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Thread: Understanding Modern Bowling Balls

  1. #11

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    Quote Originally Posted by Phonetek View Post
    How do you decide what layout is the best matchup to the core? Is this where it gets complicated and the bowlers attributes come into play in addition to the pattern they want to use it on?
    Great question! Back in the '70's, '80's, and early '90's bowling balls were very limited by the lack of friction on their plastic and urethane surfaces, and in most cases, the lack of cores. With no more than twenty or thirty balls to choose from, the only way to make a ball do what you wanted it to do was to use the very limited effect of static weights to try and create a specific reaction. Thus was born the whole "make it go long and snap" philosophy of ball drilling. Today, there are between two hundred and three hundred balls available for you to buy at any given time. What you need to understand is that all balls are not created equal to PSO's. Balls routinely go on promotion to PSO's who agree to purchase a given quantity of them. Given the chance to sell on of these balls at a greater profit, the PSO will often offer to drill a ball that was designed to roll early to "go long and snap". The problem with this stems from the fact that the core numbers; the one thing that bowlers are given total information about,
    are based on the undrilled ball. Once holes are drilled, the low rg, the high rg, the differential, and in the case of asymmetrical cores, the intermediate differential, all change. When you use a different layout for different bowling balls, you have no way of knowing how the numbers have changed based on the fact that the layout changes the position of the core within the ball. This is the reason that most professional bowlers use two, or a maximum of three layouts for all of their bowling balls. Once you have a pin up layout and a pin down layout that works for you, why change it? Doing so only makes it more difficult to understand and predict the differences between your bowling balls. When you want a ball that goes long and snaps, buy one that was designed for that reaction. Trying to make a silk purse out of a sow's ear doesn't benefit anything other than the PSO's bottom line.

    Questions?

  2. #12
    Member LowDown's Avatar
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    Ok Rob writes one paragraph and crushes the only thing I actually thought I knew about ball layout.

  3. #13
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    Also with modern bowling balls is understanding ball maintenance. Cleaning and resurfacing a ball is a must. I remember when I got back into bowling and the ball I had just stopped hooking. I struggled for about 6 weeks thinking I was doing something wrong and developed a bunch of bad habits trying to make the ball hook. I finally read something online about how the balls absorb oil and the pores of the ball can get clogged. So I wouldn't recommend this but I put the ball in my oven at about 120 degrees and I got about 2 tablespoons of oil out it. Voila my ball reaction came back.


    So always wipe down the ball after every shot, clean the ball immediately after bowling and refresh the surface every between 20-50 games.

  4. #14

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    Quote Originally Posted by JasonNJ View Post
    So always wipe down the ball after every shot, clean the ball immediately after bowling and refresh the surface every between 20-50 games.
    Studies have actually shown that the surface breaks down very, very quickly. I suggest a light refresh after every outing.

  5. #15
    High Roller Phonetek's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobLV1 View Post
    Studies have actually shown that the surface breaks down very, very quickly. I suggest a light refresh after every outing.
    That's one thing I have to get better at. My pre-shot routine is awful. Most times I just grab my ball, put a pat of rosin on my hand, rub my sliding shoe on the approach a couple times, line up and go. I wipe my ball maybe once or twice during a game if that. Bad monkey! Although that's mainly at my center with a black Hammer which really doesn't matter much, I'm a little better with the Rip'd when I bowl elsewhere but still far from every shot. I have to get more disciplined or I'm going to shoot myself in the foot. I do always wipe it with simple green / alcohol before I put it away though. It don't even have 30 games on it yet.
    Bowling Center Manager
    Arsenal consists of mainly 15# Motiv balls, I have several now and they are the bomb! Too many to list and carry. Still have a couple Hammer balls and my AMF RPM Swirl (old reliable) & 25+yr old Linds worth a mention
    Currently 535+ Rev Rate @ 19 MPH (This probably needs to be updated, I think I've toned each down a click or two these days. I'm letting the ball do more of the work as I get older.)

  6. #16

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    According to a BTM article on ball surface, the more surface that is on a ball, the faster it deteriorates. A ball with a 2500 grit finish, was found to be at 4400 grit after three games. A ball that started with a 4700 grit finish, was found to be at 5200 after three games. That's how fast the surface changes!

  7. #17
    High Roller Phonetek's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by RobLV1 View Post
    According to a BTM article on ball surface, the more surface that is on a ball, the faster it deteriorates. A ball with a 2500 grit finish, was found to be at 4400 grit after three games. A ball that started with a 4700 grit finish, was found to be at 5200 after three games. That's how fast the surface changes!
    Wow, reality check! Now I see why the pro's swap balls so much during matches.
    Bowling Center Manager
    Arsenal consists of mainly 15# Motiv balls, I have several now and they are the bomb! Too many to list and carry. Still have a couple Hammer balls and my AMF RPM Swirl (old reliable) & 25+yr old Linds worth a mention
    Currently 535+ Rev Rate @ 19 MPH (This probably needs to be updated, I think I've toned each down a click or two these days. I'm letting the ball do more of the work as I get older.)

  8. #18
    High Roller Blacksox1's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by JasonNJ View Post
    Also with modern bowling balls is understanding ball maintenance. Cleaning and resurfacing a ball is a must. I remember when I got back into bowling and the ball I had just stopped hooking. I struggled for about 6 weeks thinking I was doing something wrong and developed a bunch of bad habits trying to make the ball hook. I finally read something online about how the balls absorb oil and the pores of the ball can get clogged. So I wouldn't recommend this but I put the ball in my oven at about 120 degrees and I got about 2 tablespoons of oil out it. Voila my ball reaction came back.


    So always wipe down the ball after every shot, clean the ball immediately after bowling and refresh the surface every between 20-50 games.
    Oven roasted !
    Hammer Purple Urethane. Storm Surge Hybrid, Storm Pitch Purple, Roto Grip Hyper Cell.
    2 Storm Surge Pearl 4x4x2 and a no flare, ,Roto Grip Hot Cell, Roto Grip Haywire.
    2020/2021, Hi Average 219, Hi Game 289, Hi Series 771, 30 Clean 4, 700 Series 16.
    2021/2022, Hi Average 211, Hi Game 256 Hi Series 693, 30 Clean 0, 700 Series 0.
    Proud member of Bowlingboards.com Since 2013.

  9. #19
    High Roller Phonetek's Avatar
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    Add bacon and serve with gravy and you may have something there. EEK!
    Bowling Center Manager
    Arsenal consists of mainly 15# Motiv balls, I have several now and they are the bomb! Too many to list and carry. Still have a couple Hammer balls and my AMF RPM Swirl (old reliable) & 25+yr old Linds worth a mention
    Currently 535+ Rev Rate @ 19 MPH (This probably needs to be updated, I think I've toned each down a click or two these days. I'm letting the ball do more of the work as I get older.)

  10. #20

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    It is ironic that it is learning about cores is the thing that intimidates modern bowlers the most, and yet the core is the only part of the ball that the manufacturers tell us absolutely everything about. Most bowlers who are afraid to try to understand cores fall back on the old argument that the cover determines 75% of ball reaction. As I said before, that is absolutely true, however, consider this: your car has 4 tires. Each tire represents 25% of the total. This means that three tires represent 75% of the tires on the car. Have you ever tried to drive your car with one tire totally flat? How'd that work out for you?

    Anyway, the things that we can learn about core in every single bowling ball include: symmetry, shape, low RG, high RG, Differential, and Intermediate Differential (asymmetrical balls only).

    I'm starting to hurt, so I'll just start out now talking about symmetry.

    Symmetry: there are two kinds of bowling ball cores - symmetrical and asymmetrical. Symmetrical cores are shaped the same all the way around. Imagine a light bulb suspended by a string. Twirl it around and it looks the same all the way around. An asymmetrical core is one that is not shaped the same all around. Take a look at the long-standing gas mask core on the Hammer Black Widow series of balls.

    So, what are the benefits of symmetrical cores vs. asymmetrical cores? Symmetrical cores tend to yield a smoother, more predictable reaction. Asymmetrical cores tend to yield a more intense reaction. Now, before you jump up and declare your own desire for a more intense reaction, keep in mind the downside to balls with asymmetrical cores: they tend to magnify differences from one release to the next. Unless you are a very, very consistent bowler, you are much better off using symmetrically cored balls for most lane conditions.

    More later.

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