New and wanting to learn...

[Street]

I've been bowling for awhile now and have taught myself basicly everything but have yet to actually buy my own ball... Though I have been using my dads old bowling balls for prob just over a year now that he used when I was a kid and I was born in 87, so thats how old the balls are...

They're both ebonites and only say Gyro-Balanced, Gyro I. Believe when I asked the guy about the black one leaving marks on the lane when it first hits... he said something about it having rubber or something... Now I haven't done that bad at all with these balls... high is 234 twice with them and usually can break or get close to 200 each time we go when its just a couple of us bowling without other friend distractions.... Think the first night bowling with these balls I got a 205... bowling 9 stikes and other frames were open(and of course they had to throw my score way down...lol)

http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=191885114885fl0.jpg
http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=191885092101zd7.jpg
http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=191885114885fl0.jpg
http://img267.imageshack.us/my.php?image=191885100549iu7.jpg

Now i'm wanting to get my own balls but don't know what to look for... though I will say that I'm big on what it looks like so I was looking at the Circle Voltage(which don't find easily anymore) and the Hammer Raw Toxic. And I've also been worried about the whole drilling of my ball and where I put the holes... When I bowl with these balls my finger tips to the first joint are in and thumb is pretty much all the way in...

Now for the questions I guess...

When getting the balls drilled, should I keep the same pattern on my dads balls or should I do something different?
If different how do I figure out what to get?
And I've seen many balls have the rubber peices in the holes. What does that do/affect for the bowler, ball and performance?
Do I keep the same drill pattern for strike ball and spare ball?
When looking at drilling pattern stuff online there's all the stuff for Center of Gravity, Pin Placement, Positive Axis Point, A Balance Hole. Basicly What is all that stuff... This was one thing I was kinda looking at... http://www.amf300.com/drillSheets/AMFdrill.pdf
Online on bowling.com they say "To ask for top weight or pin, enter specs in comments section at checkout." Basicly what is it and what would it do and should I worry about that??

I'll get a couple videos of me bowling if that will help at all with how I should drill the ball...


I'm sorry if thats alot of questions at once but I'm just trying to learn as much as I can about everything... I would go to the alley and ask there but bout the only time I go is after 10 or 11 due to always working and the shop's closed and usually the guys working don't do any major bowling and ya...

[rhbowling07]

If the way the ball is laid out on your dads fits your hand then keep it that way but when you get a new ball drilled, the pro shop guy will usually watch you bowl and drill the ball for you how he thinks it will work after you tell him what you want it to do(go long and snap or make an early roll).  The fingergrips in the holes lets you rip up on the ball more and put more of a hook on it.  I would keep the same drilling for the strike and spare ball, there is no need to have 2 different spans...etc for each.  If you go on looks, then go with the columbia rival, it looks real cool and is a pretty decent ball also.  Also the V2 Sweet, they are pretty hard to come by and are not as new as the Rival but ive personally had one and that ball was awesome, hooked more than anything else i had, also it looks cool lol. Dont get a 0-1" pin i can tell you that as for the rest of that...i only know a limited amount about, just enough to get my ball to hook hard.
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I bowl between 16-18mph with a lot of hand

My current arsenal:
AMF Terminal Velocity>>AMF Triumph>>Columbia Action Packed>>Columbia Epx T1>>Ebonite Tidal Wave Wipeout>>Morich Awesome Revs>>Roto-Grip Epic>>Storm Tropical Storm>>Track Arsenal Angular>>Track Clear Glove>>Track Sheer Havoc

[NicholasE]

When getting a ball drilled your proshop guy is either going to put just a label drilling (recommended from the ball company) or he will get you to throw a few balls and get your PAP (the rings of oil on your ball will help him determine the PAP and all of that) but with the balls not being the correct span possibly, he probably won't do the ball rolling because once the ball fits in your hand correctly its going to roll completly different.

The dillings will be determined by the ball manufacture sheet, most likely with this being your first ball he will just put a simple controlled layout on the ball until you get the hang of it.

The rubber things you see are called "Grips" and are there to comfort your fingers, they don't help with anything other then just comfort though. Some think it helps get revs but not really, maybe a little but I've had both and never seen a difference.

The drill patterns used on a strike ball as opposed to a spare ball are different. A strike ball will have a core inside that has to be positioned (hince the pin or dot that you see on the ball usually near the title or name of the ball) as to where a spare ball will just be a plastic ball without anything inside, some do have the pancanke type core but nothing to worry about your driller will know how to handle it. As far as hand spans and stuff it will be the same.

There are two different grip styles on a ball one is conventional, thats where the two fingers are pressed in to the second joint or knuckle, then there is fingertip style, which is whats used on a high performance ball where just your finger tips are in the holes which helps get out of the ball quickly and get revs on the ball.

CG or center of gravity is a mark on the ball that tells the ball driller where the center of the ball is so they can properally drill the ball, pin placement is where the dot or pin is located relavent to your PAP and finger holes, PAP is a measure ment that is taken off your ball by the oil rings to help the ball driller determine how to layout your ball. A balance hole is added to help keep the ball leagal is have to be and can also be used to help the ball hook more.

The biggest thing when buying a ball is to not get the 0-1" pin, they can be layed out to hook but they will not hook as much as a 3-4" pin ball would. With the longer pins 4-5" can be a little much but with the 2-4" pins its gives the ball driller a wide variety or different layouts he could drill it. The most common pin distance for most is 2-3" and you should be good to go. Top weight you should stay around 2.5-3.5oz and you will be ok on that, to much top weight will cause the ball to go longer and make a late move as to where it will hook.

Hope this helps,
NicholasE

[JohnP]

There is a lot of good, easy to understand information on layouts on the Lanemasters site, link below.  --  JohnP

http://marketing.lanemasters.com/LM_Ball%20Drilling%20Instructions.pdf