Expert: Warren Friedl, Pro Shop Owner/Operator, - 4/30/2009

Question
My best guess for personal statistics:
Ball speed about 18 mph off hand, 15.5 mph indicated by scoring monitor at back end
Rev rate about 380 based on 14 turns for 60 feet
Wrist brace is a basic Robbies, I used a solid plastic before but it shattered when I put in on after 25 years
Axis tilt appears medium to me looking a internet diagrams, about 10-11 inches in diameter.
Fingertip with inserts, I note the middle finger insert is worn to the urethane on the side toward the ring fingerhole.
I always thought of myself as a down & in stroker, some of the stuff on the internet would call me a tweener but I don't think I crank it much.
The house pattern is what we used to call blocked, I can't guess the right word for the amount of oil but I can shoot straight down the six board with the Hammer and carry if I keep the speed down to 14.5 indicated.
I gather there are all kinds of layouts for drilling now, I would guess a not terribly aggressive layout? It sounds like fun to swing one all the way across the lane...

Answer
Jerry,
Get the grips changed immediately. You should change them about ever 60-75 games.

A blocked lane with dry boards right might cause your ball to burn off some energy in the path to the pocket. Unfortunately, a block works best for the worst player, while more skilled bowlers must play around/through it to hit the head pin.

The smooth cover of your Hammer can be duplicated in several balls on the market. More midpriced stuff would work (Storm Hot Rod's, Ebonite's Bash and Clash series, Brunswick's Rattler or Swarm, Hammer Vibes (strong angular backend reaction), Track's Temper or Tantrum), Hammer's mid price would be too strong (Raw Hammers), Roto Grip's Planet series the New Mars, shiny Neptune or dull Pluto might also fit the bill, to play a touch straighter with shiny or a little swing with the dull ball.

The layout and surface preparation should take into consideration where you want to play.  Your ball driller should watch you throw and use the track from your current ball to determine how much "help" you need from the core.

Thanks for following up. If you have further questions about an specific ball(s) let me know.