Hello all-

I've struggled a bit lately and I think it's more of an ignorance of condition and not matching up than problems with my ability.  Lately I feel like my release and timing are as good as they have been in awhile, but I struggle to adjust properly on one of my house shots.  It's best described as a severe wet/dry.  I didn't listen to some advice about using a ball with some surface because in my mind surface has always meant more hook, or at least early hook/burnup in this kind of shot.

I tried a Totally Defiant, IQ Tour Pearl with mixed results.  I'd line up fine for a bit, but then on what I thought were good shots, the ball would hook so sharply and so late that what seemed like a good shot was a big 4, greek church....you get the idea.

I don't have the speed I used to and I have more trouble on synthetics than I do wood fwiw.  Since this house changed from wood, my average has dropped around 15 pins - consistent 215-220 for a decade, now 200-205.  I'm a tweener, stroker who typically is comfortable standing 2-4 board left of center and playing 8-14 as conditions warrant, at around 14-15mph, 350 rev rate.  My best success on this particular shot was after finally listening so some advice and hitting an old DV8 Hell Raiser Revenge with a green scotch-brite.  Ball is calm and much easier to manage, even if I miss in either direction.  As the lanes transition though and I move my feet left and target inside, it's too soft to play deep with.  It's either corner pins or splits of the 2-8-10 variety. If I try to leave my feet in the same place but move my target in and go straighter, the ball reacts earlier as you might expect.  Trying the pearl balls at this point is sort of a disaster.

I do have an IQ tour solid, but it's too strong for the dry and too weak for the inside on this pattern.  It works better than most of the balls I have, but it still is way too over/under to manage easily.  I have a Sync as well, but it's drilled for Reno and just doesn't work on a house shot at all.

This seems like a pure matchup issue, as well as a learning issue - and I think I'm finally learning to stop thinking that a lot of surface is a bad thing on this shot.  Help me put a ball in my hands that someone like me can get down the lane but turn with enough backend to carry. IQ Tour Fusion? Marvel S? Zero Gravity? (would prefer something out now

Disturbed in the Roto Line

Depending on how you bowl, I'd say something with a strong coverstock and/or strong layout would help blend that over/under.  OR, if you're willing to try and be daring - drill kill a ball to play right in the dirt. 

For what this is worth, I've taken my Totally Defiant and sanded it all the way up to 4k (500, 1k, 2k, 3k, 4k) and I have a beautiful look on the wet/dry conditions in one of my leagues.

Drill a Radical Reax 2 with a control layout. I'm 18 mph, 375 rpm, low tilt, med rotation and mine with a control drill is the BEST thing I've owned for wet/dry ever!

Otherwise I'd go with a pin down hybrid with surface if your tilt is above 10*.

My recommendation would be a Lights Out with surface at abt 2000 and laid out with the pin 1.5-2" from your pap and the weight hole 2" down the VAL....this combo with allow the ball to slow down so it doesn't shoot thru the breakpoint if you miss in and not jerk off the dry as well as close down your angles

A good friend and bowler I've worked with for awhile, Robby Porter just won a regional in Reno on a very shorter pattern utilizing a Freeze and Outburst laid out this way...never a ball tool to have in the bag

Increases the flare as the ball starts to slow which helps it control the 35-45' part of the lane...the increase in flare helps it traction better in oil and slow down or not over react in the dry or friction...thus blending it out. No weight hole the flare stays tight which can enhance over/under

I remember years back Columbia used to recommend their strongest balls for severe wet dry.  At the time they recommended that I consider the Reaction Roll.  Their strongest core and a particle ball.  I have this ball and it is one of my strongest anytime I pick it up.

They also recommended going 5 boards deep into the dry instead of projecting just to the oil line itself.

I don't know about those ideas I am just passing them on.  The Reaction Roll for me was often too much for this purpose but I do understand the concept.  The particles made the ball act like a much duller ball Thus bleeding off energy earlier.

Now I never used that strong a ball for wet/dry but did use the 5 board projection method with a Rotogrip Sonic X solid last year and have some big games.  I also have used this philosophy of 5 boards into the dry years ago with a Columbia Panic and a flatter hand and had a decent season!

Regards,

Luckylefty