Due to the necessity of keeping my shop open during the busy league season I’m now considered a typical once a week bowler who rarely has time to practice. Now that I’m an Advisory Staff Member for Storm Bowling Products it’s time to step up and give you, my “typical house bowler†review of the new Storm SYNC bowling ball.
Using the new Storm VLS (Vector Layout System) and inserting the variables that are particular to my game I was able to establish my layout. He’s how it works: starting with ball speed, in my case 14 mph, next my rev rate, which is low, between 200 and 300 rpm, followed by my axis tilt (track), where I’m not close to my fingers and not a spinner, just average. Axis rotation is next; this is how I release my ball, not up the back or off the side but in between. My PAP is 4.75 x 1, easy for any pro shop operator in figure out. The rest of the questions are relative to what you as the bowler wants your ball to do on the lanes. Reaction strength has to do with flair potential, I wanted a strong reaction. RG layout, do you want an arc shaped backend or a skid/flip, I chose Low RG, rev fast and arc on the back end. Transition length, pretty easy, how quick do you want your ball to read the lane, in my case medium, not to early and not to late. Finally the lane conditions, what the pattern details are. Length, how long is the oil, in my case medium long 40’. Volume of oil, light, medium or heavy, I chose medium due to my bowling center. Desired reaction length, how far do you want the ball to travel before it makes its move; I chose middle, which happens right as the oil is stops. With all this info plugged into the program VLS decided I should have a pin to pap distance of 2.3/4 psa to pap of 6.25 and pin buffer of 1.50.
Since the WWRD of February 5th I have used this ball virtually every week of league with great results and not so great results. I’ve found that this ball during the first two games is a killer when it comes to the THS. Game one I average 218, game two 205 but game three 179. I feel this is due to my downlane ball speed of 14 mph. I can’t generate the speed to keep the ball on the right side of the head pin as I get further into the league night and I don’t have enough hand/rotation to get it back when I start to move inside. I need to be able to make a ball change to get more length back into my shot. That’s why I’m starting to fall back on my Frantic during the night to push the ball down the lane to delay the back end motion. I’m thinking the SYNC will be great at Nationals this year with the heavier volume of oil and slightly longer pattern. I will let you know my results as we bowl in late May.
