Aslan's Scores (of the non-lady kind)

[Amyers]

I'm not sure I understand what you mean. The core is certainly taken into account both in RG and differential. I chose cores with identical RG values so that would be a constant.

That's part of the issue. You understood what the numbers were and did it anyway. You ended up with three balls that fit the same condition. Even though there are some differences between the balls with your speed and hand they all fit in the medium basket. If your going to only carry a 3 ball arsenal you can't do that.

As to surface and cover material...my earlier trials with surface manipulation have led me to try and leave that alone as much as I can. I think sanding balls down and adding a bunch of surface is rather pointless on a house shot unless the point is too have the ball completely burned out mid-way down the lane.

If your going to stay in the dirt then surface is pointless your right more surfaced balls will burn up that's why you move latterly.

As to cover material...I've found...again in earlier trials...that the specs are only valid (in terms of ball progression) if you stay within a brand and within a performance level. Yes, you can play with RG, Diff, etc... and put together a decent progression if all the balls are the same manufacturer from the same line-up and same era...but outside of pros and high level amateurs...most people don't continually have the most recent full line of manufacturer's products to work with.

This is B.S. is your trying to stack balls they way you have no it's hard. If your looking for early strong, Benchmark, and light that isn't hard to do.

Again, I'm not sure I understand the point. It seems like you believe there is an obvious area I need to improve in...it seems to be lateral movement...yet I don't know how else I can explain the limitations with lateral movement that I'm encountering.

I move 2:1 left...bowl okay for awhile...I move 2:1 left...maybe bowl okay, maybe miss right. But if I go 2:1 again...there's almost no way that ball makes it to the pocket. Now, that might be my speed/rev rate not matching that line. Or that might be something else...but continuing to move left when you're missing right...I don't see the point in that.

If your missing right after moving left you may need more surface the ball is skidding past the breakpoint most likely on the heavier oil

Now, there IS a legitimate limitation to my arsenal selection...and I'll try to touch on it shortly when I post my recent tournament scores. I think there IS some validity to your criticism of my 3 ball choices...but again, thats only a limitation the 2-3 times a year I either don't have fresh conditions OR I'm bowling a multi-round tournament...which is rarely, rarely, rarely. So, do I buy MORE balls looking for yet another option? Maybe. If I want to really do well in tournaments I think I need a ball with a more aggressive cover/surface than the Reax Pearl and I think I need a long/straight...weak as hell ball for the burn...something like my old Slingshot or a Tropical Breeze. My Loaded Revolver wasn't "bad" in that role...but if I got too much hand in the shot, forget about it.

it's not a limitation a few times of the year. your locked into one place on the lanes every night. what if the shot isn't there that night? your screwed. I'm not the most flexible player in the world due to my ball speed but I can start with my Rhino and play 23-10 or go the other way and use the Mastermind Einstein and play 35-15 your limiting yourself to a very narrow box. Find a way out.

[Aslan]

Even though there are some differences between the balls with your speed and hand they all fit in the medium basket.

"medium"? The Reax and Scandal are about as strong as it gets right now. But, I suppose it's the problem with "strong" versus "soonest hooking" versus "most overall hook", etc... What is "strong"? Soonest to hook? Most hook in oil? Most board coverage? Most angular backend?

This is B.S. is your trying to stack balls they way you have no it's hard. If your looking for early strong, Benchmark, and light that isn't hard to do.

I don't speak WestVirginiaese or whatever that is.

It sounds like you're saying ya just get a "strong ball" and a "benchmark ball" and a "weak ball". Thats an interesting plan...except, once again, there is virtually ZERO agreement on what those terms mean. There are a few scales on different websites...but nothing that has been more or less recognized as legitimate. And let's just say there was a "way" to quantify your system (The Amyers Ball Strength System). Whats a ball with a 2.51 RG? Benchmark? "Weak"? "Strong"? How bout a 0.047 differential? Benchmark? Or "weak"? So, we are all in agreement that there is no difference between a pearl, hybrid, and solid cover and no difference between manufacturer cover material? Radical = Motiv = Ebonite? What about technology differences? Is the Reign of Fire a Benchmark ball now but used to be a "strong"?

It's a very, very complex system.

If your missing right after moving left you may need more surface the ball is skidding past the breakpoint most likely on the heavier oil

I haven't bowled on "heavy oil" in about 3-4 years.

it's not a limitation a few times of the year. your locked into one place on the lanes every night. what if the shot isn't there that night?

Well...it's not there when I sub on Tuesdays...for some reason...haven't figured those lanes out yet...seems to play 'short' for a THS...work in progress. But at the Wednesday and Friday center...the shot is always the same. There are no "magic lanes" on one side or the other. Thats why I'm not overly concerned about the arsenal selection...it was designed for a shot and it allows me to play that shot. On the few occasions I have a tournament...then my arsenal isn't ideal.

[Aslan]

ABT Tournament: Squad 1, Day 3
Older Brunswick synthetics: low-oil Brunswick synthetics

532 Series: 137-162-233

Game 1 was miserable. Struck once in the first frame then it was just #(88)! Game 2 wasn't much better. Bad shots, couldn't carry, couldn't convert spares.

In Game 3, I finally got settled in...was clean except for a missed single 7-pin in the 5th frame.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.84 pins
Strikes: 41% (1 5-bagger, 2 doubles, and 4 singles)
Spares: 38% picked up

Single Pin spares: 42% (3/7)
Most common single-pin leave: 10-pin (3x).
Never left a single 1-pin, 3-pin, 5-pin, 8-pin, nor 9-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 36% (4/11)
Most common multi-pin leave: n/a

Splits: 0% (0/2)

Average over 3 games: 177.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 189.00.

Not the greatest performance for a squad 1. Had some "sticking" issues so I had to get used to using my Ebonite shoe covers. I figured if I had a strong Squad 2, I could carry that over into the cashers round that followed.

[Aslan]

ABT Tournament: Squad 2, Day 3
Older Brunswick synthetics: burnt house shot

538 Series: 146-191-201

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.56 pins
Strikes: 31% (3 doubles and 4 singles)
Spares: 76% picked up

Single Pin spares: 100% (5/5)
Most common single-pin leave: 7-pin (2x).
Also left a single 2-pin, 5-pin, and 10-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 68% (11/16)
Most common multi-pin leaves: n/a.

Splits: 50% (2/4)

Average over 3 games: 179.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: n/a.

Another poo performance...but I was getting stronger as the round went on...so I figured I still had a shot.

In the Survivors Cashers round 1, I rolled a 191 scratch, +16 after handicap. This was enough to make it past the first round from 37 to 18.

In the Survivors Cashers round 2, I only managed a 165 thanks to back-to-back splits in the 9th and 10th frames.

So...I won $20 in the last tournament...this time I probably won $40-$60.

Now that I'm caught up with goals, videos, and scores...I can go take a shower and get ready to sub tonight!!

[Amyers]

"medium"? The Reax and Scandal are about as strong as it gets right now. But, I suppose it's the problem with "strong" versus "soonest hooking" versus "most overall hook", etc... What is "strong"? Soonest to hook? Most hook in oil? Most board coverage? Most angular backend?

That's why I used the term early strong to try and clear confusion. If your only going to carry three balls you've got to actually fill the slots. Part of this depends on the conditions you are likely to encounter and your style. With a limited ball selection you can't really have multiple pieces filling the same spot so your not going to have the ability to worry about angularity or board coverage.

Early/strong: lower rg, some surface, strong cover. For me it doesn't take a super strong ball because of my speed and I carry a higher rg 2.504 than I would recommend for a more balanced player. I keep this ball finished with 3k surface again higher than normal sue to my speed. Even if the patterns heavier this ball still hooks and finishes I've used it on Badger and done ok with it. For you with your speeds should probably be in the 2.47-2.49 area, strong cover, and surface in the 2k range.

Benchmark: Any ball below the early/strong ball that you can control in rough conditions and relate to your other balls. If I'm carrying 4+ my Danger Zone fills this spot and is good at it. If I'm carrying three its the Fanatic. Danger Zone is rg 2.501 surface is 4k the Fanatic 2.54 500/compound/polished. The Danger Zone fits well here on lighter oil it can move to the early/strong and the fanatic fills this role for me. The Fanatic isn't ideal in this role but in houses I know I can get away with it. I refer non polished ball is this role though.

For you Rg. 2.49-2.51 medium cover and some surface 3k is probably preferable.

Light oil burn: The Rhino fills this role for me Rg. 2.524. surface is 500/compound/shined and I've lightly hit it with a 4k pad. The ball has to have a higher rg and a less aggressive cover stock to help it get down the lanes. Something similar would work for you.

It sounds like you're saying ya just get a "strong ball" and a "benchmark ball" and a "weak ball". Thats an interesting plan...except, once again, there is virtually ZERO agreement on what those terms mean. There are a few scales on different websites...but nothing that has been more or less recognized as legitimate. And let's just say there was a "way" to quantify your system (The Amyers Ball Strength System). Whats a ball with a 2.51 RG? Benchmark? "Weak"? "Strong"? How bout a 0.047 differential? Benchmark? Or "weak"? So, we are all in agreement that there is no difference between a pearl, hybrid, and solid cover and no difference between manufacturer cover material? Radical = Motiv = Ebonite? What about technology differences? Is the Reign of Fire a Benchmark ball now but used to be a "strong"?

I gave rg examples above its not a tried and true system it varies by the person I'm typically going to skew my search towards higher rg and weaker covers. I honestly don't weight differential much so it's pretty much ignored unless is extremely high or low. as far as the Rg goes it depends on the cover and surface. For your example it could fit anywhere on the chart that's why we examine it's placement in the manufactures ball line up, the cover stock and it's surface. If it has a strong cover and 2k surface it's going towards benchmark, if it's a weak cover and polished could be light.

In this instance manufacturer doesn't matter a lot in a three ball arsenal there are going to be huge gaps between the balls anyway so if I'm slightly off it's really not going to matter and the balls are going to be at different surfaces anyway so they aren't going to overlap. Now in the instance of my current arsenal I'm thinking of putting something between my Fanatic and my Rhino that's a somewhat small difference and why I try to throw mainly one brand and what I was getting at with my poorly worded WestVirginiaese response earlier.

I haven't bowled on "heavy oil" in about 3-4 years.

You play in the dirt you move 3 boards inside it's heavy oil for you. Heavy oil is relative like everything else in bowling. You play around the ten area in my leagues which are different from yours more 5 man teams with most playing with reactive equipment that shots gone 1/2 way though the first game. That's an area of the lane where what oil is there is very light. I'm not a lane man and Idk the actual amounts of oil but say there are 6 m/l of oil on that board you move in and throw on the top hat that's maybe 18 m/l of oil the ball is crossing 3x as much. If throwing across 3x as much oil as your used to isn't your definition as heavy than I don't know what is. You have the opportunity to throw on heavier oil every night you simply refuse to take advantage of it.


Well...it's not there when I sub on Tuesdays...for some reason...haven't figured those lanes out yet...seems to play 'short' for a THS...work in progress. But at the Wednesday and Friday center...the shot is always the same. There are no "magic lanes" on one side or the other. Thats why I'm not overly concerned about the arsenal selection...it was designed for a shot and it allows me to play that shot. On the few occasions I have a tournament...then my arsenal isn't ideal. [/QUOTE]

No the difference here is that it's not ideal simply that it's functional for league and during tournaments the problems become so pronounced that it makes it obvious that you have a problem. The next few times you go to league find the top three highest average non two handers bowling right down what there line and break point are do this over a couple of weeks. I guarantee they aren't playing the same line break point every night. at some point it's not about your ability to hit your mark consistently it becomes about finding the mark that allows you to score the best.

[Aslan]

Tuesday Night League: Fairly new synthetics, low oil to dry THS

448 Series: 136-164-148

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.36 pins
Strikes: 24% (8 singles)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 44% (4/9)
Most common single-pin leave: 4-pin and 10-pin (3x each).
Also left a single 5-pin (1x) and 2-pin (2x).

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (7/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 149.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 168.33.



No line. Couldn't find it all night. Balls were coming back with almost no oil lines.

In practice I was striking by throwing the ball out right, letting it enter the hook phase about just midway of the lane...then while in the roll phase...roll the rest of the way to the pocket.

As has been beaten to death recently...I don't have a "weaker" ball that I can go to when I'm playing on shiny particle board...so Game 1 I channeled my "Inner Rob/Amyers" and started moving those little hooves of mine laterally. I was FINALLY going to do it!! I was FINALLY going to move from my A-Game near the track...to my "C-Game" opening up the shoulders a little!!

Is everyone excited to hear what happened? No? Oh....you saw the scores so that made it anti-climactic? I get it.

Well, needless to say....the "RobM/Amyers" attack sequence was a miserable failure. But don't feel too bad...when bowling on a pattern that is essentially a 1 foot wide oil pattern going about 45% of the way down the lane...even the greatest laid plans can fail.

In Game 1 I tried the Reax Pearl...but it entered the roll phase at about 35 feet. I tried to move inside...that wasn't helping much. I tried to ball down to the Innovate...but it lost so much energy at 3/4 of the way down the lane that most times it didn't even make it back to the pocket. If I was "lucky", I hit pocket and left a very weak 10-pin. If I was "less than lucky"....I left a 2-pin, 5-pin, a bucket, a washout, etc...

I was so upset about Game 1, I went out to the car and grabbed by 16lb Hammer Big Blue Spare ball. It's beat to caRp...I just keep it in the trunk in case I make an impromptu stop at a bowling center and want to throw something other than a house ball.

RobM 'might' ask "what were the other bowlers throwing that were doing well?"
Well, imaginary RobM...our two worst bowlers had the best games they could remember. One lofted a ball even further than Amyers...old resin ball straight at the headpin...no axis rotation. Another guy throws an old pearlescent ball from the 60s/70s...he throws a back-up ball and he had his first 5-bagger ever...so he was on cloud 9. But the only "legitimate" bowler that was doing well on our pair was throwing an old "Mark Roth" urethane ball...he was a lower speed...almost a palm or thumbless release. So hey! If ya can't beat em....join em!

So, I had my best game of the night...a horrid 164...by playing the Big Blue Spare ball up the 7-9 boards...almost a straight shot at the pocket. As you might imagine, no carry whatsoever. I was kinda hoping to just play for spares...try to get an all-spare game under my belt. Lord knows my spare shooting in Game 1 was atrocious...might as well practice. I struck once...but opened a couple times...otherwise all spares...mostly 7 /s.

So...that duo of voices returned....from the bowlingboards.com realm...it was Amyers and RobM...demanding that I put that stupid spare ball away and really open up those lanes!! So, I did just that. I grabbed that Reax Pearl...moved my feet to about 25-30...and started targeting the 16-19 area at the arrows. I was FINALLY an INSIDE PLAYER!!!

First shot, pocket 10-pin...which I missed because my thumb has swollen from all this wonderfully embarrassing bowling I have been doing lately...so I had to make an emergency stop at the pro shop to have the thumb hole widened.
Next shot, STRIKE! Actually, the ball dove through the nose and it was a spill strike...just like the pros...
Then it was a 2-4-5-8 bucket...my "usual" when I try to play inside.
Then I really started having FUN FUN FUN when I left a 1-2-4-10 washout on the next shot...literally my FAVORITE leave. Most people leave weak 5-pins...maybe a 2-pin...or an 8-pin....not me! I play inside and it doesn't work...I get to spend a lot of time on my 1-2-4-10 game....JOY JOY JOY!!!

So, I switched to the Innovate and moved back towards the track...was clean the rest of the way...but the inside game was still leaving me gifts like the 2-pin and 2-4-8.

So, Good Times.

[Amyers]

Tuesday Night League: Fairly new synthetics, low oil to dry THS

448 Series: 136-164-148

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.36 pins
Strikes: 24% (8 singles)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 44% (4/9)
Most common single-pin leave: 4-pin and 10-pin (3x each).
Also left a single 5-pin (1x) and 2-pin (2x).

Multiple Pin spares: 53% (7/13)
Most common multi-pin leaves: 2-4-5 (3x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 149.33.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 168.33.



No line. Couldn't find it all night. Balls were coming back with almost no oil lines.

In practice I was striking by throwing the ball out right, letting it enter the hook phase about just midway of the lane...then while in the roll phase...roll the rest of the way to the pocket.

As has been beaten to death recently...I don't have a "weaker" ball that I can go to when I'm playing on shiny particle board...so Game 1 I channeled my "Inner Rob/Amyers" and started moving those little hooves of mine laterally. I was FINALLY going to do it!! I was FINALLY going to move from my A-Game near the track...to my "C-Game" opening up the shoulders a little!!

Is everyone excited to hear what happened? No? Oh....you saw the scores so that made it anti-climactic? I get it.

Well, needless to say....the "RobM/Amyers" attack sequence was a miserable failure. But don't feel too bad...when bowling on a pattern that is essentially a 1 foot wide oil pattern going about 45% of the way down the lane...even the greatest laid plans can fail.

In Game 1 I tried the Reax Pearl...but it entered the roll phase at about 35 feet. I tried to move inside...that wasn't helping much. I tried to ball down to the Innovate...but it lost so much energy at 3/4 of the way down the lane that most times it didn't even make it back to the pocket. If I was "lucky", I hit pocket and left a very weak 10-pin. If I was "less than lucky"....I left a 2-pin, 5-pin, a bucket, a washout, etc...

I was so upset about Game 1, I went out to the car and grabbed by 16lb Hammer Big Blue Spare ball. It's beat to caRp...I just keep it in the trunk in case I make an impromptu stop at a bowling center and want to throw something other than a house ball.

RobM 'might' ask "what were the other bowlers throwing that were doing well?"
Well, imaginary RobM...our two worst bowlers had the best games they could remember. One lofted a ball even further than Amyers...old resin ball straight at the headpin...no axis rotation. Another guy throws an old pearlescent ball from the 60s/70s...he throws a back-up ball and he had his first 5-bagger ever...so he was on cloud 9. But the only "legitimate" bowler that was doing well on our pair was throwing an old "Mark Roth" urethane ball...he was a lower speed...almost a palm or thumbless release. So hey! If ya can't beat em....join em!

So, I had my best game of the night...a horrid 164...by playing the Big Blue Spare ball up the 7-9 boards...almost a straight shot at the pocket. As you might imagine, no carry whatsoever. I was kinda hoping to just play for spares...try to get an all-spare game under my belt. Lord knows my spare shooting in Game 1 was atrocious...might as well practice. I struck once...but opened a couple times...otherwise all spares...mostly 7 /s.

So...that duo of voices returned....from the bowlingboards.com realm...it was Amyers and RobM...demanding that I put that stupid spare ball away and really open up those lanes!! So, I did just that. I grabbed that Reax Pearl...moved my feet to about 25-30...and started targeting the 16-19 area at the arrows. I was FINALLY an INSIDE PLAYER!!!

First shot, pocket 10-pin...which I missed because my thumb has swollen from all this wonderfully embarrassing bowling I have been doing lately...so I had to make an emergency stop at the pro shop to have the thumb hole widened.
Next shot, STRIKE! Actually, the ball dove through the nose and it was a spill strike...just like the pros...
Then it was a 2-4-5-8 bucket...my "usual" when I try to play inside.
Then I really started having FUN FUN FUN when I left a 1-2-4-10 washout on the next shot...literally my FAVORITE leave. Most people leave weak 5-pins...maybe a 2-pin...or an 8-pin....not me! I play inside and it doesn't work...I get to spend a lot of time on my 1-2-4-10 game....JOY JOY JOY!!!

So, I switched to the Innovate and moved back towards the track...was clean the rest of the way...but the inside game was still leaving me gifts like the 2-pin and 2-4-8.

So, Good Times.

Lol why is it the story is always funnier when your bowling bad? The key difference here from what Rob and I have been talking about is here it sounds like the heads are gone. Is this league not freshly oiled? If the heads are gone moving in doesn't really help your better off balling down to the weak ball you don't have lol and throwing hard which I can't do or lofting the gutter caps like its the double burn at the us open which I can't do either. My best suggestion in this instance is to find the guy that oils the lanes car in the parking lot and let the air out of his tires.

[Aslan]

Lol why is it the story is always funnier when your bowling bad?

Because you are Rob have conspired with Iceman to ruin my bowling game like the teacher in Karate Kid III.

The key difference here from what Rob and I have been talking about is here it sounds like the heads are gone. Is this league not freshly oiled? If the heads are gone moving in doesn't really help your better off balling down to the weak ball you don't have lol and throwing hard which I can't do or lofting the gutter caps like its the double burn at the us open which I can't do either. My best suggestion in this instance is to find the guy that oils the lanes car in the parking lot and let the air out of his tires.

I don't know the answers to those questions. If I HAD TO...I could drill up the Track 300A and just use that ball at that center...and also use it for burn tournament conditions.

Wednesday League Night: low-medium oil synthetics, older brunswick lanes

509 Series: 137-214-158

Game 1 I was missing right...couldn't figure out if it was me being lined up incorrectly or the ball burning up too soon.

Game 2 was solid with lots of carry. A 9-10 split in the 10th kinda ruined the score.

A couple splits and a missed single-pin coupled with an inability to strike on one lane led to a rather lackluster game.

PinPal Stats:
First Ball Average: 8.52 pins
Strikes: 38% (1 4-bagger, 1 double, and 6 singles)
Spares: 50% picked up

Single Pin spares: 60% (3/5)
Most common single-pin leave: 2-pin and 10-pin (2x each).
Also left a single 4-pin.

Multiple Pin spares: 46% (6/13)
Most common multi-pin leave: 1-2-4-10 (2x)

Splits: 0% (0/3)

Average over 3 games: 169.67.
Average had I picked up 100% of single pin spare leaves: 177.67.

Last Week: 138-209-154
This Week: 137-214-158

It's like a bowling version of The Twilight Zone.

[RobLV1]

Wow, first time that I have been accused of conspiring to ruin someone's game. No big surprise about the oil rings. Oil rings are meaningless. If you play outside of ten board, you're not going to see them BECAUSE THERE'S NO OIL OUT THERE! I bowled pot games today with a guy who lives in Las Vegas, so he thinks he has to play in the desert. He hit the pocket every single frame and left seven ten pins and was whining about it. I subtly told him that the true definition of insanity was repeating the same thing over and over and expecting a different result each time. Glad I didn't suggest that he try moving left, as he too might accuse me of conspiring to ruin his game.

[Aslan]

Wow, first time that I have been accused of conspiring to ruin someone's game...Glad I didn't suggest that he try moving left, as he too might accuse me of conspiring to ruin his game.

Actually, I accused you and Amyers of conspiring with Iceman...it's Iceman trying to ruin my game. Ice knows that an Iceman vs. Aslan Challenge Part II would lead to his ultimate defeat...so he's trying to get me to bowl bad enough that I give up the sport and take up fly fishing or shuffleboard or ping pong.

No big surprise about the oil rings. Oil rings are meaningless. If you play outside of ten board, you're not going to see them BECAUSE THERE'S NO OIL OUT THERE!

Okay. That analysis 'would' be relevant...except that in the case I was talking about...I was already playing well inside of 15. So, you're now saying...you can't play the track...nor can you play 5-7 boards inside the track...thus your shot is a 10-board oil pattern from 15-25. And I can't even really guarantee that...because I was between 17-19 and STILL wasn't getting any oil lines.

I know there IS oil...somewhere out there...because I saw a very faint oil line on my spare ball after throwing it cross-lane at a corner pin...but it's not 10-30 like one might expect. Thats the problem with "Modern Bowling" is the game has become FAR too dependent on oil conditions and equipment. For example, who are the best bowlers on the site right now? VDubtx and MWhite...if we go by averages and reported performances?? So what do you think would happen if those guys showed up at a center and they only oiled from 15-25? What kinda series do you think they'd have? I've seen MWhite throw some miserable series (by his standards) on unexpected conditions. How well would VDub do? He's normally a 625-650 series bowler...would less than ideal conditions cause him to throw a 525-575 series?? What about the next tier of bowlers...the "rest of us" that are averaging in the 450-540 series range on most nights? What would that non-ideal pattern do to our games?

And then there's the bowling ball side of things. Lets say you show up for league night and they say, "Tonight it's a 38ft THS and everybody needs to throw a Radical Guru Master." How "well" would bowlers do if they couldn't throw the balls they want to throw? Kind've a 'fantastical' example for folks like MWhite or RobM...where they have a much better than average access to equipment...but most bowlers have 1-2 bowling balls. Some of us more psychotic folks have 3-6 bowling balls. But the facts are the facts. If we don't have a good ball/lane condition combo...we struggle. The days of the best bowler winning because they bowled better with a Columbia Yellow Dot than all the other bowlers with Columbia Yellow Dots has disappeared long ago. It's not the best bowler that wins the tournament or the league night...it's the person with the best knowledge of the oil pattern and the most diverse selection of equipment. It's why bowling as an Olympic sport is such a silly concept. It's like Nascar as an Olympic sport...except without any regulations on engine size or car aerodynamics. Bowlers show up with illegal Motiv balls and wrist braces that look like they got their hands chopped off by Darth Vadar...and some bowling team from Outer Mongolia is throwing old urethane balls. The playing field is too uneven. It's like baseball where some teams get to use metal bats and baseballs while other teams have to use wooden bats and softballs.

And YES...my arsenal choice greatly limits my adaptability right now...as a byproduct of it's design. By keeping two significant bowling ball specifications constant (RG and Cover material)...I've limited how different my ball paths can be and that limits where I can realistically play on a THS. Now, in my defense;

1) 80% (not some, or several...but the overwhelming majority of bowlers across the country and globe) of bowlers carry 1-2 bowling balls. The idea that bowling has evolved to a sport requiring at least 12 balls to be competitive...may have truth to it...especially as you move up the ladder from rec bowling to tournament bowling...but there is NO WAY a bowler should struggle mightily on a random league night with 3 strike balls....even if they are similar in specs.

2) It made NO SENSE to design an arsenal around a tournament I participate in 0-3 times a year (that due to my inflated average I have ZERO chance of realistically winning) and a center that I sub at about 9 times a season. It made MORE sense to design the arsenal around the center where I bowl at least once a week...most weeks twice a week or more. It would be like you (RobM) choosing 6 balls to form a great arsenal and then choosing 4 more balls because once a year you bowl in Laughlin and their lanes are way different than Vegas. Now, in YOUR case...you have more bowling balls than you know what to do with and a steady supply from manufacturers...but even in your case...that one time you bowl in Laughlin better have nice payday at the end of it...or you're not spending $300 on an arsenal JUST for that ONE time. And for YOU...it's $200 or so in drilling costs...maybe not even that if you drill them yourself. For most of us...thats $400 in bowling ball costs PLUS $200 in drilling.

So...back to the dilemma at hand.

I'm pretty sure it's a arsenal/lane condition problem at this one center. IF the THS is incredibly narrow...as I fear it is...and the heads are dry...then I have nothing I can use in that situation. My best bet would be to try the Innovate...but ultimately just throw the Hammer Big Blue Spare ball right at the pocket and hope for carry. My current arsenal is listed in my signature. I also have (in 16lbs weight):

- Hammer Rhythm (retired: 433 games)
- Columbia Encounter(s) (retired: about 150 games on each)
- 900 Global Bullet Train (retired: 252 games)
- Ebonite Warning Sign (undrilled)
- Track 706A (undrilled)
- Track 300A (undrilled)

- The way I see it, the Bullet Train, Rhythm, and Warning Sign will be no help on dry conditions. The RGs aren't much higher than what I'm already using and the cover materials are more aggressive.
- The Encounters are pearls...and I could polish them up...but again, the RG isn't much higher than what I'm using...so I don't gain much over what I'm alraedy throwing.
- The 706A has a higher RG and a little snap at the end, but on really dry conditions or really burnt conditions...I'm just worried I'd drill this one up, end up having it not be much use, then I've prematurely drilled a ball I was hoping to save for my next arsenal.
- The 300A has the highest RG imaginable and I have no real use for it in my next arsenal...at least as things stand presently. So, there's no huge downside to drilling it up. It'd be nice to still have the Slingshot...but it cracked...so the 300A is probably the only good option I have. IF the lanes are dry and burnt...the 300A is going to be one of the few reactive resin options that will keep me from having to use the Big Blue Spare ball.

So...what do you think of drilling up the 300A for those situations? Or is that just throwing good money after bad? I hate to rely on ball changes...but if I can't move laterally, I can't change the surface to be more polished than they already are, and I can't change lane conditions...it seems a ball change is the best option available. Other options are:
- Increase speed
- Loft the Heads

These are both TERRIBLE options for my current, physical game development. Increasing speed will amplify that big first step, screw up my balance, mess with my timing, and force my hand out of position. Lofting the heads will cause my hand to get out of position and I'll end up "hitting up" on the ball. While the ball will have less time to get affected by the lane conditions...it'l have more rotation because of me hitting up on it...so it'll probably still hook too early.