Got a chance to test the Crux hole on a Brunswick Evil Siege. Wasn't able to get before and after footage as I had hoped due to limited proshop hours. However the results so far have been good.

The Evil Siege wasn't a great ball for me. It was an okay ball at best. Tried some surface adjustments but just not anything that stood out. After testing the Crux hole on this ball I was impressed with the increased down lane reaction the ball had. It was what I originally expected when drilling the Evil Siege has a compliment to the Siege.

I have some more balls with low games that I would like to test as well over the summer. The goal is for before and after footage on the same lane in real time. Not shooting before footage driving home and coming back to shoot after footage.

For the first step in this process I am pleased. Hopefully more test will yield similar or greater results.



http://youtu.be/KrReZOPYdt8

This is all very interesting.  I can see where the Crux hole would work good on some balls but not so good on others.  Same for the motion hole.  I've heard a few bowlers mention that when they added a motion hole it enhanced the ball's reaction, where others said it killed it.  Exotic layouts have been around forever.  Some work good, some don't.  Most are tailored for a specific ball and lane condition.  I think with the thousands of core and cover combos available today, exotic layouts are not needed as much.  You can get as many hook and shape combinations as you want right out of the box.

Who wants to spent $200 for a ball and find out the exotic layout didn't do what they thought or made it roll like a biscuit?

Of coarse I realize the purpose of this post was not intended for the masses.  It was more of a demonstration.  Still, it want be long before guys come in the pro-shop wanting a crux hole in their ball with no clue why other than it looked good on a Youtube video.

It's an option. 

Here's the thing, USBC says you can have 6 holes in the ball.  One for each finger plus a static weight hole.  USBC also states you don't have to use each hole to throw the ball.  It just has to be capable of being used.  So technically, you can also drill a pinky and index hole to adjust weights.  You can also drill all of these holes 8" deep if you want.  Another option, USBC limits the size of the weight hole to 1-1/4", but not the size of the gripping holes.  You could drill the thumb 1-1/2" and 8" deep.  Someone who throws it without a thumb or with two hands would benefit from this.  The weight hole cannot intersect the gripping holes, but gripping holes can intersect and/or cross each other.  As long as all the static weights meet USBC criteria, you're good.

It would be interesting to play around with the blueprint software and see where that takes you.

I say all that to say this:  If you drill a ball with a standard label drilling as you described above and it doesn't roll good even after multiple surface changes.... I don't see putting a pot hole in the middle of the grip being a viable option to a pro-shop.  For a VERY select few...maybe.
 

What is label? Just because the actual ball label is in the palm doesn't mean the pin would be any where close to the same if the ball had a 1" pin vs a ball with a 4" pin. Very different layouts and possible different reactions. 1" pin is likely below the fingers, 3-4 pin even with or well above the fingers.

The bp software didn't give the options listed at the time I used it but may have changed. You got 2 fingers, a thumb and a x-hole. Im also not sure if it let the x-hole go past 5" Once you go so far then you become counter product on what you remove. It would be nice to see it through the software.

In terms of only a select few I'm not so sure. A p1 x-hole and others lessen the diff of a bowling ball causing it to flare less. No matter how you throw the ball it will have less flare. That is going to reduce the balls reaction.

A p3 and p4 x-hole, plus others such as the Motion hole or adding a x-hole 2-3" down your val all increase the bowling balls int diff and diff. More flare, more fresh oil and possibly more hook. Doesn't matter how you throw it, more flare gives the chance for more hook, and a different ball shape depending on the location.

Location and size does have an effect on the core, flare, and ball reaction.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pPJSmtr75Ts

Gosh it's been a while since I've seen something about how Ebonite used to mark their "Bomb" marker. That was a rather interesting concept. Have you toyed around with BluePrint to see if it's possible for someone to hit the gripping holes with the back flare rings? I've thrown a few balls with what would have been a 3 1/2 inch pin with a void hole inside my VAL, and I actually rolled completely over the void hole in the back part of the lane. Was pretty funny to see a ball go through the axis migration, look like its about to hook, then just bail out completely lol. Thankfully all of those pieces of equipment belonged to someone else.