, maybe I'm too old school.

We think similarly Vegas. I thought of including this group myself but since they really don't care about the ball or the drilling I didn't bother lol.

[1VegasBowler]

We think similarly Vegas. I thought of including this group myself but since they really don't care about the ball or the drilling I didn't bother lol.

LOL

I had to include them because of what I just went through for the past 35 weeks! lol Finishing last overall is not a good feeling by any means, but I had no choice in teammates.

The only redeeming quality about them is all 3 of them threw the ball down the middle and didn't tear up my lines! lol

[JasonNJ]

LOL

I had to include them because of what I just went through for the past 35 weeks! lol Finishing last overall is not a good feeling by any means, but I had no choice in teammates.

The only redeeming quality about them is all 3 of them threw the ball down the middle and didn't tear up my lines! lol

I know you pain Vegas. This past season, I had one woman who finished with a 111 average and didn't really care if we won or lost. She would say at least I made my average so I did my job. Was a struggle for me all season to not say "a blind monkey could probably bowl your average".

[1VegasBowler]

I know you pain Vegas. This past season, I had one woman who finished with a 111 average and didn't really care if we won or lost. She would say at least I made my average so I did my job. Was a struggle for me all season to not say "a blind monkey could probably bowl your average".

I could swear we had the same person on our teams! lol

[1VegasBowler]

And here's an even sadder part of this. When 2 of your 3 teammates have to combine their series just to be just barely ahead of what your series was, would be embarrassing to me.

Hopefully, in time I will be in a better position to pick and choose who I wish to bowl with. But for now, I have to settle with whomever.