Identifying Matched Number of a Bowler
By Charles Zingalis
Introduction
Figuring out how matched a bowler is can be useful in many ways. Whether a bowler is speed dominant or rev dominant can be very useful in determining what kind of equipment is most useful for them.It can also be useful for an established bowler to find out how they should play a lane to have the best results.
Baseline equation
The base equation for finding how matched a bowler is, follows this;
20.5=(rs)x or x=.04847r/s(used to find different forms)
Where “r†is the bowler's rpm and “s†is the bowler's speed. X will represent the matchness of the bowler, also referred to as the matched number. If the value for X is equal to 1, the bowler is matched with speed and revs. An X value greater than 1 means the bowler is rev dominant and an X value less than 1 means the bowler is speed dominant. This number should not go much below .7 and above 1.6.
The equation is based on the average rpm/mph of the pros. What this gives us is how many rpm per mph a bowler throws the ball. The “20.5†in the equation above is the average rpm/mph the pros have. Based on this, a bowler who has a speed of 12 mph should have a rev rate of 12(20.5)rpm or 246 rpm.
An example of the equation in use can be shown by my stats. I have a rev rate of around 310 and speed of lower-mid 15 mph (15.25 ave.). Plug the numbers into the equation above and you’ll get an X value of 0.99, which indicates that I am very closely matched. Determining this number will help bowlers compare themselves alongside others in a more precise way.
Manipulations of base equation
The base equation can be manipulated and be solved for other variables. This means that you can solve for “Râ€, “Sâ€, or “Xâ€(base), the forms of which look like this;
r=20.5sx and s=0.04878r/x
r=20.5sx:
This form is best used for establishing bowler who wants to reach a certain level of matchness. Because most allies display your speed, it is the easiest one of the variables to find. What you would do to set up the equation is find the bowlers speed and then chose a value for “X†that the bowler wants to reach. Plug those in and find the rpm the bowler needs to reach to become the matchness he wants.
Let’s say a bowler has a speed of 14 mph and the bowler decides that he wants to have a matched value of 1.15. Setting up the equation would look like this;
r=20.5(14)(1.15) r=330
The bowler would have to reach a rev rate of 330 rpm to have a matched value of 1.15.
s=0.04878r/x:
This form is good for already established bowlers who can manipulate their speed. If a bowler knows their rpm and knows how matched they want to be, you can plug that into this form and find the speed he needs to be throwing the ball in order to reach that matchness.
If you know that a bowler has a rev rate of 275 and that he wants to be rev dominant, you can choose an X value of 1.2 and plug in for the variables. You get an answer of 11.2 mph. That is how fast the bowler should throw the ball to be rev dominant.
Implications
The uses for these equations are not yet completely known, but there are yet many very useful implications for them that I have found. All who read this are welcome to find any more useful implications for these equations.
x=.04847r/s:
For the base equation, the use of it is mostly to find the matched number of a bowler. In finding this number for a bowler, he can determine whether he is rev dominant, speed dominant, or matched and can use his number to compare himself to others. When to bowler is watching a ball video and he wants to know what that ball might look like for himself, he can use the bowler's info in the video to find that bowlers matched number and compare it to himself. If the bowler watching the video has a value of 0.95 and the bowler in the video has a value of 1.2, that ball (with the same layout) will have a straighter path to the pins for the bowler watching the video that he would see of the bowler in the video.
Furthermore, matched numbers can be a big factor in determining the layout of a ball for a bowler. (see implications for drilling)
r=20.5sx
The biggest use for this form of the base I have found is for bowlers who are relatively new but are working on gaining revs. For those bowlers what they should do is use this equation to find what rpm rate they need to reach for them to be the matched number they want to be.
The best bowlers in the world tend to be rev dominant and would have matched numbers in the range of 1.1 to 1.4. These bowlers have the best versatility especially in heavier conditions, and they get the most entry angle to the pins which means more carry. So when a bowler is working on gaining Revs, he should strive to have a number at least above 1.
s=0.04878r/x:
Because speed is that most easily manipulated variable by the bowler, this equation can be very useful to determine how fast bowler should throw the ball to be the matched number they choose. A bowler who has 300 rpm and 14.5mph is relatively matched, but if he were to slow down the ball, he would receive a matched number higher than 1, and if he sped it up would receive a lower than 1 matched number.
This becomes useful for a bowler when they are faced with a difficult pattern during competition. When you have a very difficult pattern, heavy or low volume, the bowler can figure what kind of bowlers excel on on the difficult pattern, figure if they are rev dom. Or speed dom., and use this to figure what matched number would be best for the pattern.
Say the bowler is on a pattern that has 26mL of oil and that he knows his rpm is 300. If that bowler has a speed of 16 mph, he will see a lot of sliding from his equipment. After he sees that he is struggling, he would watch other bowlers and take note of the ones that are doing the best. Make an estimate as to what their matched number is based on his speed and rev rate (don't have to measure it). That estimated number should give an ides as to what bowlers will excel on that pattern. Use that number and his known rpm in the equation to find what speed the bowler should throw the ball to achieve that particular matched number. Say the best looking bowlers have a matched number of 1.2. using these factors with the equation tells us that the bowler should have a speed of 12 mph.
Implications for drilling
Although it may seem that this may not have any use or effect for drilling, it can actually help bowler to know what kind drilling will suit them the most. By knowing what matched number a bowler has, you can decide what drillings won’t work well for him and what will be best for him.
For an example, I will be using the dual-angle layout system. Read about it here.
For a while now, I have been doing research on ball layouts, specifically the dual angle system. I believe that this system is the most used and tells you the most about the reaction characteristics of the ball. I have read many articles regarding it, and while my knowledge doesn’t surpass that of a professional pro-shop owner, I do believe that what I have learned from those articles, and what I have written here, can be put to use together.
It is important for all pro-shop owners to really know the style of the bowler before any type of decision is made, whether about the layout or the ball itself. However, It is not unusual for a bowler to make a purchase without input from their pro-shop. But in this case, the pro shop still needs to know the style of that bowler.
It is not safe to assume the style of a bowler based on what they say about themselves. For example, I am a two-handed bowler. If I were to go to a pro shop and only tell them this and PAP measurement, they would put a layout with big angles and a long pin to PAP. (like a lot of my equipment is now) However, based on what I have stated my stats to be (310 rpm, 15.25mph), I play more of a tweener style. I don't have the rpm of the normal two-handed range but have a considerable speed. Even though I am a two-handed bowler, you can not make assumptions based on that. From most of my equipment, I see a very late backend, favorable for those who have a high rev rate, but not me. I also see close to minimal flare on a couple of my balls, which results in a very lazy backend, and, depending on the ball, an unusable reaction. This is due to long pin to PAPs causing the ball to be in a very stable position all the way down the lane. Long pin to PAPs is favorable for people who have high rev rates because they are able to get the ball from that stable position to an unstable position, resulting in more flare.
I see this with my Street Fight. My PAP is about 5 ½ over, 9/16 up, and the pin on the ball is on the left of my fingers (about over the middle finger). This results in a pin distance about 5 ¾ over, which gives almost no flare at all. Because of this, the ball slides on oil and snaps on dry.
My brother, however, loves the ball. He is a two-hander as well, but he has a rev rate around 500+. While he throws it faster, his rev rate compensates to make him rev dominant. I have marked my PAP with a piece of tape (mine and my brothers are about the same) and can clearly see that when he throws it, it has more flare and movement down lane.
So how can the matched number help in deciding a layout for a bowler? When a bowler comes in with a blaa, do not use layouts that seem to work for other bowlers, because it will not work the same if their characteristics are not the same.
Based on the equation, people who have higher numbers (1.2 - 1.5; rev dominant) should have larger angles (60-90) and weaker pins (4 ½†- 5â€) for a later reaction. Bowlers who are relatively matched, have a number between .85 - 1.1, should be right in between. 30 - 60 for angles and 3 ¾†- 4 ½†for pin distance. For bowlers who are speed dominant, around .7 - .80 use smaller angles from 10-30 and strong pin distances from ½â€3 ⅜â€.
