Expert: - 10/4/2009

Question
QUESTION: I have been try to find the right ball for my fiance. She just started bowling 2 years ago, but has shown a natural ability for the game finishing last year with a 172 avg. She has a medium ball speed with lower revs. Our house pattern is 39' with a ratio of 1.8-1, a lot of oil for a house shot I suppose. We have been working on her form, getting her to be a little smoother with her approach and create a little more revs.  Being a shorter pattern I would want to get her a pearl, but with so much oil, I lean to a duller surface. Any suggestions?

ANSWER: Kyle,
The pattern ratio is like a sport shot. The numbers may be different then what you relayed to me. The ratio suggests that if the lightest oil volume on the lane is one unit, the heaviest  volume is only 1.8, so if there is 4 units on the outside boards, there are only 7.2 in the middle, that's VERY little. I regularly see 0-3 or 4 units on the out side boards of a lane, while the middle has 70 to 80 units (a ratio of close to 20:1, could the ratio be 18:1?). Typical volumes are 23-27 milliliters per lane. Is the volume 18 maybe? Most ratios are upwards of 5, 10, 20 to 1, where the outside boards are very dry while there's a ton of oil in the middle of the lane (a VERY easy, Typical House Shot -THS).

The pattern length is normal (39 feet) for most house shots, her medium speed probably gets the ball to look like its hooking earlier or stronger than you expect. Where does your fiance like to play (target line, target arrow?)? You didn't mention what she's rolling now? What is her current ball doing that you want to get her a different ball? If she likes to play closer to the middle of the lane, a duller or rougher ball will help manage the oil, but if you go with a pearl you may need to find some friction on the lane to utilize the ball. I am a big fan of using the tools (bowling balls) to play where you want and have the ball help you control the lane. So please share more about what see wants to do, where she wants to play and we can discuss options further.

Thanks for the questions. Look forward to hearing back. Good bowling.



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

QUESTION: Warren,
   Thank you for the quick reply.  Sorry for the lack of info, this is my first time using a forum like this. we are just having a hard time figuring out the specifics.  The owner of our house is currently out of town and will be for the next 4 months (doesn't like the Alaskan winters# he is the man I usually go too.  About the pattern ratio.  It is currently 1.8-1, I actually work at the lanes and am on the board so am consistently there for the tape readings.  I do realize it's a little unusual for a regular league to be using that type of pattern, the reason behind it is us having so a small house we have had the same bowlers come in for the last 40 years, most of them are playing the same line #you can see their foot prints on the approach from the last 20 years of bowling!# and they had asked for a tougher shot.  We only have 10 lanes and about 100 bowlers but a large number of them average over 200.  We tried the PBA experience league, which they enjoyed but, still having that need for consistency they wanted a week to week consistent shot that was much harder to deal with.  We do have other leagues that bowl on a THS, but for this on in particular, we use a lot of oil, beyond the 8 board down at the break point is out of bounds, and anyone with high revs has a little problem playing deep inside.
   Phew, that all being said she is currently rolling an original Cell 14lbs, pin directly below the fingers.  This is only her second ball, graduated from the original Black Widow.  The ball she uses now has trouble cutting through the oil and is hard to control on a fresher shot because for some reason it acts like a skid-flip, immediately turning and creating a bad angle into the pocket, unusual for the Cell, could be her hand position, she likes to come around the ball a little.  She likes to stand on 22, and shoot 12 at the arrows, out to the 10.  She lines up pretty well to start, but when the lanes break down and the backends aren't as snappy, she can find the pocket, but ends up leaving a lot or 10's, and sometimes even a 5-7.  If I had to put a number on her rev rate, its probably around 150 and her speed is around 15.  The volume of oil makes a pearl a little scary, especially with her low rev rate, but a duller ball may be too similar to her Cell and tend to leave corner pins once they break down.  We have roughed her up her ball with a 600 pad once, and also threw a little 2000 polish on at one point.  We are a registered pro shop for Roto-Grip and she got the ball in 2007, a few months before commercial release and has about 350 games on it at this point, which is her main reasoning for a new ball, but would also like to find one that compliments her style and where she is trying to go with it.
   I hope this is enough info #if not too much!) for you, and can't tell you how much the both of us appreciate your time!  Thank you again!

Katie and Kyle

Answer
Kyle,
The ratio is small but it sounds like the volume is higher. How many units at the heaviest volume do you have on the lanes?

The layout in the Cell is delaying the ball, and the core inside from helping your fiance more at the pins. I'd suggest from the additional details, getting another Cell, or the new Mutant Cell (in a couple weeks# and lay it out with a higher pin #4 inch pin to PAP and a 2 inch pin buffer#, and stronger mass bias #MB# (swung under her PAP or beyond#. The higher pin helps bring the core into play down lane, swinging the MB out closer to or beyond her Vertical Axis Line #VAL# will encourage the ball to rev up sooner, add a big, low weight hole #P4) and you can add 40% to the reaction #you'll need a big pin ball). Adjust the surface to match up to the new stronger reaction, by tweaking it rougher or smoother.

If you are familiar with the Dual Angle layout system, what are the numbers from her ball now? Any questions about the terminology or specifics, please let me know. I sometimes get too technical. The thing our industry needs is for everyone to be on the same page when relaying info.  Thanks for the questions. Let me know what you decide to do.