Not sliding affecting my ball speed?

[teamxdmatt]

Thanks for the great advice guys!

these balls have a pretty good amount of games on them. well the action packed is the one i use the most and i haven't done anything to it since i got it. the xcel i don't use that much. on dry lanes i have a problem with the ball hooking way too much sometimes going brooklyn or going through the head pin with the action packed ..even though i move over sometimes its right while sometimes it hooks way too much still i get really frustrated. while if i had a fresh shot out there i wouldn't have a problem . like the other day there was a fresh shot out and with the action packed i shot a 223 185 and 180 but that was with me standing on 30 and swinging out to the 5th board. i tried to get some more ball speed also but it seemed like the ball was hooking even more probably because i was lifting more too while trying to throw faster.



daniel,
the xcel was drilled for me when i just first started bowling in 2006-2007 so i'm not really sure if that's my actual layout i would use today.. i know the fingertip holes are drilled pretty deep to take top weight out i guess? i did used to have a problem trying to hook the ball but it seems now i put alot of revs on it now but not enough speed now its weird. i do see the action packed is inconsistent as you state the over/under reaction problems. i'd say i have a medium-high track on the ball right now. those balls you mentioned looks like they would work for me from watching some videos on them.

[DanielMareina]

The only reason to drill finger holes deep is because the center of gravity is too far below your mid-grip. It isn't actually called top weight, although that is an accurate description of what it is. If you set a ball with the middle of your grip straight up, there are 6 sides that have a weight restriction set by the USBC. Each of the three sets of two sides must be within 1 oz of each other with a .1 oz variance. This means that the left/right finger/thumb and hole side(top)/opposite side must be within 1.1 oz of each other. In the old days, static weight mattered enough that they made these rules. Now it means almost nothing, but the rule is still there, so we have to follow it.

When bowlers start out, the pro shop guy will do a generic layout on your equipment to make it easier on you to succeed. To tell you the truth, neither of yours are generic. I really think that you would be more successful with a different layout. This is easiest to do by buying a new ball, but if you want to, you can plug the fingers and thumb on your sanded ball and try a different layout with it. I would suggest a pin above your fingers to add length, but make it a 5.5" pin from your positive axis point(PAP). This may not mean much to you, but your pro shop guy will understand. The reason I suggest this layout is because that ball is more aggressive than you need. Since you barely use it now, it isn't a big loss, but it could be a big gain. The farther the pin is away from your pap, to an extent of about 6", it will smooth the transition of the ball into it's hook phase. This does two things. First, it makes the reaction of the ball much more predictable and controllable. Secondly, it will take away a lot of the over/under problems people have with high flare layouts. I personally have about 12 balls with 6 different layouts on them. My favorite layouts are 5" pins above my fingers and 4.5" pins below my fingers. Every one is different, but from hearing the problems you are having, I think a longer pin and maybe a 4000 grit coverstock on your sanded ball would be much more beneficial to you than having it ready for dry lanes that you don't usually encounter.

[teamxdmatt]

thanks for the great information! i greatly appreciate it. would it be better for me to just start off with a new ball that's not as agressive for a typical house shot and start over? maybe the brunswick slingshot or reign as my main ball and maybe the tropical heat as a dry lane ball? so pretty much why i've been real inconsistent on the lanes is because of that layout on the action packed?

[DanielMareina]

The layouts you have aren't really helping you, but it is much more likely that the coverstock is creating the inconsistency. The layouts just make it harder to get lined up, the coverstock will make it hard to have the lined up shot be consistent. I wouldn't get a tropical heat and a slingshot. The two balls are similar in concept and hook potential. I just drilled a slingshot for a guy the other day and it reacts very nicely, but the tropical heat is just as good. The Reign, on the other hand, is a much better ball for lanes with more oil, because it is much more aggressive than either of the other two. I think that new equipment will be a better way to go, but at the same time, it costs money. So if it is worth it to you, I would buy at least one new ball. I would start with the black/silver Tropical Heat, because it has the Hybrid coverstock and a great consistent core. The hybrid coverstocks are much more adjustable and predictable. The other two Tropical Heat colors have a pearlized reactor coverstock, which is still good for its own reasons too. After you get used to that ball, decide from there what kind of ball you want to compliment it and go from there.

[Strike Domination]

Not sure if it's been mentioned yet, but in addition to the shoes and your footwork, one other cause of not sliding enough is bending at the waist too much. Check on that.

[teamxdmatt]

thanks for the help guys.. ive been trying to throw more straighter than swinging the ball out alot. it seems to help somewhat but i cant use the action packed for that just too agressive still i need to get rid of it. the xcel does pretty good but burns up the oil very quickly since its still sanded. i'm going to get rid of these and start all over with new . ive also kept my hand closed on the ball to get less hook and it seems like i throw a little bit faster doing that but i'm not really sure.