Expert: Russ King - 9/10/2007

Question
Here is some pertinent info about me before I get to my question. I am a 57-year-old female. I have been bowling since the early 1980’s. My average for several years has been in the mid to upper 190’s, and my highest a season ago was 202. I usually bowled on 2-3 leagues (Port Orchard, Washington state) with at least one being a women’s scratch league. The last 2 seasons I bowled on 2 scratch leagues (one mixed, one all women) in 2 different houses and made the All Star Team both seasons. My natural style is a tweener, but when I wanted to when I was younger, I could crank with the best of them, even winning games from the younger pure crankers for “bragging rights”, much to their chagrin when their buddies said, “What? You let a GIRL beat you??” Some of the guys refused to bowl with me. So I’ve always had the power and I know how to hook the ball, and my knowledge about the game is pretty good. I had a few lessons from pro Fred Mattson in Tacoma, WA, and tips from Pete Somoff. This season I’m bowling in only 1 league, the women’s scratch league, which I have belonged to for the past several years. This league has a lot of the best women bowlers in the state with the top averages at 220. The highest 10 averages at the end of the season are team captains for the next season, and I have been captain for the past several years. My ball speed now is from 13-15, and am a 5-step bowler with the first step being short. I hold the ball low and push it up a little on the first short step, this helps keep my arm straight and elbow locked. I stand back near the beginning of the approach because I am 5’9” tall and have long legs. We bowl 4 games in the league, and I start off in the fresh oil with left foot on the 20 board, hitting around the 2nd arrow, and by the 4th game, I have to move in to the 25-27 board and bring my mark in around the 15. I am a stroker now. My favorite “go to” ball is a few year old Columbia Big Bully. It works good for all 4 games, but it really does well on the 4th game. I also have a Storm Paradigm that wasn’t drilled right and is in a different pro shop being re-drilled for down and in as much as possible (I pick it up Tuesday) so I don’t know how it will work for me yet. Ok, here’s my question: I am throwing 16 pound and seem to still be able to do that because I don’t get the least bit tired in the 4 games, and by the 4th game, I’m able to put more speed on the ball and string the strikes, and feel stronger than I did in the 1st game. I am in good shape, started to lift weights 6 weeks ago and feel stronger every week. I’ve gone down to 15 pounds a couple of times, and even 14, but always came back to 16 because I notice less carry and score with the lower weights. I have tried lots of reactive balls but was never happy with any of them except the Big Bully. It is drilled fairly aggressive, but it’s very controllable for me. What I really want to do is move more to the outside with a less reactive ball (urethane?) and go down and in. I don’t want to have to adjust my line too much, and with the reactives I’ve used, the shot just moves around too much and they all break way too early for my taste and are unpredictable, even when I adjust my release, speed, etc. I’ve read a lot of your answers to people and you said you like the Brunswick urethane Groove. It sounds like it might work for my down and in shot. With all I’ve said, would you have any advice, and would any other ball, in your opinion, be better for me? Also, since I’m getting up there in age now, do you think I should seriously consider going down in weight a mite?  Thank you for any opinions and comments.

Answer
I tried lower weights from 16 to 15. I develop speed & control problems from it being too light.I feel if your body can handle 16,stay with it .I even tried a 15lb spare ball.That worked OK.
 I have tried many Reactives & really do NOT like them.The Reactives give in way too much to the shot & I loose the control I like.I went back to regular Urethane.It is very versatile. You can change the surface & Urethane takes well to surfaces where Reactives act negatively to surface changes.
 When you swing the ball , you need a little more punch to bring it back & hit. When you can go down & in , you really do not need all that hit. The angle is always facing the pocket.
The Urethane Groove (cranberry)is a 3 piece ball just like a Columbia white dot cover, core & a plate weight block.I found a lighter top weight(under 3oz.) I have a big hand so under 2.5 should be ok for you) has a smoother more controlled line to the pocket. A heavier weight block adds more imbalance for a snap type line.I like an arc for down & in.I use no weights (like a cannon ball). I use hand & finger positions with surfaces.By changing surfaces, you can fit the ball exactly to your style & fit it right in to the line you NEED to play.
 Wet/dry sandpaper & a ball spinner ARE your best weapons.Grits like 500,600,800,1000,1200,1500,2000,2500 up to finesse it 30,000 shine will get you a different reaction for every grit used.
 >>  you can always change surfaces(TEMPORARY).You can never put back what was drilled out or change weights(PERMANENT).
 I HAVE TRIED MANY WEIGHTS & SURFACES WITH REACTIVES. I FOUND WITH THE ARCTIC BLUE REACTIVE GROOVE WHEN I DRILLED IT AXIS WEIGHT IT WORKED WELL FOR A MORE DOWN & IN LINE. I TOOK THE WEIGHT BLOCK OUT OF PLAY & NOW I FOUND I CAN EVEN SWING IT,DOWN & IN,STROKE IT & CRANK IT) WITH VERY GOOD CONTROL.
A DOWN & IN LINE IS SMOOTHER & HAS LESS WEAR & TEAR ON YOUR BODY.16 SHOULD BE FINE FOR YOU.

WITH REACTIVES I HAD TO CHASE THE SHOT DEEPER & DEEPER. WITH THE URETHANES , I CAN JUMP RIGHT & ACTUALLY HAVE MORE OIL IN THE HEADS SINCE NOBODY ELSE HAD BOWLED THERE.WHILE OTHERS FROM THE DEEP CROSSING THE HEAD PIN LINE COME UP FOR A 4 PIN & THEN A BUCKET ON THE NEXT SHOT, I JUST HIT 1/2 POCKET WITH ALL THE DRIVE I NEED & 1/2 POCKET GIVES ME A 3 BOARD ERROR ROOM & FOR A SIMPLE DOWN & IN SHOT, THAT IS PLENTY.I LIFT BIG TIME SO I MIRROR SHINE MOST EVERYTHING.A 1500 GRIT SURFACE FOR A FLOOD GIVES JUST ENOUGH FOR STABILITY & A SMOOTH TURN UP & IN.I MISS THE POCKET MAYBE 2 TO 3 TIMES A NIGHT WITH URETHANE.WHERE I WAS GETTING LOW COUNTS & MISSING THE POCKET 5 TO 8 TIMES A NIGHT WITH REACTIVES.I REALLY DO NOT MISS THOSE > WHAT WAS THAT? SHOTS.<
THE ONLY DRAW BACK TO A SIMPLE SHOT IS THE 10 PIN.HAND POSITIONS & FINGER PLACEMENTS WILL HELP THOSE PESKY 9 COUNTS.LIKE MOVING THE PINKIE AN 1/8" IN OR OUT & ALSO THE POINTING FINGER THIS WAY YOU CAN CHANGE CARRY.I HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A BIG HEAVY HITTING CRANKER. I NEEDED MORE.I WATCHED WALTER RAY TO GET AN IDEA ON STROKING DOWN & IN. I THEN ADAPTED WHAT I SAW INTO MY STYLE. I STILL HIT IT HARD . BUT, NOW I CAN MOVE RIGHT WITH THE HAND POSITIONS.IF YOU CAN DEVELOP 3 HAND POSITIONS WITH EACH BALL, YOU CAN HANDLE 85% OF THE CONDITIONS.EACH SURFACE & EACH HAND POSITION WILL GIVE YOU A SLIGHTLY DIFFERENT SHOT. THESE TWEAKS WILL ACT LIKE 8-12 BALLS FROM TWO 2 BALL BAGS.WELL, 3 STRIKE BALLS & 1 SPARE BALL.IF YOU DON'T HAVE A PLASTIC FOR SPARES, GETTING ONE WILL IMPROVE YOUR GAME THE MOST & I BELIEVE A GOOD SPARE BALL IS THE MOST IMPORTANT BALL YOU CAN HAVE IN YOUR BAG.
I CARRY 4.1 SPARE BALL, ONE HOOKING URETHANE,ONE ULTRA SHINY URETHANE & THE AXIS REACTIVE.THERE ABOUT 3-5 BOARDS APART FROM EACH OTHER.
 FITTING THE BALL TO YOUR STYLE IS THE KEY. THEN THE SHOT BECOMES EASY WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO FORCE IT.I LIKE A DEEP SHOT.BUT I DON'T LIKE BEING FORCED TO PLAY DEEP.THINK HARD & DO YOUR HOMEWORK.DON'T FALL FOR WHAT CATCHES YOUR EYE OR THE GOOD ADDS IN BOWLERS JOURNAL.GET WHAT YOU >> NEED <<.
 I EXPLORED & EXPERIMENTED WITH OVER 20 REACTIVES.I DRILLED THEM & PLUGGED THEM & DRILLED THEM. AND I FINALLY ENDED UP WITH WHAT I NEEDED >> URETHANE <<.NOW I CAN BOWL MY GAME.NOT WHAT I WAS PUSHED INTO.
I SUGGEST A URETHANE (GROOVE) BECAUSE I HAVE TESTED THEM EXTENSIVELY & KNOW WHAT THEY CAN & CANNOT DO.THERE VERY VERSATILE & FORGIVING.YOU LOOSE HEAVY HOOK,HEAVY HOOKING POWER. BUT, ACCURACY ,A SIMPLE LINE & CONTROL IS ALSO A GREAT GAME.
I WOULD SUGGEST A URETHANE FOR EVERYBODY BUT THOSE WITH 3 THUMBS & NO FINGERS.YOU HAVE A SOLID GAME WITH POWER & PLENTY ENOUGH FINGERS.A URETHANE WILL BE A GOOD ADDITION TO YOUR ARSENAL.