A Players Guide to Ball Motion And Lane Play

This is an advanced outline of the critical information needed by a pro shop operator, instructor or a scratch bowler. The outline covers the many factors involved in ball selection and the variables the occur as lane conditions change.

It is mandatory that pro shop operators, instructors and scratch bowlers understand the variables involved bowling ball reactions and lane conditions. With over 200 lanes patters available, ignoring the variables is not an option.

FACTORS A BOWLER NEEDS TO CONNECT:

SURFACE CONSIDERATION:

Before you think about a pattern, it is important to understand the friction and wear characteristics of the playing surface

LANE SURFACES:

Surface Type
Topography
Surface Wear
Environmental Factors

SPECIAL RULE:

Never assume that all the lanes will play the same. Too many factors can cause the lanes to play differently from pair to pair and lane to lane. This is true from day to day as well.

OIL PATTERNS:

VOLUME:
* All patterns transition
- Higher volumes should be stretched towards the headpin.
- Lower volumes are easy to blow a hole into.

LENGTH:
* A consideration for the lateral (left to right) location of the breakpoint can be determined by the length of the
pattern
- The shorter the pattern, the closer to the gutter you should play
- The longer the pattern, the closer to the pocket you should play
* Lengthwise Taper also has to be considered
- Strong Taper = less carry down
- Weaker Taper = more carry down

HOLD:
* Most bowlers learn to bowl in an environment that provides hold. Hold is the ability to make mistakes inside of a
bowlers target and still achieve desirable results.
* Due to the physical nature of the human body, it is common to make mistakes inside a bowlers target.
* Most patterns are designed to have more oil inside of a bowlers target line. This can be used as “hold” with the right match up.

DEFINED OR FLAT:
* There are basically two types of patterns
* “Defined Patterns” are patterns that give artificial guidance. If a bowler cannot find definition, they should opt to use Flat Pattern strategies. Knowing what Flat Patterns are, minimizes the challenges of oil migration and depletion.

TRANSITIONS:
* Bowling has always been and always will be about transitions. No matter what pattern you bowl on
there is always a common transition.
* On every pattern, the first transition is oil going down the lane and the second transition is the fronts
drying up.
*The oil pushes down the lane where ever the field decides to move it.
* As the competition increase, it becomes very obvious that the friction in the front part of the lane
increases.
- Good bowlers in all eras of our sport understood this and adjust strategies accordingly
* Take and pattern you want and imagine you are an artist with a paint brush. You have been given instruction to
brush the oil in a way that the oil will make the scoring conditions easier.
* Bowlers are artists
* Bowling balls can be likened to a paint brush. The better bowlers are matching up their ball roll and understand how the effect of oil being brushed around affects their strategies.

PIN CARRY:
* Huge consideration, most bowlers don’t understand.
* The winner is usually determined by pin carry.
* The part of the pocket and the ball motion shape is very important. The biggest mistake most bowlers make is trying to use too much entry angle. The flaw to this strategy is the limitations on the amount of the headpin that the bowler is allowed to use.
* There is a balance between entry angle and the part of the pocket the bowler is attempting to use. The traditionanal strike uses more of the headpin than most bowlers understand. It is very difficult to use this part of the headpin when the entry angle is too great.
* Observation skills are very important. A bowler is closest to being lined up when they leave a 4 pin than they are when they leave a 10 pin.

SCORING PACE:
* Lively kickbacks, sidewalls, pins, patterns, all affect scoring pace. Choosing the right ball affects scoring pace.
* Knowledge and experience can raise the scoring pace. A good bowler will adjust their strategies from experience.

FIELD AND FORMAT:
* There is a wide variety of formats used in the sport.
- League, 3 games, same pair
- PBA, 9 game blocks, crossing pairs

THE BOWLER:
* There are 4 things we need to know about the bowler
- Ball Speed
- Rev Rate
- Axis Tilt
- Axis Rotation

THE 5 TYPES OF BOWLERS:
1- Rev rate strongly dominates ball speed
2- Rev rate slightly dominates ball speed
(AVERAGE PBA PLAYER)
3- Ball Speed and rev rate match
4- Ball speed slightly dominates rev rate
(AVERAGE LEAGUE BOWLER)
5- Ball speed strongly dominates rev rate

THE BOWLING BALL:
* Need to know all of the previous info to even start to make a decision on a bowling ball.
* Need to consider the following in choosing the right ball.
- Overall hook potential of ball
- Shape you are trying to create
- RG of Core
- Strength of Coverstock
- Sanded or Shiny
- Strong Layout or Weak Layout

FYI There are 3 basic axis shifts (also known as axis migration)

1. 0 degree axis shift
2. 45 degree axis shift
3. 90 degree axis shift

O degree shift means the ball want to hook early because the axis is already facing the pocket

45 degree shift is the most versatile axis position since it neither want to hook early nor skid in oily conditions.

90 degree means the axis requires more friction before it can hook

Radius of Gyration:
Low RG:
* Low RG balls have less resistance to change in motion. (hook transition quicker)
* More adept in heavy oil.
* Spinner releases, side roll releases, faster ball speeds
Medium RG:
* More length than low RG balls.
* More friction needed for this core to go into hook transition.
* Medium RG balls fit most lane conditions and bowler styles.
High RG:
* Most resistance to change in motion.
* Most friction needed to go into hook transition.
* Best when used on drier lanes, heads are broken down.
* Require surface friction to react well in oil.
* Backend hook is more angular than the low RG balls.
* Slower ball speeds, less side roll.

Differential (flare potential):
Higher Differential:
* Less revolutions, faster ball speeds, longer oil patterns, oil carry down
Lower Differential:
* Dry, over-reacting lanes.

GUIDE TO PROPER BALL SELECTION:

Ball speed, what to l look for:
* Slower: Higher RG cores, lower differential cores, pearl veneers, reduced friction veneers
(may have to polish the surface if it is sanded)

* Faster: Lower RG cores, higher differential cores, aggressive veneers
(may have to sand the surface if it is too shiny)

Axis Rotation:
* Minimal Side Roll: Higher RG cores, pearls, reduced friction veneers
* Maximum Side Roll: Lower RG cores, lower differential cores

Axis Tilt:
* More Spin: Lower RG cores, higher differential cores, aggressive veneers
(you may have to sand the surface to control the violence of the breakpoint and to get the ball into an earlier roll)
* No Spin: Any cores, any veneers, match up to lane condition, revs, ball speed, axis rotation

Revolutions:
* Power Player: Lower differential cores, pearls, medium/high RG cores
* Stroker: Higher differential cores

Amount of Oil:
* Oily: Lower RG cores, higher differential cores, aggressive veneers
(you may have to sand the surface to create an earlier roll)

* Drier: Higher RG cores, lower differential cores, pearls, reduced friction veneers
(you may have to polish the surface to delay the breakpoint)

Backend conditions:
* Carrydown: Higher differential cores

* Fresh: Lower differential cores

Ball speed, axis rotation, axis tilt, revolutions, and lane conditions are all important criteria to consider when choosing the correct ball for you.

Plugging In The Numbers

BALL SPEED
Slower: Higher RG cores, lower differential cores,
pearl veneers, reduced friction veneers
(may have to polish the surface if it is sanded)
Faster: Lower RG cores, higher differential cores,
aggressive veneers (may have to sand the surface
if it is too shiny)

AXIS ROTATION
Minimal Side Roll: Higher RG cores, pearls,
reduced friction veneers
Maximum Side Roll: Lower RG cores, lower
differential cores

AXIS TILT
More Spin: Lower RG cores, higher differential
cores, aggressive veneers (you may have to sand
the surface to control the violence of the
breakpoint and to get the ball into an earlier roll)
No Spin: Any cores, any veneers, match up to lane
condition, revs, ball speed, axis rotation

REVOLUTIONS
Power Player: Lower differential cores, pearls,
medium/high RG cores
Stroker: Higher differential cores

AMOUNT OF OIL
Oily: Lower RG cores, higher differential cores,
aggressive veneers (you may have to sand the
surface to create an earlier roll)
Drier: Higher RG cores, lower differential cores,
pearls, reduced friction veneers (you may have to
polish the surface to delay the breakpoint)

BACKEND CONDITION
Carrydown: Higher differential cores
Fresh: Lower differential cores

Radius of Gyration: (RG)

Low RG:
* Low RG balls have less resistance to change in
motion. (hook transition quicker)
* More adept in heavy oil.
* Spinner releases, side roll releases, faster ball
speeds

Medium RG:
* More length than low RG balls.
* More friction needed for this core to go into hook
transition.
* Medium RG balls fit most lane conditions and
bowler styles.

High RG:
* Most resistance to change in motion.
* Most friction needed to go into hook transition.
* Best when used on drier lanes, heads are broken
down.
* Require surface friction to react well in oil.
* Backend hook is more angular than the low RG
balls.
* Slower ball speeds, less side roll.

Differential (flare potential):

Higher Differential:
* Less revolutions, faster ball speeds, longer oil
patterns, oil carry down
Lower Differential:
* Dry, over-reacting lanes.