I was thinking the other day about something I read.  It had to do with the arc length of the track and level of axis tilt.  If one were to have a large arc then they would travel along a greater circumference of the ball.  Whereas a small arc would use a smaller circumference of the ball.  This equates to the level of axis tilt a bowler has and also effects the time at which it takes the ball to stand up and make it's move among other things.

Typically we think of low track and high track players.  Low tracks as spinners but that is not always the case.


Bowler "A" has a PAP of 4 1/2" and has low tilt of 10-13.5 degrees.

Bowler "B" has a PAP of 4 1/2" and has high tilt of 16.5-20 degrees.

Bowler "C" has a PAP of 5 3/4" and has low tilt of 10-13.5 degrees.

Bowler "D" has a PAP of 5 3/4" and has high tilt of 16.5-20 degrees.

Oil pattern of a typical house shot.

If all balls are identical in every way and thrown across the same conditions across the same area of the lane with the same rev rate and axis rotation.

Bowler "A" and "C" would stand up quicker then Bowler "B" and "D" since raising axis tilt helps the ball stay on line longer.  Bowler "A" and "C" would have more trouble on shorter oil patterns and Bowler "B" and "D" would have more trouble on longer oil patterns.


New Situation

If all bowlers come straight up the back of the ball based on their respective PAP distances Bowler "A" and "B" would have more axis rotation then Bowler "C" and "D".  Since the PAP is closer to the hand.  Bowler "A" and "B" would move across more boards based on the axis rotation  "A" would be sooner than "B".

So if both Bowler "C" and "D" wanted to have more axis rotation then they would have to have the hand come around the side of the ball more in order to get the increase of Axis Rotation that Bowler's "A" and "B" gets with coming up the back more.


The point I am trying to make

Just because someone may have the the same PAP distance as you does not mean that they have the same outcome when throwing the ball.  Axis tilt has a major effect on ball reaction as well and is not talked about enough when doing these ball comparisons and reviews and would probably be very beneficial to the viewers reading the reviews.  


Last but not least

Based on the level of Axis tilt one has as well as the lane condition one is throwing on the Mass Bias placement will then have the greatest effect of ball reaction.  If one has high tilt and needs the ball to stand up quicker then moving the MB toward the PAP will help lower the tilt as it nears the pocket.  Whereas someone who has low tilt would do better with the MB closer to the track.

Now I may be wrong in my thinking or explanation and if I am wrong please correct me but if more people begin to look as these things then it could help with correctly setting up a ball for drilling and also take out some of the guess work.


--------------------
Doc
Owner and Inventor of
DOC'S MAGIC BOWLING BALL ELIXIR
For more information click on the link below
http://home.comcast.net/~docsmagic/
or message me at:
http://Doc65@aol.com

Doc, these are all the variables to consider that differentiate a good ball driller vs a mediocre ball driller. =:^D

Edited on 12/30/2003 1:24 PM