Is it possible to play gutter to gutter with a symmetric ball?

[Hammer]

The deepest I play is with the arch of my sliding foot on board 30. I do this when I am using my reactive Raw Hammer Anger ball. I definitely can't do it with my urethane Blue Hammer symmetric ball. Maybe it can be done if you have the revs and the right speed. I was thinking it would be easier to play gutter to gutter with a asymmetric low RG ball. Using a symmetric ball I just don't have enough revs. Any thoughts on this?

[RobLV1]

You're comparing apples and oranges. The Raw Anger Hammer ball is reactive resin (cover material). The Blue Hammer is urethane. The fact that the Blue Hammer is symmetrical is irrelevant. You should be able to move just as far with a reactive resin ball with a symmetrical core as you can with a reactive resin ball with an asymmetrical core. The asymmetry of the core will give you a more angular, pronounced hook, not more hook.

[Hammer]

You're comparing apples and oranges. The Raw Anger Hammer ball is reactive resin (cover material). The Blue Hammer is urethane. The fact that the Blue Hammer is symmetrical is irrelevant. You should be able to move just as far with a reactive resin ball with a symmetrical core as you can with a reactive resin ball with an asymmetrical core. The asymmetry of the core will give you a more angular, pronounced hook, not more hook.

Would I need more revs to play gutter to gutter with my symmetric Raw Hammer Anger ball? The RG is low on this ball but I can't remember what exactly the RG is. By the way I will be 71 the beginning of February but I am in pretty good shape for my age. I still can bend my knees on my approach and I can open up my shoulders using the modern swing if I have to play deep. My ball speed at the foul line is like 14.5 mph.

[Amyers]

It depends on the bowler. When playing deeper than usual for you have to be able to answer a couple of questions.

1. Can I get the ball back right? If I move deeper than 20 at the arrows with my target I struggle to get the ball far enough back right
2. Do I have the ball speed to push the ball far enough down lane? The farther left you move the more speed you need to get the ball back to that target area before it hooks.
3. Can I carry from there? If you can get it to the right spot will it carry for you? Nothing is more frustrating than to get in position to play the shot and find out that your going to leave 10s and pocket 7-10s from there.

This is just what I see from my own bowling others my disagree or have different issues. When trying to play deeper I actually find that higher Rg, higher differential equipment is more beneficial to me

[Hammer]

It depends on the bowler. When playing deeper than usual for you have to be able to answer a couple of questions.

1. Can I get the ball back right? If I move deeper than 20 at the arrows with my target I struggle to get the ball far enough back right
2. Do I have the ball speed to push the ball far enough down lane? The farther left you move the more speed you need to get the ball back to that target area before it hooks.
3. Can I carry from there? If you can get it to the right spot will it carry for you? Nothing is more frustrating than to get in position to play the shot and find out that your going to leave 10s and pocket 7-10s from there.

This is just what I see from my own bowling others my disagree or have different issues. When trying to play deeper I actually find that higher Rg, higher differential equipment is more beneficial to me

I find that at my age and ball speed the deepest I can play is with the arch of my slide foot on board 30 at the most but usually my slide foot stays around boards 25 to 28. My target arrow will be board 15 and break point is between boards 5 and 10. Sometimes my ball gets away from me and hits a break point of board 2 or 3 and still makes it back to the pocket. My revs seem to be good enough to do this with a 42 foot pattern at our house. Sometimes my ball speed is too fast and it slides too far past my break point then I have to slow it down a bit.

[got_a_300]

I guess it all depends on the bowler as to how much hand
and revs you can get on the ball. I have higher revs and I
can play however deep on the lanes I need to play or where-
ever the shot tells me I have to play the lanes anywhere from
the first or second board on the left lofting the gutter cap and
sending it all the way out to the first board on the right.

I can use either my symmetric ball or my asymmetric ball and play
the same area on the lanes. The only real difference is in the shape
of the ball I get down lane now on the asymmetric ball it gives me
more of a pronounced sharper hook at the breakpoint the symmetric
ball gives me more of a smoother less sharp hook at the breakpoint
still playing the same line on the lanes.

[Hammer]

You're comparing apples and oranges. The Raw Anger Hammer ball is reactive resin (cover material). The Blue Hammer is urethane. The fact that the Blue Hammer is symmetrical is irrelevant. You should be able to move just as far with a reactive resin ball with a symmetrical core as you can with a reactive resin ball with an asymmetrical core. The asymmetry of the core will give you a more angular, pronounced hook, not more hook.

I should have made myself more clear that I don't expect to use my urethane ball when playing deep but I will use my reactive ball both of which are of the symmetric type. When not playing deep I use my urethane Blue Hammer but I can still have a good reaction because it has a 2000 dull surface.

[bowl1820]

I find that at my age and ball speed the deepest I can play is with the arch of my slide foot on board 30 at the most but usually my slide foot stays around boards 25 to 28. My target arrow will be board 15 and break point is between boards 5 and 10. Sometimes my ball gets away from me and hits a break point of board 2 or 3 and still makes it back to the pocket. My revs seem to be good enough to do this with a 42 foot pattern at our house. Sometimes my ball speed is too fast and it slides too far past my break point then I have to slow it down a bit.

This is would be your basic ball path as described above:

Click for larger view:


Depending on conditions, symmetrical/asymmetrical, Resin or urethane all would work.

If your having to move in deep, that means your looking for oil. You shouldn't be throwing the ball out to the gutter and trying to wheel it back.
Going farther out your just getting more into the dry, the ball is either going hook too hard or standup and roll out.

You should try moving your line in keeping the ball in the oil longer and playing the ball closer to the pocket, you don't need a ton of revs to do it.

Example Click for larger view:

[Hammer]

This is would be your basic ball path as described above:

Click for larger view:


Depending on conditions, symmetrical/asymmetrical, Resin or urethane all would work.

If your having to move in deep, that means your looking for oil. You shouldn't be throwing the ball out to the gutter and trying to wheel it back.
Going farther out your just getting more into the dry, the ball is either going hook too hard or standup and roll out.

You should try moving your line in keeping the ball in the oil longer and playing the ball closer to the pocket, you don't need a ton of revs to do it.

Example Click for larger view:

So you are saying with my reactive ball I should target at the arrows at about board 16 and a break point of between boards 10 and 15 instead of boards 5 to 10.

[bowl1820]

So you are saying with my reactive ball I should target at the arrows at about board 16 and a break point of between boards 10 and 15 instead of boards 5 to 10.

No, I'm not specifying Resin or Urethane or any specific boards per se. Just that a lot of players when they move in looking for oil, Most likely because their ball is hooking too early etc. Make the mistake of also throwing the ball farther outside to "Give it room" to get back.

The problem with that is, the farther outside you go the dryer it is, also a lot of the time they get into the dry earlier because of the big angle they are using doing it. The ball winds up hooking even earlier and missing left or it rolls out and doesn't make it back with the player thinking I don't have the hand/revs to get it back and/or lack the speed to get the ball deep enough.

When moving in if they bring their breakpoint in also (Play closer to the pocket), the ball stays in the oil longer (of course depending on how everyone else broke down the lanes), so it goes farther down lane before making its move and it doesn't necessarily have to hook quite as much to get back to the pocket.

Also One school of thought is, start out the night with symmetrical balls. Then as the night goes on and you move in you switch to a asymmetrical ball if you need help turning the corner.