Another dumb drilling question.

[fordman1]

Another dumb drilling question. Should you buy a strong ball with a weak layout or a weak ball with a strong layout? What would you get with both?

[djp1080]

Why would you want to spend $200 - $250 for a ball and then get it drilled to go straight?
By saying a weak ball I'm guessing that you mean one with a lower differential value. I personally would go with pretty strong layout on everything that I purchase as I need as much help as I can get.
My Storm Tropical Breeze only has a 0.009 differential, but it makes a pretty good move to the pocket. My IQ Tour 30 and Nano have a differential of 0.029 and they hook a ton, of course, their coverstock is much stronger than the Breeze.
You can use Storm's Vector Layout System spreadsheet to see what layouts look based upon your requirements if you have the time to play with it.
Good luck!

[fordman1]

I want something that won't hook unless I hit it hard.

[RobLV1]

Scary thread! Differential means very little unless you are a very high rev player. If your release creates 2" of flare and you use a ball with a high differential, you may get 2 1/2". Look at balls in terms of aggressiveness rather than "weak" or "strong." As I have written on many, many occasions, if you use a "strong" ball that uses all of it's stored energy before it gets to the pins, it is then a "weak" ball? Conversely, if you use a "weak" ball that stores it energy to knock down pins, is it then a "strong" ball? Unless you throw a ball with 350+ revs, look at the RG, not the differential. For best results, use the same layout for everything and UNDERSTAND the differences between the balls rather than citing so much rhetoric!

[bowl1820]

Another dumb drilling question. Should you buy a strong ball "Drill it" with a weak layout or a weak ball with a strong layout? What would you get with both?

This has come up before, in most all bowling forums. The best answer is you should pick the right ball for the condition then worry about the layout.

[chip82901]

Scary thread! Differential means very little unless you are a very high rev player. If your release creates 2" of flare and you use a ball with a high differential, you may get 2 1/2". Look at balls in terms of aggressiveness rather than "weak" or "strong." As I have written on many, many occasions, if you use a "strong" ball that uses all of it's stored energy before it gets to the pins, it is then a "weak" ball? Conversely, if you use a "weak" ball that stores it energy to knock down pins, is it then a "strong" ball? Unless you throw a ball with 350+ revs, look at the RG, not the differential. For best results, use the same layout for everything and UNDERSTAND the differences between the balls rather than citing so much rhetoric!

You couldn't have said it better. I'm a high rev, decent speed kind of guy with a 400 rev rate. Even then I could care less about differential. Myself, I'm a fan of low RG balls that get down the lane and store some energy. Anything high RG either burns up or hooks as soon as it hits the lane. As for weak or strong drills, I'm with you. Find your favorite drill and stick similar to it. Mine is 5 x 4 x 3, and I'm pretty close on just about everything I own. I do have a few that are different, but not much. I have been contemplating going pin down on a few things, maybe a hyroad nano or something of that nature.

[bowl1820]

Myself, I'm a fan of low RG balls that get down the lane and store some energy. Anything high RG either burns up or hooks as soon as it hits the lane.

Say what? That's the opposite of the way it should be.


RG: Radius Of Gyration.
The RG of a bowling ball tells you how soon the core is designed to roll.

A Low RG ball (aka: a Center Heavy ball) is easier/sooner to "rev up", rolls earlier and tends to mean earlier hook, more midlane reaction,a more evenly arcing ball used on wetter conditions.

A High RG ball (aka: a Cover Heavy ball) is harder/later to "rev up", rolls later and tends to mean later hook, more backend reaction, tends to be more angular.

[fordman1]

Well thanks a lot for clearing all that up. I think I will keep what I have. Tired of buying new balls and giving them away because they suck.

[bowl1820]

Another dumb drilling question. Should you buy a strong ball with a weak layout or a weak ball with a strong layout? What would you get with both?

Well thanks a lot for clearing all that up. I think I will keep what I have. Tired of buying new balls and giving them away because they suck.

I'll take a guess you feel you didn't really get the answer your looking for.

Some of the general ideas on the situation:

A strong ball, drilled strong would be good when you need help making the turn.

A strong ball, drilled weak would be better suited for a Hi-speed, Hi-rev player, because it would give them more control options on how they need the ball to react.

A strong ball, drilled weak for a regular house player (who tends to play the track area) probably wouldn't be as good. Because the strong ball would tend to lose energy being played in the drier track area a lot and the layout for lack of a better term isn't helping, so the ball wouldn't carry good because the ball basically puked on the lane before it got to the pins.

Now a weak ball drilled strong, wouldn't be too bad for the regular house player. They could stay around the track longer, it would be okay for shorter patterns.

But you have too look out which ball you get, Because too weak of a ball could be too over/under with the wrong conditions.

I want something that won't hook unless I hit it hard.

You really shouldn't "Hit", "Hit up" etc. on a ball, back in the plastic and urethane days that was the thing to get the balls to move. But today not some much, while it can make the ball move, it also can make it erratic.

Note: There are a lot different views in regard to the Strong ball/weak drill – weak ball/strong drill idea. That's why the best answer is you should pick the right ball for the conditions your on and then worry about picking the layout that matches up to your style of bowling.

[chip82901]

Say what? That's the opposite of the way it should be.


RG: Radius Of Gyration.
The RG of a bowling ball tells you how soon the core is designed to roll.

A Low RG ball (aka: a Center Heavy ball) is easier/sooner to "rev up", rolls earlier and tends to mean earlier hook, more midlane reaction,a more evenly arcing ball used on wetter conditions.

A High RG ball (aka: a Cover Heavy ball) is harder/later to "rev up", rolls later and tends to mean later hook, more backend reaction, tends to be more angular.

My bad, typed that wrong...it was early and I hadn't had my coffee lol