A strange thing happened on the way to the pin-deck...
My Mutant is RH drilled for early revs and strong reaction: Pin 3-3/8" from PAP, just under the ring finger, MB 2" on-center to the right of my center line. A fine layout for the stroker I used to be, but a tough one for the strong tweener I am now. My rev rate and ball speed increased, and ever since then the ball just weakly angles toward the pocket, but never makes it there. And the most astonishing change, it suddenly was as if the ball had brakes, because it slowed down DRAMATICALLY on the backends. The results: Wash out after wash out after wash out.
Why did this happen? Simple: The Mutant is a ball designed to rev early, with an arc- to strong-arc reaction, and with a lane-grabbing coverstock. Then the ball was drilled with a max-flare, early-rev, strong reaction layout. After the increase in my rev rate and ball speed my skid length increased, saving almost all of the track flare for the backend, hence the "hit the brakes, but don't break" reaction. It was futile to scuff the ball, because all that did was put more flare in the oil, almost nothing in the dry, and the ball was always on the verge of roll-out.
It comes down to using the right "tool" for the job: The Mutant is an excellent ball, not extremely versatile (but not meant to be, either), so as long as it is properly laid out for the particular bowler and condition, the ball gets the job done. But then, most balls fit this statement...don't they?
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Don't "Be The Ball" - Be The BOWLER.
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