I am putting this in Miscellaneous because this is not about how to drill a ball. This concerns the number of requests I have seen over the past 6 months or so in just about every forum.

{rant mode on}

To my mind, even though drillings seem to have more of an effect than they used to have,
UNLESS
1. you are averaging no lower than about 220 in every league AND every tournament you enter,
OR
2. you want to learn about drillings to become a driller (in which case ballreviews is not the place to ask; go to the IBPSIA website),
OR
3. you know for a fact that your driller is an absolute moron and he will drill the ball the way you ask (in which case, you should probably find a new driller),
OR
4. You have a ton of money and loads of time to waste playing with new balls and new drillings,

THEN
A. stop worrying about how to drill your new toy,
B. let your driller worry about it or just drill everything one way, (label or use just one drilling. (NOTE: I didn't say, "label leverage".)
C. buy 3-5 BALLS (for example: a spare ball, a pearl resin, a solid resin or a sanded particle pearl, and a solid particle),
D, go practice, get a coach and bowl, bowl, bowl in every league, every tournament and every house within an hours drive of you.

When you average 220 everywhere, then worry about how to finesse the lane condition with specific purpose balls. Heck, I'd bet 95% of those who do average 220 or better do not have a clue about drillings and COULD CARE LESS HOW THEIR BALLS ARE DRILLED.

In other words, if you really want to learn to bowland to score well, get your priorities in order.  First things first.

If you want to play games, fine.

{rant mode off}

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"...for advice is a dangerous gift, even from the wise to the wise...."
J. R. R. Tolkien

Blah, blah, blah.  Every week, someone says "all you <220 losers, why don't you learn to bowl before you pick up more than a plastic ball".  This week it's you.  Congratulations.

Blah, blah, blah.  Every week, someone says "low average bowlers don't NEED more than one ball, they should have to learn to adjust with different releases and hand positions and ...".  This week it's you.  Congratulations.

It's elitism.  You want "real" bowlers, with "real" averages to be the only ones allowed to have more than one ball.  Anything more than a Urethane Groove should require a certain average to purchase.  

"What?  Your USBS card says your average is only 172?  I see.  Well, we have this nice White Dot here, it's only $60.  I'll tell you what, you can have any color you want.  Isn't that nice?  Do you like blue?  No?  Well, I have a red one that's really pretty."

Would you refuse to drill a ball for a lower average bowler just because you feel that he should "get his priorities in order" instead?  Would you say to a customer "I'm sorry, but you have to have a higher average in order to bowl with that ball"?  I don't think so.

This sort of elitism is what Bones was talking about, making lower average bowlers feel unwelcome.  It stinks.  Higher averages only want to associate with higher average bowlers.  You can't belong to the "Real Bowlers Club", where you get a free TWO ball bag when you join because your average is only 195.  You want to feel special and privileged because you have a high average and having a high average simply isn't enough.

SH

That isn't what Charlest is saying at all.  What he is saying is drillings doesn't have that much effect on scores until you can reach and attain that 220 average.

If you had the ball types he recommended all with the same drillings, you will be able to cover everything but the extreme lanes conditions.

I can't count the times I've saw posts on here where Joebowler says, I have ball A that works good at my house.  I want something that hooks more.  After tons of recommendations, the next post is, Ball B hooks too much at my house.  What drilling can I use to tame it down.

Next thing you know is they end up with an arsenal that will work at their home house.  Every ball does the same thing.

YOU SHOULD HAVE equipment that you seldom use because your benchmark ball is the best fit at your home house.
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Charter Member FOS

Have Balls - Will Travel

Thank you for the last two threads of this post; my sanity check HASN'T bounced !!! Thanx again to both of you, and to charlest for posting it.


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Man, I LOVE this game !!!

Robb in O'Fallon, IL (near Scott AFB)
LAYBZZ74@AOL.COM

Shelley,
 Good followup ...

 BTW, try to ignore those "holier than thou" posters that you refer to and that do, indeed, exist; the ones out there that are "worth their salt" are the humble ones that know and love this sport, and who are willing to share their knowledge and offer help to those of us who really want to get better !!!
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Man, I LOVE this game !!!

Robb in O'Fallon, IL (near Scott AFB)
LAYBZZ74@AOL.COM