Expert: - 2/1/2008

Question
QUESTION: I am looking for a new ball. I have an Ebonite Total NV, dull sanded to 320grit. I play in the last league at night about 9pm and the oil is so far down the lanes by the time I get there. My Total NV just go start with very little hook. Last year I was bowling on wood lanes and I could get my balls to snap and slam the pocket. On these new lanes and if I slow down my ball would hook more but I lose all the power in the backend to get a good shot. With this ball I have to crank it and play straight up and this is not my style. My style is last dot on the approach and throwing it out to 10 board and have it come back and slam into the pocket. I love that big hook. I use finger tips and I am a very fast bowling around I would say 14-16MPH. I have dropped my Avg. from 202 to a 165 this year and I do not like bowling these days. What ball do you think that would give me the best performance on what I would like to do? I was looking at the Hammer Black Widow Peal and the Hammer Black Widow or is there another ball I should be looking at?

Please help
Thanks for your time


ANSWER: Jamie,
Why is your Total NV sanded to 320? The Total NV is finished at 4000  with an Abralon pad then polished at the factory?

You said, (did you mean?): "My Total NV just go (goes) start (straight) with very little hook." Are my assumptions correct?

Carry down and ball reaction at the pins can be addressed with layout. Cover preparation helps control the front part of the lane (typically oily).

Late shift leagues don't typically have a lot of carrydown, since modern bowling balls flare, absorb and remove oil, not normally carrying it down the lane. Second shifts typically play on an unprepared lane. First shift leagues have a freshly prepared/oiled lane.

So, if your ball is not hooking much, oil has been removed and the ball's energy is being used up. Going straighter uses less energy, the ball is not crossing boards fighting to recover and move in the direction of your axis rotation.

Change the surface of your ball back (a little at a time) to see if a little smoother will help store energy and give you more recovery down lane. Sounds like your bowling on the Great Wall of China house condition, but room/area at the gutter opens up as it gets played on.

Your ball speed if faster is 18 mph plus. Slower speed will burn energy quicker, so check the speed if you can. Or record the time it takes to cover the 60 feet to the head pin (with a stop watch), and I have a formula to figure your ball speed. Thanks for the question. With a little more info, especially finding out if some smooth and polish helps the NV roll better we can suggest some options. Good luck.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your help. I had the Total NV polish before and it was not even hooking at all. Then the pro shop sanded it down so it could move alot more. it did but after 2 weeks it was back again to the same way straight no hook or snap, i throw a ball about 14-16MPH. I am looking for a ball that hooks/snap

please help
Thanks

Answer
Jamie,
Your ball has, more than likely absorbed oil, or lost its energy because of the aggressive cover. Check out Ebonite's site and ball maintenance info at: http://www.ebonite.com/news/ball_maintenance.php

Small steps. If you have more than 50 games on the ball, pulling some oil out might be a good first step. Then, try taking the 320 surface to 400 and roll it. As you smooth the surface the backend should improve. Move to 500, or smoother if you see good results. You don't want to change the surface (smooth, dramatically) and polish the ball all at one time. Your game is unique so you need to find the surface that matches up well for you.  

Center heavy, low Radius of Gyration balls will hook snap. Like: Special Agent from Storm, The Break from 900Global, The Fury Pearl from Brunswick, LevRG or 'Nsane LevRG from MoRich, the Resurgence from Columbia 300 (possible surface adjustment on some of these). The Pearl Widow or original Black Widow are strong rolling asymmetrical balls, with a little more of an arc at the backend. But, strong move nonetheless. All the above will suite the condition you bowl on.

I revised the web address above. Please note a period after the address will cause a problem getting to the site/page desired.
Thanks Scotty for noticing. Again, try:  http://www.ebonite.com/news/ball_maintenance.php
Thanks,
Warren