Surface Changes - How long do they last?

[RobLV1]

I just took a clinic with monacelli and he said all pros keep one in their bag.i never tried one before. He did my pearl ball and sure enough the next ball was a strike then I said..so you turned my pearl into a solid? I also have a solid ball..he said ok now you have two balls that will strike...so..I was a little stumped by the need to resurface it...

The surface that you put on a bowling ball determines about 75% of the reaction that you are going to get (the core determines the other 25%). I've personally taken several sets of balls, one solid and one pearl with the same core and layout, and put the same surface on each. I would defy 99% of bowlers to see any difference in ball reaction.

As a former marketing executive, the thought of being able to sell three of the same product (a solid, a pearl, and a hybrid) to uninformed consumers would have been like dying and going to heaven!

[vdubtx]

The average bowling ball is 8.585 inches in diameter. The minimum allowable size by USBC is 8.500. Using the most common pad of 2000 grit. You would have to bowl 650 plus games using the recommended technique before your ball would be in danger of becoming illegal. Sanding your ball to maintain the surface is safe for consistent use.

I copy/pasta the above from a blog post on surface changes:

LINK

[bowl1820]

The average bowling ball is 8.585 inches in diameter. The minimum allowable size by USBC is 8.500. Using the most common pad of 2000 grit. You would have to bowl 650 plus games using the recommended technique before your ball would be in danger of becoming illegal. Sanding your ball to maintain the surface is safe for consistent use.

There is no minimum size requirement anymore for the end user (bowler), that was dropped years ago. It just has to have the Brand Name/Logo, Ball Name, Serial Number still visible (Serial can be re-engraved) The USBC Star Logo is also just a manufacturing requirement, it would not need to be re-engraved.


Question to USBC:
Does the rule for minimum ball size (8.500”) in the "Ball Manufacturing
Specifications"

Does it apply to a bowlers drilled ball?

Example:
Bowler has a older ball that do to shrinkage or resurfacing is below the
min. of 8.5", Is it still legal for use?

USBC reply:

Thank you for your question. Specifications for diameter (circumference) and roundness are manufacturing specifications only, they are not for the end user or the drilled ball. In the example you provided, the smaller ball would still be allowed for use during USBC certified competition as long as it still had the required markings (Brand Name/Logo, Ball Name, Serial Number) so the ball can be identified. For a long time there was size and roundness requirement on the drilled bowling balls at tournaments, but those specifications have since been removed.

Thank you,

Jason Milligan
Research Technician
Equipment Specifications & Certifications / Sport Bowling

[vdubtx]

Interesting, thanks for the info Bowl.