Expert: - 3/7/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Warren,
I just ordered the Wild ride.  It will be the first ball I have that I am the first drill.  I currently Throw a Storm El Nino and An Old Ebonite Dynasty.  I bowl 2 leagues. One on each surface and two complete different shots.  I have always been a speed player throwing around 22mph.  Recently I have found the tempo to slow ball speed to a consisten 18.5-19mph.  I have a medium track, High 200's for revs, and like to throw from Center dot crossing the 10-15 at the arrows and 5-7 at the break point.  Or a smooth down and in on heavy oil.  Got any drilling ideas for this new ball.  Thanks

ANSWER: Jason,
Surface is your first concern. With your speed, needing/having the lane slow the ball enough, leaves you open for disaster. Any surface change on the current balls?

On a no-brainer typical house shot (THS), you'll find plenty of friction to the gutter or on the back end. The layout should allow for the look you want down lane. How are your other balls laid out? Both balls could provide a lot of flare, I'd expect them to be leverage or close. You purchased the new ball to do what?

Sounds like your on both synthetics and wood, correct? Which ball works best on which lane surface? Any idea of your axis rotation or tilt? Knowing your shot starts up earlier (0-20 degrees rotation), will push my suggestion in one direction for wood and the other for synthetics.

What weight do you throw? When you get it, let me know pin distance (best to measure) and top weight. Thanks for the question, with a little more info, I think I can suggest something. What does the driller recommend? Good bowling.

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

QUESTION: My tilt is about between 30-35 degrees by my best estimate.  My other ball are drill on a pretty standard MoRich 90 degree.  Pin at about 1:30.  The Wild Ride is a pearl ball with a much stronger core.  With this I'm sure that I will make adjustments for my house shots.  I will also finally have a ball Drill for my span.  Have found examples of some others drilling of this ball and have an idea of what I want to do but have read alot of your posting and wanted your opinion.

ANSWER: Jason,
First, with your speed (22mph gets the ball down the lane in under 2 seconds) a drill angle of 90 degrees won't lose tilt quickly enough. If the Dual Angle total is 90 degrees better. You didn't mention what you average, I can assume some proficiency with higher average bowlers.

Second, if the pin is at 1:30 (I'm hoping the pin to Positive Axis is around 3 inches), your surfaces should be charcoal (rough). With your speed, also, having a ball that doesn't fit, facilitates less effective hit and turn at the bottom of your swing. Don't use any other stuff until you get it fit for you. A performance ball that doesn't fit, is akin to a house ball. You are working way to hard to use something, that slight variations in execution negates the benefits.

Third, when you throw hard, 18 plus (around 2 and a quarter seconds, to go from foul line to pins) surface is your friend. Your purchase of a pearl ball, no matter the strength of core, won't help if you can't get any traction. You are speed dominant, and one of the toughest styles of player to outfit effectively. A wisp of oil, plays like a ton when you throw hard (that's why speed is such an asset). (Did you see the Plastic Ball Championships on the PBA broadcast, several of the plastic balls on the show were sanded, rougher.)

Next, without knowing exactly what the other balls do (and seeing you throw them), and their layouts, and how their surfaces are prepped, I can only suggest some guidelines. Your rev rate doesn't match up with your speed. With a ball fit for you, potentially, you'll grip less, throw slower and rev it up more. Assuming all this, I'd put the mass bias next to the thumb and do a double thumb weight hole, your pin would be in a leverage position, with about a 1 - 2 inch pin buffer, I'd use a ball with less than 3 ounces of top weight, with a four to five inch pin. And, I'd dull the surface, to get the friction you need in the midlane. All this for an efficient bowler that can get within an inch of their target at the arrows, consistently. If you don't average more than 185, I recommended some layout tweaks that might get the ball to way overreact/underreact if your speed fluctuates 1/2 a mile an hour, on any given shot.

Lastly, getting fitting or drilling suggestions over the Internet (just like buying a ball), without a capable operator being able to see your hand or watch you bowl is a bad idea. My suggestions should be some of the first things a capable driller will think off when presented with you and the dilemmas of your game. If you have a capable driller, listen to him/her. They are invested in you being successful. If you dictate what you want from an Internet recipe book, you completely relieve the driller of his/her responsibilities to get the ball to compliment your game. The driller should take ownership of their work. If it doesn't work quite the way you discussed, they should adjust the reaction.

Thanks for hanging in. Let me know what happens with the ball.

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

QUESTION: Warren,

I think it got overlooked in the first question.  I have recently changed my ball speed from 22mph to around 18-19 and have found some consistency.  I'm sure that this would completely alter your response.  That is the reason for the ball change.  New ball speed has made me change from down and in shot to the small swing.  There for the poslished ball and so on.  Either way, I'm going to get drilled for the ball today and gonna make the driller work.  The 1st ball I've done with him so hopefully he puts the effort in.

Thanks

Answer
Jason,
I said "Third, when you throw hard, 18 plus (around 2 and a quarter seconds, to go from foul line to pins) surface is your friend. Your purchase of a pearl ball, no matter the strength of core, won't help if you can't get any traction. You are speed dominant, and one of the toughest styles of player to outfit effectively. A wisp of oil, plays like a ton when you throw hard (that's why speed is such an asset)."

Your El Nino has surface. You may still need surface after the Wild Ride is drilled. A better choice would have been the Twisted Solid or a Total Inferno.

Good luck with the new ball. Thanks for the follow up.