Dry Lane Balls and the Ball Reviews

[Billy_Pilgrim]

I am going to purchase a dry lane ball and have been reading the reviews in BTM to try and make an informed decision. The two areas of confusion for me concern the ratings of the balls and the method of drilling.

On the rating system there are several balls that receive a 9 from all three testers. Does this mean they all performed equally well? In the ball review booklet BTM sells are more details placed on the description of the balls performance or is it the same information contained in the magazine reviews?

In a previous thread it was mentioned that for the ball reviews, if only one test ball is supplied, the ball is drilled for maximum reaction. Doesn't that defeat the purpose of the dry lane ball?

In the review of the Brunswick Power Groove Dry/R, concerning bowling on dry lanes, it was stated that "Usually we are forced to play inside of twenty on this pattern." In the review of the Hammer Vibe, on dry lanes, the article said, "We were able to play ouside of the fourth arrow, which still left us lots of room for when they got toastier." Both of these comments make me think that the testers are going for the maximum hook possible.

I admit I'm not a top level bowler, but I thought the reason for purchasing balls with different reaction characteristics, was to be able to play closer to your comfort zone. I wouldn't think a strokers comfort zone would be outside of the fourth arrow, unless I'm not understanding how the reviewer is defining this. For me outside the fourth arrow is to the left of the center arrow for a right hander and inside the fourth arrow would be to the right of center; is this correct?

[editor]

I'll try to answer some of your questions.
As for the stroker and his comfort zone, you've got it backwards. Outside for a righthander is to the right of the fourth arrow.
The ball review guide contains no more additional info. They are reprints of all the reviews for the preceding year compiled into one booklet.
You still need reaction, even with a dry lane ball. You just need it further down the lane. If you need a 7-iron, buy a 7-iron and drill it to react like a 7-iron. Don't drill the guts out of it and make it a 9-iron or wedge. Unless you have extremely high rev rate of very slow speed, you shouldn't need a long pin to bowl on dry lanes. The testers aren't going for maximum hook, they are just playing the shot...whatever the lane gives them. Usually, on the dry pattern, even though crossing middle arrow at the arrows, the breakpoint is only about the 10-12 board, not 5-7 as on the oily shot. So, not that many boards are being covered. They're just playing the oil line. Hope this helps.

Jim King

[Billy_Pilgrim]

I know this is going to come off as sounding argumentative, but I'm really just trying to clarify the information.

In the editors reply to me it was stated,

If you need a 7-iron, buy a 7-iron and drill it to react like a 7-iron. Don't drill the guts out of it and make it a 9-iron or wedge.

and in a different post the editor said,

The stacked leverage layout is used because that is the layout that gives each ball the maximum static imbalance. It will be the most flare and most total hook and will more easily display the properties of that ball.

In the case of the dry lane ball it sounds as if I'm being advised to do just what he warns against. Taking a dry lane ball and drilling it as if it were going to be used on oily lanes.


Isn't the stacked leverage drilling going to burn up the energy in the ball and reduce the hitting power. It sounds as if the heads on the test lanes weren't completely fried if there was still an oil line to play.

What I'm getting at is, I am also going to have just one ball to work with. I'm going to use it on dry lanes. According to the information given in the test articles my axis measurements are a tweeners. Is stacked leverage the best way to go on dry lanes?

[Jim King]

You don't have to drill stacked leverage necessarily. Label leverage is a good layout for dry lanes with Tweener speed and revs. Even 4x4 will still enable the ball to do what its supposed to do...get down the lane and flip to the pocket. If you think you need a little earlier roll, then kick the cg out a little, but not something too drastic. What you should guard against with Tweener speed and revs is taming down the ball so much, it becomes a completely different ball. Remember, the coverstock accounts for most of the differences in length and hook. Obviously, drillings which give more control of the breakpoint would help on flat patterns or if you had a higher rev rate or slower speed, but on the typical house pattern, the pattern gives you room for error and enables you to hit the pocket easily. What you need here is carry. That's why I recommend a stronger drilling. Not sure if I answered your question, but that's my two cents.

[Guest]

I bought the Hammer Vibe and had it drilled label leverage. When I used it at the house I practice at, I had to immediately move between the 3rd and 4th arrow. If I tried to place my breakpoint in the 10 to 12 area the ball went immediately left. If I struggled I could get it to stay on the pocket side of the rack, but this required the breakpoint to be further out.

I then went and had my first lesson with a coach. I was told I had good form, was square to my target line, good follow through, revs were okay, but my ball speed was too slow. He gave me a figure of 2.3 seconds to reach the pins. After some calculations I found if you divide 40.89 by the seconds you get your approximate miles per hour. In my case this was 14. I've been given some drills in an attempt to get it in the 2.5 go 2.3 range. Hopefully this helps some of the problems I've been experienceing.

[Billy_Pilgrim]

That last post was mine I forgot to log in. As it turns out I always thought I was a tweener but I fall into the stroker category. I also found out my pap is 6" over and 1/2" inch up. Does this sound right? If the coach is right then my ball wasn't drilled leverage. The pin is 4 1/2 from the pap with the cg in the center of the grip. This is actually better for my style, so I probably won't try to have it redrilled. Perhaps after I get my speed up and my release corrected it will work out ok.

[Sweetroll]

The Blazing Inferno is my main dry lane ball. Saw Mika K bowling with one the other day at the Geico open.

[RobBob5]

I have found two good solutions for dry lanes. First, I sometimes use an entry level ball. We're always so busy trying to buy hook, that we sometimes forget that less expensive balls are sometimes the perfect solution to dealing with dry lanes. I am somewhere between a stroker and a tweener. I have had a lot of success on dry lanes (late squads in tournaments, etc.) with an Ebonite Tornado Warning. This ball sells for under $100. It has a mildly reactive shell and only a pancake weight block. When the lanes burn up, I can use this ball like a plastic ball only with a few more boards of hook and a lot more hitting power.

The other solution I use not only for dry lanes, but also for other conditions where I don't want too much hook. I had an Ebonite V2 sanded drilled with axis leverage. For me this equates to the pin being drilled out in the ring finger and the CG kicked out so far that it is drilled out at the PAP. For dry lanes, I polish the ball to a mirror finish. For oilier conditions I have the ball dulled down. The bottom line is that this ball hooks 4 boards. Dry, polished, or wet dulled, the ball hooks 4 boards. When area is not an issue, this ball works extremely well for me.

Hope this helps.