Friction

[RobLV1]

In years past, bowlers were always looking for ways to increase friction; to get the ball to hook. Modern bowling balls are designed to hook using powerful cores, powerful cover materials, and lots of surface. I truly believe that most league bowlers that I see, as well as the posters that I see here, are still caught up in the fallacy that you need to find more friction to get the ball to hook. As a coach, I can honestly tell you that 90% of the problems that I see with league bowlers come as a result of using balls that are too strong in terms of core, drilled to be stronger yet, and then they add surface to compound the problem. Does this sound familiar?

[boatman37]

I'm 1/2 of what you describe. I look for the dry but use pearls with some shine on them. I think for me the dry gives me a little room for error whereas if I'm n the oil and my speed or accuracy is off a little my ball reacts too soon or too late. Maybe with more surface I would have a little room for error in the oil? Been waiting on an Idol Helios for about a month now but when/if it ever comes I plan to try that in the oil. I could add surface to one of my pearls but want to drill the Helios with a controlled layout where most of my pearls are skid/flippy

[RobLV1]

I'm 1/2 of what you describe. I look for the dry but use pearls with some shine on them. I think for me the dry gives me a little room for error whereas if I'm n the oil and my speed or accuracy is off a little my ball reacts too soon or too late. Maybe with more surface I would have a little room for error in the oil? Been waiting on an Idol Helios for about a month now but when/if it ever comes I plan to try that in the oil. I could add surface to one of my pearls but want to drill the Helios with a controlled layout where most of my pearls are skid/flippy

What most bowlers don't understand is that while a polished ball will skid further through the oil, they will also react more violently to dry areas of the lane. Since many, many house bowlers choose to play much further outside than they should, this means that by using a polished ball, they are creating their own over/under condition. Rather than using polish, try using a 5000 surface to get the extra length without the over-reaction. I have long believed that bowlers should use one, or at max two, layouts to allow them to really use and understand the differences between their bowling balls. For this reason, I'll refrain from commenting on your plan to use a "controlled" layout on your new ball.

[SRB57]

In years past, bowlers were always looking for ways to increase friction; to get the ball to hook. Modern bowling balls are designed to hook using powerful cores, powerful cover materials, and lots of surface. I truly believe that most league bowlers that I see, as well as the posters that I see here, are still caught up in the fallacy that you need to find more friction to get the ball to hook. As a coach, I can honestly tell you that 90% of the problems that I see with league bowlers come as a result of using balls that are too strong in terms of core, drilled to be stronger yet, and then they add surface to compound the problem. Does this sound familiar?

I personally have been using a little more surface on solid covers than in the past and stay in the oil a little more. The house shot I am on can be to dry outside at times and is easier to stay near the shim line. I don't have the ball speed or rev rate anymore to cover a lot of the alley like when I was young which is ok until I don't carry like last night. I have also found out polished stuff can have a over/under reaction but if the lanes are right I can really open up the lane but more often than not it hasn't worked out so been sticking with the solid with surface. Steve

[boatman37]

What most bowlers don't understand is that while a polished ball will skid further through the oil, they will also react more violently to dry areas of the lane. Since many, many house bowlers choose to play much further outside than they should, this means that by using a polished ball, they are creating their own over/under condition. Rather than using polish, try using a 5000 surface to get the extra length without the over-reaction. I have long believed that bowlers should use one, or at max two, layouts to allow them to really use and understand the differences between their bowling balls. For this reason, I'll refrain from commenting on your plan to use a "controlled" layout on your new ball.

I would agree with the polished comment. None of my stuff is polished anymore except my Squatch which I haven't thrown in over a year. My Altered Reality was polished OOB and I used it for about 30 games like that but it is now at 5000 no polish. My Raw Hammer pearl is still OOB and I think is polished but I was just thinking last night about throwing it on the spinner with a slightly worn 3000.

As for layouts, I remember you saying that before about only using 1 or 2 layouts. The only ball I have that I knew the layout on was my Altered Reality as I never knew my PAP with all of the other balls so I have about 8 different layouts now. Still trying to come up with a plan for layouts but my plan is to stick to only 2 layouts. Nights like last night I think a solid with a controlled layout would have worked well. I'm sure others would have worked well too but I either didn't have it or couldn't find it...lol. In hindsight I wish I had tried my Conspiracy solid at 2000 and moved in a little more but it didn't cross my mind until I got home.

But back to your original post...based on my experience I think many think if they want a big hook they need a dull ball. When I left bowling 20 years ago I was throwing a Cobalt Rhino. Nothing hooked huge back then. I came back and saw people hooking the lanes and 'assumed' I needed a dull ball and play the dry part of the lanes, not understanding the 3 phases or burn up, etc. so I went to my PSO and picked a Kingpin solid figuring that would help get me the big hook. Not sure what your demographic was for this post but I find the average league bowler knows nothing of skid, hook, roll, or balls burning up. When they leave a flat 10 it's the lanes fault. So most aren't at the level most of us on here are so have the mindset I did 4 years ago when I bought the dullest balls I could find and if I threw it in the driest part of the lane it hooked more.

[classygranny]

What most bowlers don't understand is that while a polished ball will skid further through the oil, they will also react more violently to dry areas of the lane. Since many, many house bowlers choose to play much further outside than they should, this means that by using a polished ball, they are creating their own over/under condition. Rather than using polish, try using a 5000 surface to get the extra length without the over-reaction. I have long believed that bowlers should use one, or at max two, layouts to allow them to really use and understand the differences between their bowling balls. For this reason, I'll refrain from commenting on your plan to use a "controlled" layout on your new ball.

Interesting. Please help me with my dilemma if you would. Our Bowlero lanes have changed the "brand" of oil and what most of us are seeing is that if you miss (or throw) outside of 8-10 that the balls seem to over react. Inside around 15 is very slick until some of the straighter ball bowlers have absorbed some of the oil and then you may see a little more movement. So the choice is to play somewhere between 10-15 and either straight or some belly to the ball depending on speed and revs.

Since my elbow surgery, I have had to drop in weight. Although my speed and revs are still considered matched, I lean toward the rev dominant. I have two Storm Tropical Surge balls. One is drilled to go a bit longer than the other. Both are polished. Both over react to the outside. Although I don't want to play on the outside I would like a board or two of miss area without the ball crossing and taking out the 7 pin. Which TS would you suggest I go to a 5000 surface on? My other choice is a Twist which hasn't been "replugged" to my new grip, although I wouldn't be opposed to doing that if that would be the better choice. I just need something that will be more controllable in more areas of the lane.

[RobLV1]

Many bowling centers have made changes to either their brand of oil or how they oil. Bowling centers are hurting and often can't get things that they need... the center where I bowl went about three months with a malfunctioning oil machine because they couldn't get replacement parts. Also, since the USBC quit with their three units rule, some centers are leaving the outside part of the lane bone dry. This certainly adds to the potential for over/under. The 5000 surface would work on either Tropical Storm and should probably be put on both. How is the TS drilled to go longer?

[Ryster]

What most bowlers don't understand is that while a polished ball will skid further through the oil, they will also react more violently to dry areas of the lane. Since many, many house bowlers choose to play much further outside than they should, this means that by using a polished ball, they are creating their own over/under condition. Rather than using polish, try using a 5000 surface to get the extra length without the over-reaction. I have long believed that bowlers should use one, or at max two, layouts to allow them to really use and understand the differences between their bowling balls. For this reason, I'll refrain from commenting on your plan to use a "controlled" layout on your new ball.

Someone I bowl with has been going through this. They bought a super strong asymmetrical solid ball, and a lower/mid level symmetrical pearl. Both have the same layout. I am getting really tired of hearing the same comment each week. "How is it that the supposedly less hooking pearl ball hooks more than the stronger solid ball? It makes no sense!!" At one point I looked at them and said "The pearl is reacting faster off the dry. It is hooking later, not more." They looked at me like I had 2 heads, and just said "No. It is hooking more." I just walked away.

[boatman37]

Many bowling centers have made changes to either their brand of oil or how they oil. Bowling centers are hurting and often can't get things that they need... the center where I bowl went about three months with a malfunctioning oil machine because they couldn't get replacement parts. Also, since the USBC quit with their three units rule, some centers are leaving the outside part of the lane bone dry. This certainly adds to the potential for over/under. The 5000 surface would work on either Tropical Storm and should probably be put on both. How is the TS drilled to go longer?

On that note Rob...have you or anyone else heard anything about a bowling pin shortage? I ask cause a girl my wife works with bowls in a league at a crappy place and she said the carry has been horrible cause they can't get new pins. It could just be that this place hasn't replaced their pins in forever since I don't think any of their leagues are sanctioned there

[Ryster]

On that note Rob...have you or anyone else heard anything about a bowling pin shortage? I ask cause a girl my wife works with bowls in a league at a crappy place and she said the carry has been horrible cause they can't get new pins. It could just be that this place hasn't replaced their pins in forever since I don't think any of their leagues are sanctioned there

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