What ball do you start with?

[bowl1820]

Dumb question but is pattern length 42' or above considered a medium/heavy condition or would it depend on how many units of oil? My center has a 42' THS as well and all but one of my pieces is designated less than "Medium/Heavy" oil (medium Hyroad Pearl)

As for pattern length in general less than 36 feet is considered a short pattern, 37-42 feet is considered a medium length pattern, more than 43 feet is a long pattern.

In terms of volume there's not really a set scale, because it's not how much, but where it's at on the lane.

You might read this article:
"Lane Pattern Basics: An Overview of Blend, Taper & Application".
Click here for the article

Quote:

"the overall volume of the shot probably has the least affect, as the length that the conditioner is applied can make the "volume" almost meaningless."

But here's a basic scale: Light to Medium (20ml. or less), Medium to Heavy (More than 20ml. (other references will vary this)

The volume of oil will give you a idea of the strength of ball, what surface you will want to use and about how fast you can expect the oil to break down.

Basically the higher volume of oil the more aggressive ball and/or a rougher surface.

A general guideline from Kegel is:
Less than 18 ml use a weaker cover ball
18 - 21 ml use a weak to medium cover
21 - 25 ml use a medium to strong cover
More than 25 ml use an aggressive coverstock

Patterns with lower volume will break down more quickly, patterns with higher volume tend to break down more slowly. Also the lane type and where the oil is applied will affect how the ball reacts

[epiepenburg]

Something that I've been advocating for a long time, and that was actually picked up by Randy Pedersen on last week's telecast is that thinking of balls as "weak" or "strong" is really counterproductive. They are actually just more aggressive or less aggressive. If a strong ball burns up at 40' and hits like a toasted marshmallow, is it really stronger than a weak ball that retains it's energy for the pins and shreds the rack? How about rather than weak ball, strong ball, we think of right ball, wrong ball?

Stronger vs. weaker in my opinion isn't determined by how it hits, to me I use it to only refer to the cover stocks. I honestly would rather refer to it was aggressive and less aggressive. To me there is no such thing and right vs. wrong ball, if you can play multiple lines/angles as well as adjust speed, how can a ball ever be wrong? I switch balls to play similar lines with each ball rather than having to move too much to accommodate the lane changing.

[fortheloveofbowling]

Stronger vs. weaker in my opinion isn't determined by how it hits, to me I use it to only refer to the cover stocks. I honestly would rather refer to it was aggressive and less aggressive. To me there is no such thing and right vs. wrong ball, if you can play multiple lines/angles as well as adjust speed, how can a ball ever be wrong? I switch balls to play similar lines with each ball rather than having to move too much to accommodate the lane changing.

You just answered your own question. You switch balls to play a similar line rather than moving. The ball you switched off of was no longer the right ball for that line. Sure you can adjust with the same starting ball and try to migrate and it might still be the right ball but maybe not. Right and wrong ball is defined as what gives you the best option to score in relation to the line you are trying to play at a given point of your set. Maybe you shoot 210 with a ball but that does not mean you did not have 220 sitting in your bag. I have said it many times, it is hard to out bowl a bad ball reaction.

[fortheloveofbowling]

As for pattern length in general less than 36 feet is considered a short pattern, 37-42 feet is considered a medium length pattern, more than 43 feet is a long pattern.

In terms of volume there's not really a set scale, because it's not how much, but where it's at on the lane.

You might read this article:
"Lane Pattern Basics: An Overview of Blend, Taper & Application".
Click here for the article

Quote:


But here's a basic scale: Light to Medium (20ml. or less), Medium to Heavy (More than 20ml. (other references will vary this)

The volume of oil will give you a idea of the strength of ball, what surface you will want to use and about how fast you can expect the oil to break down.

Basically the higher volume of oil the more aggressive ball and/or a rougher surface.

A general guideline from Kegel is:
Less than 18 ml use a weaker cover ball
18 - 21 ml use a weak to medium cover
21 - 25 ml use a medium to strong cover
More than 25 ml use an aggressive coverstock

Patterns with lower volume will break down more quickly, patterns with higher volume tend to break down more slowly. Also the lane type and where the oil is applied will affect how the ball reacts

And then you have to determine the motion you are trying to create on the lane. That is why you saw guys using STRONGER BALLS on cheetah.

[fortheloveofbowling]

Something that I've been advocating for a long time, and that was actually picked up by Randy Pedersen on last week's telecast is that thinking of balls as "weak" or "strong" is really counterproductive. They are actually just more aggressive or less aggressive. If a strong ball burns up at 40' and hits like a toasted marshmallow, is it really stronger than a weak ball that retains it's energy for the pins and shreds the rack? How about rather than weak ball, strong ball, we think of right ball, wrong ball?

So when someone goes in the pro shop and wants a new ball to to do a specific thing what do they tell the pro shop guy? Assuming they know everything about your game, the pattern, and the line you are targeting i guess you could say give me the right ball. Also, what about the drilling? What you do with bowling balls is decide what initial STRENGTH you want with your ball driller based on discussion about your desired lane play. Then with drilling and surface options try to get the motion you want. If we used the terms right and wrong ball that would mean if i had a good set with a certain ball that would always be the right ball for my house shot? If it was the right ball the week before then could it never be the wrong ball on that shot again? Here is the question. What made it the right ball? Would you say, i don't know i just know it wasn't the wrong one?

[RobLV1]

So when someone goes in the pro shop and wants a new ball to to do a specific thing what do they tell the pro shop guy? Assuming they know everything about your game, the pattern, and the line you are targeting i guess you could say give me the right ball. Also, what about the drilling? What you do with bowling balls is decide what initial STRENGTH you want with your ball driller based on discussion about your desired lane play. Then with drilling and surface options try to get the motion you want. If we used the terms right and wrong ball that would mean if i had a good set with a certain ball that would always be the right ball for my house shot? If it was the right ball the week before then could it never be the wrong ball on that shot again? Here is the question. What made it the right ball? Would you say, i don't know i just know it wasn't the wrong one?

A good set with a certain ball would make it the right ball for that set. The next day, or the next week, or the next center, would not make it the right ball or the wrong ball. Here's the answer to your question: what made it the right ball was it's ability to stay in the pocket and carry the corner pins on the particular pair of lanes, on the particular night, with the particular temperature and humidity. In terms of drillings and surface options, limit the number of drillings that you use to two or three, in other words, let the ball do what it was designed to do, and feel free to adjust the surface of any ball to tweak the ball into being "the right ball" when it's close, but not quite perfect.

Backing up to your first question about who to tell the pro shop guy, if in fact they know everything about your game and the pattern (I'll ignore the part about the line your are targeting because even the thought that it's predetermined by you gives me nightmares), then yes, you could say give me the right ball. All I'm saying regarding the terminology is that it's probably a good idea to refer to balls as more aggressive or less aggressive based on the fact that our society reveres everything strong, and detests everything weak.

[fortheloveofbowling]

A good set with a certain ball would make it the right ball for that set. The next day, or the next week, or the next center, would not make it the right ball or the wrong ball. Here's the answer to your question: what made it the right ball was it's ability to stay in the pocket and carry the corner pins on the particular pair of lanes, on the particular night, with the particular temperature and humidity. In terms of drillings and surface options, limit the number of drillings that you use to two or three, in other words, let the ball do what it was designed to do, and feel free to adjust the surface of any ball to tweak the ball into being "the right ball" when it's close, but not quite perfect.

Backing up to your first question about who to tell the pro shop guy, if in fact they know everything about your game and the pattern (I'll ignore the part about the line your are targeting because even the thought that it's predetermined by you gives me nightmares), then yes, you could say give me the right ball. All I'm saying regarding the terminology is that it's probably a good idea to refer to balls as more aggressive or less aggressive based on the fact that our society reveres everything strong, and detests everything weak.

Actually those questions were meant to be rhetorical and somewhat facetious. If we want to use aggressive and less aggressive instead of strong or weak fine. But when i need to help my teammate with ball reaction i can't just say go with the right ball. And yes, it is necessary sometimes to drill balls for certain lines on a particular pattern. If your not considering what you want a ball to do before you have it punched your not thinking. Listen rob, i think you are very knowledgeable about things but in my opinion you may be out of your element when it comes to ball talk. Now, i'm not saying i know a lot and you are far more intelligent overall about the game. Sometimes you have to just stick with your strengths.

[RobLV1]

Actually those questions were meant to be rhetorical and somewhat facetious. If we want to use aggressive and less aggressive instead of strong or weak fine. But when i need to help my teammate with ball reaction i can't just say go with the right ball. And yes, it is necessary sometimes to drill balls for certain lines on a particular pattern. If your not considering what you want a ball to do before you have it punched your not thinking. Listen rob, i think you are very knowledgeable about things but in my opinion you may be out of your element when it comes to ball talk. Now, i'm not saying i know a lot and you are far more intelligent overall about the game. Sometimes you have to just stick with your strengths.

I am often told that I am out of my element when I talk about bowling balls, usually by ball drillers. I look at bowling balls like I look at most everything: logically. Of course I consider what I want a ball to do, but I do it before I purchase it, not before I have it drilled. While it is not in the PSO's best interest to have bowlers buy balls that will work for them rather than to depend on the driller to try and make the ball into something that it's not, it is in the best interest of the bowler. How many times have you heard bowlers pick out a ball that is much to aggressive for them, and tell the PSO to drill it to go long and snap? Personally, I've lost count. A great majority of the people who post on this forum are not at a level where they would consider drilling a ball for a particular pattern. In most cases, when they talk about drilling a ball to play a particular line, they are talking about being able to play ten board on a house shot. It is not my intention to overly simplify bowling balls for the elite of the game, but to try and develop some simple understanding of balls for the league bowler. My ability as a writer to do that is my strength.

[J Anderson]

Actually those questions were meant to be rhetorical and somewhat facetious. If we want to use aggressive and less aggressive instead of strong or weak fine. But when i need to help my teammate with ball reaction i can't just say go with the right ball. And yes, it is necessary sometimes to drill balls for certain lines on a particular pattern. If your not considering what you want a ball to do before you have it punched your not thinking. Listen rob, i think you are very knowledgeable about things but in my opinion you may be out of your element when it comes to ball talk. Now, i'm not saying i know a lot and you are far more intelligent overall about the game. Sometimes you have to just stick with your strengths.

When I started bowling, the average bowler had one ball. The only choices that affected the performance were; rubber or plastic, fingertip or conventional, and what weight do you want to throw.

Bowling balls are now at least ten times as complex. Counting the pancake core of spare ball as its own category, there are three types of cores. With plastic, urethane, reactive resin, pearl and hybrid, there are five types of coverstocks available. The number of combinations is almost staggering. Yet for some reason we keep using the one dimensional terms strong and weak to describe the balls in our arsenals. Is it any wonder why so many of us can't offer a logical reason why we switched from throwing one ball to using a different ball, other than, " the first one wasn't carrying".

[Aslan]

How many times have you heard bowlers pick out a ball that is much to aggressive for them, and tell the PSO to drill it to go long and snap?

I can't remember hearing someone buy a ball that didn't ask for it to go long and snap. It's more of a "roll your eyes" joke at this point.

Bottom line...the average bowler can't make a ball go long and take a 90 degree turn into the pocket. To do that...requires a polished ball, a pearl, with an aggressive cover stock for the back end...and arguably an assymetric core of whatever strength. BUT...even MORE than that...it requires a bowler with a substantial rev rate.

The Storm Optimus is considered by MANY to be the best skid/flip ball on the market right now...at least the most popular. My teammate just bought one two weeks ago because he wated a ball to be more aggressive on the back end than his Matermind Genius.

Now, here's whats silly about that (from my uneducated point of view):

The guy is throwing a Mastermind Genius and missing right. It's not making the turn. It's a HYBRID cover stock ball. It's an overall more aggressive ball than the Optimus. Arguably...it may be a BETTER skid/flip ball...because it is polished and has an assymetric core and a very aggressive cover stock and a much higher RG (to go longer). It's only downside to being an ideal skid/flip ball is the Hybrid cover...seems like that would bite too early.

BUT...he then gets an Optimus...which is a Pearl...and thats great...but it's a symmetric core with a much lower RG. How is that going to go LONGER...and snap more aggressively/angularly??? It's got a lower RG...so it goes shorter...and is a symmetric core which will cause it to have a more gradual response than an angular response.

It was a BAD ball choice for what he wanted. What he NEEDED was someone to explain that without a 400rpm rev rate...he can't throw the ball 19mph and expect angular reaction. He NEEDS to slow his ball speed down...and that Mastermind Genius will be all the ball he will need.

Last week...he bought an IQ Tour Solid. Again....IF he wants a long ball to snap...HORRIBLE choice. If he's not going to slow down his ball speed...which he refuses to do...then a Solid is definitely the way to go...but he won't see a long/snap. He'll see a ball start to move sooner and make a nice move into the pocket. Hopefully that works. Because when I joined this team...he was our anchor and was averaging high 180s while I was mired in a bit of a slump in the high 140s. I'm now in the low 160s and he's in the high 170s and I'm fairly certain I'll pass him in average by the end of the season if not much sooner. The flooded lanes with massive carry-down up the right side has made his speed dominant shot nearly useless. He can usually break 200 in the last game of the series if the lanes break down enough...but most games I've been outscoring him as of late. And he's bought 3 balls in 6-7 weeks trying to fix the problem.