Ball Review
NO HOLES BARRED
BY VERNON PETERSON. {
Vernon.Peterson@
kegel.net }
More Hook Just in Time for Nationals
NEED MORE HOOK? St. Patrick is being quite generous this year with boxfuls of big-hooking bowling balls just in time for the USBC Open and Women’s Championships. In all, we have a baker’s dozen plus one of balls for you to consider — some entirely new, some made to complement previous releases, and even one that provides good value for bowlers and a nice profit margin for pro shop operators. Several made a big splash during the PBA Tour’s winter swing. No matter which balls you choose, we hope they bring you good luck on the lanes… courtesy of St. Patrick.
THE TESTING:We once again tapped the talents of Terrance Reeves (a.k.a. “T”), a PBA Tour exempt player during the 2008-09 season. “T” has a rev rate around 400-rpm, and throws the ball around 18.5-mph. His axis is 4 1/2 over and zero up, and we used a 50/5/35 layout (5x4x3 in the VLS system). This is a pin-up layout for him, to see what kind of ball reaction he would get for our reviews. I used the same layout I have used for all reviewed balls thus far: 60/4.5/40 (VLS: 4.5x3.5x3). We threw each ball more than 30 times on three patterns: 2014 USBC Open Doubles/Singles, Kegel Stone Street (a heavier volume recreational pattern), and a 39-ft. lighter volume house pattern. We use CATS on each shot to track and keep records of our ball paths. We do all of our testing at the Kegel Training Center in Lake Wales, Fla., home of the flattest lanes on earth. This month, the lanes were conditioned with Defense-S, using the Kegel Lane Walker. Defense-S is close to Kegel’s Ice conditioner, but breaks down so we can see a little more transition when testing on it. We also use the Jayhawk ball scanner in order to glean more information from our testing. The scanner provides the surface roughness (RA) of a ball and the surface’s average true original finish out of the box after the factory process.
Each month, BowlersJournal interactive will reprint the BJ ball review.
THE SKINNY ON THE LATEST AND GREATEST
METHODOLOGY The Bowlers Journal International Ball Motion Potential chart is designed to help bowlers un- derstand which lane conditions are best suited for the most recently introduced bowling balls in the marketplace. Placement positions on the chart are based on the “out of box” surface from the manufacturer. Surface adjustments can im- pact a ball’s performance and, thus, its position on the chart. The chart’s horizontal axis displays a ball’s
approximate total hook in the presence of oil. While some coverstocks may have similar maximum, dry lane, or coefficient-of-friction measurements, their ability to traction in oil can vary significantly.
Balls with minimal hook potential are placed on the far left side of the chart. Balls offering a moderate degree of hook are placed in the chart’s middle section. Balls with the greatest hook potential in heavy oil are placed on the right side of the chart. The chart’s vertical axis displays a ball’s
breakpoint shape. Balls offering more skip/snap reaction are placed higher on the chart. Balls offering a smoother, more arcing motion are placed lower on the chart. Chart placements are based on testing by BJI
ball reviewer Vernon Peterson, selected bowlers with varying release styles, CATS results, PBA player input, and discussions with ball company representatives.
HOOK POTENTIAL 35-45: Balls with lower total hook ranges, best suited for lighter oil concentrations. Players with slower speeds or higher rev rates may also prefer balls in this range for medium oil applications. 45-51: Balls with medium hook ability, best
suited for the vast majority of “typical house shots” and some lower-volume Sport patterns. This hook range should be represented by the “centerpiece” ball in most arsenals.
51-60+: Balls with greater total hook, de- signed for heavier oil volumes. Players with higher speeds or lower rev rates, who need added lane traction, may also prefer balls in this range.
LENGTH RATINGS 8-12: Earlier rolling balls that read the lane sooner. These products generally come facto- ry-sanded with lower grit surfaces, and match up well with speed-dominant styles and those bowling on longer patterns. 12-15: Medium-length balls that produce easier length through the midlane. Good for most house shots and medium-volume Sport patterns. 15-19+: Balls offering extra length for those
bowling on lighter oil concentrations. Also beneficial for slower speed players, or those with higher rev rates needing added push downlane.
BREAKPOINT SHAPE 10-13: Slower-response balls that read the friction areas more gradually. This range may include balls with a urethane or mild reactive cover, designed for a smooth arc to the pocket. Can also help those with higher rev rates con- trol motion and also can match up well from outside angles of attack. 13-15: Balls rated for slightly stronger and quicker reactions when encountering friction areas (as when the ball leaves the oil pattern). This range offers a balance of control and back- end angularity. 15-18+: Balls that respond more quickly and
aggressively to friction areas. This range can help those with less hand action create more angularity near the pocket. Also preferred when playing deeper inside angles, which gen- erally require more entry angle for above-aver- age pin carry.
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////// ///////// April 2015 16
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38