I understand that the cover needs to displace oil quickly, my initial response to the video was "why would oil on the guy's finger" prove anything? Then I watched the video again to try to get what they were doing.
Rico's answer explains why I have success with taking balls down to 500 or so before adding polish. The polish helps create length, while the underlying grit still gives the "microscopic peaks and valleys" necessary to aid oil absorption / displacement.
It's no secret that most of today's aggressive covers require some routine maintenance for optimal performance.
I also believe that some bowlers buy the wrong ball for their conditions, i.e., the heavy oil ball trying to create hook on "less than heavy" oil conditions. This scenario creates a ball that finds friction too early and a ball that is D.O.A. at the pins. It's not always ball death. It is sometimes bad ball choice and / or bad surface prep creating the illusion that the ball is "dead".
Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Pro Shop Staff
The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.
Edited by notclay on 11/14/2011 at 5:20 PM
