What can your balance hole do?

[billf]

Many of the bowlers here who started years ago may remember that a balance hole was to keep the weight legal. How about now? Has today's technology changed that also? It sure has and with the advent of dual angle drilling the balance hole plays an important part in your balls reaction. Here is the link to gradient balance hole replacement by MoRich Bowling http://morichbowling.com/Education/G...alanceHole.htm

[MICHAEL]

Very interesting Bill! I have had talks about the subject with my driller here in Kansas City, Trent! One thing I like about trent is that he will take the time to watch you bowl, and then decide what drilling, and where to place the balance hole. Something that can't happen when done by someone that has not seen your type, and style of bowling.
I am learning more and more on this great web site!!

[DanielMareina]

The balance hole can be a very useful tool to create the right reaction. I really like small drill bit weight holes (25/32 and smaller) about an inch below the mid grip line. It creates a little earlier role, and if you are on a pattern with a lot of oil, that can help a lot at creating the right angle into the pocket. Before drilling a weight hole, even if I know it needs one to be legal, I have the bowler throw a game or two with it and tell me what they would like it to do differently. I know a lot of pro shops that just put the hole on the axis no matter what, and they are missing out on a chance to fine tune the reaction to perfection.

[billf]

My Nexxus and both Hell Raiser Revenges' have the balance hole on the mid-line. I was a little upset when I learned more about them especially when I asked that one of the HRR have a real early roll. That was the purpose of buying two, heavy oil, one to rolls early the other late. Of course this was the same highly recommended pro shop that couldn't tell me what my PAP was AFTER drilling six balls for me. He did watch me bowl but I told him I use different releases depending on how I feel and what seems to be working that day. I took the time to explain what I wanted each ball to do, with what release, boards, speed and pattern type. He said my PAP was around 4". I checked and it's 5 3/8" over 3/8^. Would that 1" make a big difference? The balls work well but how much of their capability am I missing out on? (that's rhetorical)

[martin]

are spare (plastic) balls allowed to have balance holes?

[bowl1820]

are spare (plastic) balls allowed to have balance holes?

Yes it can have all the same holes that others have.

[J Anderson]

are spare (plastic) balls allowed to have balance holes?

The question is why would you want one in a ball that you're trying to throw straight?

[bowl1820]

The question is why would you want one in a ball that you're trying to throw straight?

I had one in my Zebra in the PAP to make it legal. Plus if you put one in the PAP it will help keep it stable and go straighter.
Also you might want one if your using it as a dry lane strike ball.

You can see it here on the right.

[J Anderson]

I had one in my Zebra in the PAP to make it legal. Plus if you put one in the PAP it will help keep it stable and go straighter.
Also you might want one if your using it as a dry lane strike ball.

You can see it here on the right.

Thanks, I never realized it could stabilize the ball.

[DanielMareina]

My Nexxus and both Hell Raiser Revenges' have the balance hole on the mid-line. I was a little upset when I learned more about them especially when I asked that one of the HRR have a real early roll. That was the purpose of buying two, heavy oil, one to rolls early the other late. Of course this was the same highly recommended pro shop that couldn't tell me what my PAP was AFTER drilling six balls for me. He did watch me bowl but I told him I use different releases depending on how I feel and what seems to be working that day. I took the time to explain what I wanted each ball to do, with what release, boards, speed and pattern type. He said my PAP was around 4". I checked and it's 5 3/8" over 3/8^. Would that 1" make a big difference? The balls work well but how much of their capability am I missing out on? (that's rhetorical)

First of all, that 1" makes a big difference.If he put a 4" pin on it that is actually a 4 3/4" pin now, you aren't missing anything. It would just be different. If he put a 5 1/2" pin that is now a 6 1/4" pin, you could be missing a lot. Any pin location between 3 3/8" and 5 1/2" will fully use the balls potential, they just do it differently. Any longer or shorter is when you have a loss in overall strength. Second of all, putting a weight hole on your midgrip will get the ball to roll a little earlier because your PAP is still above it. So he may not have done anything bad, even though he doesn't sound like he knows his stuff as well as you would hope.