How is layout preference determined?

[Hammer]

When purchasing a ball how do you know what layout will work for you? What are the determining factors? Is it determined by what kind of release you have and how long you have been bowling? Does a pro shop give you a generic layout kind of a one size fits all? The balls I have now have a layout that might not benefit my type of bowling. Before getting a ball drilled will a pro shop watch you bowl to determine what layout will work for you? Got this on my mind.

[bowl1820]

When purchasing a ball how do you know what layout will work for you? What are the determining factors? Is it determined by what kind of release you have and how long you have been bowling? Does a pro shop give you a generic layout kind of a one size fits all? The balls I have now have a layout that might not benefit my type of bowling. Before getting a ball drilled will a pro shop watch you bowl to determine what layout will work for you? Got this on my mind.

Some bowler specific information that is generally used (when known) to help determine layouts for a player are:

1. Speed (Specify if its on the monitor or at the foul line)
2. Positive Axis Point (P.A.P.)
3. Rev Rate
4. Initial Axis Rotation
5. Initial Axis Tilt
6. What surface you want the ball for (wood or synthetic)
7. What lane condition you are bowling on most of the time or what condition you want it for.

At a really good pro-shop, yes they should watch you bowl some and talk to you about what you want the ball for or expecting out of the ball.

But If it's a new bowler and that info is not really known at the time, then a basic generic layout can be used.

[1VegasBowler]

When purchasing a ball how do you know what layout will work for you? What are the determining factors? Is it determined by what kind of release you have and how long you have been bowling? Does a pro shop give you a generic layout kind of a one size fits all? The balls I have now have a layout that might not benefit my type of bowling. Before getting a ball drilled will a pro shop watch you bowl to determine what layout will work for you? Got this on my mind.

Rob Johnson from Lane Side Reviews has layouts for all of the equipment that they review, and excluding my Vintage Danger Zone, all of my layouts have been drilled exactly as he has shown and all of them have worked great.

My VDZ was done by my PSO so that it would work for short & sport shots.