Expert: Chip Aki - 4/23/2004

Question
Hi Chip,

I would like to have your advice for re-drilling my bowling ball.

I have three balls :
Hammer - blade Reactive
Brunswick - Monster Brimstone
Ebonite - Savage Pearl

All 14 lbs.

I'm left handed.

all of them drilled with the same layout:
For late reaction (high pin position) - the pin is around 4" from the PAP. So, the pin is just above the ring finger.
The CG is kicked out 1/2" of the center.

Several things make me think that I need to change the layout of the drilling for at least one of my balls.

I play in a house were the lanes are between dry and medium oil. Not sure, but I think the lanes are oiled up to 37' or 35'
(I asked, but looks like nobody knows the length of the oil (?)) . The oil is light.
I'm very very inconsistent in this house. My (official) average drop from 190 to 175 in few weeks.

I usually try only two paths for my throw: boards 11 or 15 (left handed). Whatever gives me the head pin or a nice pocket. But, most of the nights if I go for the 11th board the ball start giving me splits all night. If I go for the 15th board: most of the shots finish on the pin #2 or a light pocket (leaving the pin #5 or the 5-10 split.). If I move 1/2 or 1 board the shot start doing splits or brooklings again and the ball sometimes loses its energy (5-10 splits)

Ok. When I go to another bowling alley where the lanes are between medium and heavy oil and oiled up to 41', my throw works
awesome. In the first 1/3 of the lane the ball revs up really nice and the ball (any) works as is supposes to work. All energy is saved for the backend
My average on this house is around 200 (I just go for practice)

My shot is
-speed: medium speed (around 17 miles per hour)
-Rolling forward. I always try to put my hand behind the ball when throwing it.
-I like that the ball goes all straight and then a nice hook in the backend.


So, observing the successful bowlers (3 300s so far during the league for this season)  in the house with the short-light patter (where I'm very inconsistent) I can see that all of them give the ball a more lateral rolling than myself. Tehy play on boards 15 or 20.
Also, The throw of another bowler is without the thump finger, so he can rev the ball a lot  and more lateral roll. His speed is less than medium. The amazing thing about this bowler is that he uses a house ball! and always he has at least one good game during the night with 7 strikes in a row or so. Two incredible things about this guy: He uses a house ball and he drinks around 3 to 4 beers during the league.

So, I think that changing the drill patter of one of my balls I would be able to match better this difficult lane (for me)

I'm thinking to re-drill one of my balls (either the ebonite or the hammer)  and move the pin to 3 3/8  from the PAP as the lay outs for maximum reaction are. And try to play these lanes (with this ball) on boars 15 or 20.

Do you think I'm doing the correct move to fit better this lanes?

thanks a lot for you help!

With Best Regards,
Rafael  

Answer
It sounds to me that you need to go with a higher RG ball to get it down the lane so it retains the energy to give you hitting power.  Definetly need a pearl ball and not any particle ball.  The other thing you could try to do is get a bit more side rotation on the ball.  This will get the ball to skid more and save more energy on the back end as well.  This will allow your equipment that you have now to work.

Good luck,
Chip