Author Topic: Need help with drilling a ball. (Read 5102 times)

stormdamage · « **on:** January 26, 2012, 12:57:41 AM »

Ok guys, need some help. Kind of an odd situation. We are about to buy my wife a new ball. More than likely, either a 12 lb. Marvel Solid or an Invasion. We want to drill the ball up so that we can max out the strength of the ball. She is only 5'2" and doesn't bowl much nor is she very athletic. Thus, we need the ball to do most of the work. The real kicker is she is a right with a reverse hook. Her ball speed hovers around 10 to 12 mph. Revs, well, they are low to say the least. Thus the need to maximize the ball's strength. We are probably going to go with a 2 to 3 inch pin, since her span is just over 3 inches. We typically bowl on wood lanes, but will be doing a summer league in a different house with the synthetics. Anyway, I have no idea what her pap is. She does have a typical ball track. We even tried drilling up one ball with a lefty pin/cg placement but it didn't seem to help. The ball would still skid past it's break point. I am trying to encourage her to learn the traditional righty release as this is a far more natural motion for your arm than trying to rotate it the opposite way putting strain on your arm all the way up to your shoulder. Any help you guys can offer would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

stormdamage

ithinkican · « **Reply #1 on:** January 26, 2012, 09:08:28 AM »

you sound like a friend on mine. i sanded his wifes ball down to 500 with no polish and it works fine with her old ball.... but if you go with those two balls use the 4*4*2 layout that storm has listed in the catalog. but of course as a left handed layout. but DV8 has the strongest ball on the market. the DV8 hell raiser revenge. it has an ungodly amount of hook to it. just a suggestion not a recommendation.

Russell · « **Reply #2 on:** January 26, 2012, 09:28:42 AM »

Just a couple of things to consider:

- With her ball speed being that low, might that be too much ball and it "stop" way before it gets to the pins. In my experience some milder covers work better for extremely low speed players as they don't need the help getting the ball to "hook".

- At 12lbs you might want to look into a Brunswick ball, as under 14lbs most manufacturers are not keeping the dynamic integrity of the core. Look up the core and specs for a 12lb Marvel and Invasion, both will show that you're not buying the actual core. You can get the same cover on a "weaker" ball that at 12lbs has pretty much the same cover and core.

Little known fact: In Russian "Hope" and "Change" translate to "Tax" and "Spend"

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #3 on:** January 26, 2012, 09:56:05 AM »

"Strength of the ball" is VERY relative. If she has no hand and speed, a truly strong piece will probably roll out right behind the arrows. Even if you drill it strong, it might hook but hit like a wet donut.

From what I can tell from personal experience, rather go with a higher RG, milder cover, and maybe with a medium to high differential, and drill it strong. You do not have to sink lots of money for a good performance - the package has to fit the user. The Power Grooves from Brusnwick used to be very good balls for such "cases", as well as the Tropical Storms. Personally, I'd rather look into lower end balls - low RG orbd with strong covers might just be too much (just my 2 cents).

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TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 26, 2012, 10:22:46 AM »

I agree with those that say you are going the wrong direction with the balls strength. Something like a Freeze would do her much better than something high end. The reason you think it is skidding past the breakpoint is because it is actually dying. There isnt any energy left on the backend part of the lane. You need something like a Freeze with the RG in the mid-upper 2.5 (2.56 I believe) and that is for 15-16 pounders. For a 12, you may be looking at 2.60 area. Do a pin above the fingers and roughly 5 inches from her axis and kick the cg just a hair (under the ring finger or just outside). I would not even use a weight hole either as the weight hole will just help it rev faster in the midlane which is what you dont want with her slow ball speed.

Peace doesnt always have to be silent.

JohnP · « **Reply #5 on:** January 26, 2012, 10:42:19 AM »

If you've got her convinced she needs to begin hooking the ball in the right direction, spend your money on lessons instead of a new ball. When her hook release has developed, then look at a new ball. -- JohnP

stormdamage · « **Reply #6 on:** January 26, 2012, 10:56:48 AM »

Wow. Thanks for all the input. So would something like a 2 furious be more in order or should I actually be looking at a pearl reactive? Just want to get her the best ball for her game so she will enjoy bowling more. Low scores equal low fun. She is moving up from a 10 pound Super Charge and she loves that ball. Wants something very similar.

TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #7 on:** January 26, 2012, 11:13:24 AM »

It doesnt necessarily have to be a pearl, but definitely weaker than the balls you mentioned earlier. She needs something polished and remember that lower end balls are using covers that are as strong now as the Super Charge was when it came out. If you want to stay Storm, do something like a Tropical Heat. That should be plenty with her ball speed. Hope this helps! Other balls to consider:

Ebonite Cyclone

Columbia Freeze

Hammer Grape Vibe

Peace doesnt always have to be silent.

stormdamage · « **Reply #8 on:** January 26, 2012, 11:28:10 AM »

Wow. I really thought a solid reactive would be more helpful in getting the ball to the pocket. I don't know everything though. lol. So maybe a 2 fast? Nothing stronger?

Russell · « **Reply #9 on:** January 26, 2012, 11:29:15 AM »

Ditto what TWOHAND said....unless you're bowling on a massive flood she needs weaker cores. I suggested Brunswick simply because of the dynamic integrity, the key at the weight bowling ball you're looking at is the cover.

Little known fact: In Russian "Hope" and "Change" translate to "Tax" and "Spend"

TWOHAND834 · « **Reply #10 on:** January 26, 2012, 11:30:38 AM »

A 2Fast is plenty ball!

stormdamage wrote on 1/26/2012 12:28 PM:
Wow. I really thought a solid reactive would be more helpful in getting the ball to the pocket. I don't know everything though. lol. So maybe a 2 fast? Nothing stronger?

Peace doesnt always have to be silent.

stormdamage · « **Reply #11 on:** January 26, 2012, 11:31:09 AM »

She is a Storm/Columbia girl. Nothing else interests her. She has bowled well with both of these. I tried to interest her in some Morich and some others but no luck. Wants to stay with what she knows will work for her.

Track_Fanatic · « **Reply #12 on:** January 26, 2012, 12:06:21 PM »

You might also want to try a Frantic. However, If she was more interested in bowling and bowls a few times a week and not just recreational, I would suggest coaching first as someone else on here did.

tenpinspro · « **Reply #13 on:** January 26, 2012, 02:45:59 PM »

Hey stormdamage,

First question I need to ask is what ball is she currently using with the lefty pin that doesn't get up or slides past the breakpoint? If it is a weak to mild reactive, you may be right in choosing a stronger cover. Second question is what area of the lane is she playing? If she is throwing the ball into the oil (assuming you're on a house shot) and based on your description of her game, not many pieces would react from there. Typical oil lines exist from 8-10 board on both sides of the lane so if she's throwing the ball into second arrow from the left within the first 40 feet, this could also explain her lack of motion/hook combined with her lower rev rate. The first test is to take that same ball and see if she can throw it straight down the 5-6 board area to see if there's any movement and that will tell you that there's friction/dry there. She may be just playing the wrong part of the lane. If she cannot play that far out, then you would need a stronger piece to roll or grab in the oil.

In regards to changing her style/release, tough thing to do unless you get her to practice a fair amount. I'd recommend to let her do what comes naturally (which appears to be the backup motion), nothing horrible with that so long as it is consistent to some degree. This game is about repetition and my personal take is to let people do what comes more natural for them so they can repeat it better (high backswing, low backswing, cranker, stroker...etc). Nothing is written in stone that must be or not be in order to be successful. We're also talking about helping her have fun, not trying to get her PBA card. Feel free to pm me if you have any other questions, thanks.

Oh, just caught something..."span just over 3 inches"...is she throwing a conventional grip? This would explain the lower rev rate...

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stormdamage · « **Reply #14 on:** January 26, 2012, 09:37:17 PM »

Negative on the conventional grip. Just has really small hands. She uses inserts, semi fingertip. Anything more and she struggles to hold onto the ball. She's 5'2". Didn't start bowling until just a few years ago. Hasn't bowled league since 06. We are wanting to get started again now that our girl is old enough to go with us. I go at least once a week as of late. Just started back myself after about a 6 month layoff. Anyway, figure if I can find her the right ball/layout then maybe she will really enjoy it more when she gets back to it. That's my main goal with all of this. It's no fun bowling with someone who isn't having fun. Not for me. I want her to enjoy it as much as I do, even if her average never goes any higher than 110. But I believe the right ball/layout will bring her avg. up several pins.