Lower Pin layouts in the 4" to 5" range, 2000 and 4000 grit abralon finishes.
I drill for a higher rev rate, lower speed player that has been throwing RotoGrip exclusively since the Top Fuel and Sonic X days.
His favorite two balls in a house with a shorter THS pattern with flying backends are an Illusion I drilled 4" pin, 1" above the midline, hit with 360 grit abralon and rough buff with a weighthole on his axis. This Illusion flares alot early but does not change direction early. It's the perfect read on a shorter pattern for getting the ball to "roll" out of the end of the pattern and make a continuous move rather than the ball snapping out of the end of the shorter pattern and being too strong off the spot.
The second ball is a Neptune I drilled 5" Pin to axis, 1.5" above the midline and a flare increasing hole 2" past his PAP for a stronger/smoother read late down the lane. I knocked off the factory polish with 360 abralon, then went up every grit until I got back to 4000 grit abralon and applied no polish. This ball coasts up the lane when he wants to hook it on the shorter pattern, but has enough strength to turn the corner and be continuous.
#1 rule on short & overreative patterns is coverstock surface is key. Second would be pin height above the midline. 1-2" above the midline will stop the "high RG look" which is a ton of distance and strong jerk down the lane. Third is giving yourself alot of angle away from the pocket, which most of the time will lead you to playing angles further outside on the lanes. Making adjustments through transition front to back instead of side to side will also make things alot easier for you. What I mean by that is, staying in the same zone, making hand position changes(up the back vs, 45 & 90 degree rotation), and speed adjustments (firmer vs softer). Combine all of these and any short pattern becomes ALOT easier.
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-DJ Marshall
...The Twelve In a Row Pro Shop. AMF Bowie Lanes -- Bowie, MD
