Expert: Chip Aki - 4/11/2008

Question
QUESTION: Can you help me understand pin placement and what contributes to its placement.

ANSWER: In general terms, the strongest pin placement will place the Pin and the CG 3 3/8 inches from your PAP.  The earliest roll reaction will place the pin on your PAP.  The latest reaction will place the pin in the 6 inch area from your PAP.  Moving the mass bias will have some affect on reaction as well.

High track players sometimes have problems when placing the pin below the fingers or near the ball track.

Since pin placement is based on PAP, ball layouts will look different for some bowlers.

Good luck,
Chip

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

QUESTION: What is CG and PAP?  Should a bowler with a lower track place the pin below the fingers. Should the placement always be in the same spot on the ball?

Answer
http://www.ebonite.com/techcenter/techterms.php

This will help with some of the terms.  There is also a section on ball layouts.

The best thing to do is to go to a pro shop with these questions so someone can show you on a bowling ball how this stuff looks.  They will also be able to help you in choosing the layout that would work best for you.

Bowlers with low tracks will have different layout options than a bowler with a high track.  I would not suggest using the same pin position on every ball.

Good luck,
Chip