I almost had a situation like that last year Dennis, but with a normal house shot. I walk in the center and was talking to a guy that worked there that bowled on my Tuesday team. He told me the machine oiled all the way to the back of the pin deck, and wasn't noticed at first. There was even a small puddle in the pit I heard. They had it straightened out before we got there though. I guess they had enough time to strip the lane and get the pools of oil absorbed.

Jim, here's what I've been using, and how I've been using them.

Storm Attitude Shift, 2000 finish, 4x4 layout, pin even with finger holes. Playing about 13-15 at the arrows out to about 3-5. 16-16.5 mph, decent revs (350-400 rpm), 3/4 Track, about 15-30 degree axis rotation. When this carries, I'm ok. I'll tug a few shots that never make it to the dry, and when I do, I'm lucky to leave just the bucket.

I also have a Special Agent that I've shined up that I go to when the Attitude stops carrying. I did this last week and carried much better with the SA. The SA is drilled with a 5" pin just below the ring finger with the CG at about 2-3" from PAP, and reacts a little harder off the dry than the Attitude. It still doesn't move if I miss in a little, but nothing really will.

I'm also carrying a Shift, Passion, Vertigo, and a couple of other Storm balls that normally stay in the truck. The Shift is factory finished, the Passion has a 2000 finish, the Vertigo a 1000. I've gotten a little use out of the Passion and the Shift on this.

Question, is the 16 - 16.5 speed what it says on the overhead display, or have you had your speed checked?

If that is what it says on the over head, then your actual speed is probably close to 20mph if so, then that is your problem, you need to take some of the ball speed down a couple notches by holding the ball lower in your stance, and or going to 500 abralon with the Attitude shift to break the pattern down faster so you can switch to the SA quicker.

If that is your speed, you just need more surface as at 350-400rpm you have a rev dominant release, so go to 1000 grit first, or 500 grit and try to open the shot up faster. You might also get some benefit from an aggressive ball drilled pin axis, this will allow you to play straighter up the outside until the lane opens up.

CoachJim, thanks for the advice I will try it out next week and see how I go. For sure, I have been putting some extra pace on the ball to try to get it further down the lane before it hauls it's sorry A$$ across the lane heading who knows where!

I have spent most of this season getting a good consistent release, which has become quite solid, My ball speed is down from what it used to be (now 21km/h from 25/26 km/h) and my rev rate is ok.. perhaps 300 rpm or so. My release gives the ball about a 25º axis of rotation but only a slight tilt. On oil, this causes the ball to "set" rather than hook when it reaches the dry but it does make a very solid move towards the left.

The ball Track is a semi-roller with the Track about 3/4" to the left of the finger and thumb holes, so I am using almost the entire circumference of the ball, where I used to have a lower Track (not quite in the helicopter region) and the ball would move and continue to hook right through the pin deck.

With the lanes now so dry and patchy, watching the path down the lane is interesting as it will make small movements left several times before reaching the pin deck. It is not consistent on any lane as I will cross several other bowlers ball Track on the way. Using the plastic ball (drilled fingertip) is probably the most reliable item I have right now but it is amazing just how much it will move on these lanes! Last night, bowling 6 at the arrows to three at (somewhere near) the break point would get me close to the pocket but carry is an issue and splits were plenty and varied!

There was a shot, using a TRoad Pearl, drilled VERY long, that I could get shooting from 20 (at the arrows) to about 12 but the margin for error was so small it wasn't worth chasing it too long (too many big fours and 7-10s). When it was inch perfect, though, all ten in the pit... very satisfying!!

I'll keep an eye on this thread and see what others are doing to combat adverse conditions.

Cheers,
Allan

Allan, I am not sure if 21kmh is fast or not, what would that be in miles per hour?

It seems like there is oil in the middle and you are not using enough ball if the Troad pearl is over/undering, a more aggressive ball might mellow that out a bit for you, I'm not sure what other equipment you have, but the Troad pearl is for shorter oil and very broke down lane conditions, otherwise it will store way too much energy for the back end.

CoachJim,

21 Kmh equals 13.04 Mph.

et 25 Kmh equals 15.5 Mph.

Thanks Jock.
CoachJim, as you can see, I do not throw it particularly fast but those are the speeds recorded by the cameras on the lanes and I believe that is only recorded over the last 10 feet or so.

Pattern length is 37 feet including the buff out zone, so it is short and is supposed to be 4 : 1 2 to 2 but experience with the pattern suggests the dry area is 10 to 10 (at least) and the ratio might be right but the volume of oil is small and dries up very quickly. There is almost nothing in the heads for about the first three or four feet and that really marks up the ball something fierce!

From what you are saying, the TRoad might be the right ball if there was a bit more oil around and I certainly like the reaction it gives me when I do use it with some oil... really sharp and repeatable.

I have a Triumph and a very old Pro Hook, both of which have been a little difficult to use on this pattern but I'm thinking of giving the Pro Hook another go next week if the lanes are as bad as they have been.

I can't give you the drilling specs for any of the balls as they were never drilled for me, I just fit them and use them

Thanks for your comments and look forward to any and all suggestions.

Cheers,
Allan

If the speed is at the pin deck that has no indication of how fast you throw the ball, because with a 37 foot pattern Robert Smith's ball could slow down to that range by the time it hits the pins and it is at least 20 mph, not sure what that is in kmh.

If the lanes are oiled with a 4 to 1 ratio from 10 to 10 on a 37 foot pattern, the ball should come out of the oil at the 6 board, but since there is no oil out side of the 10 board that is what the problem is, the ball is coming out of the oil either too soon or not getting the proper amount of angle to the pocket. The oil pattern needs to be at least 5 to 5 if you want a 37 foot pattern.

Since you probably have no control of the oil pattern, you will need to use the 10 board as your exit point and try to push the ball 5 feet or so past the end of the pattern so it starts to hook on the optimum break point angle of 6 degrees, you will need more axis tilt and side rotation, loft and speed.

You can get the axis tilt and rotation by spreading your index finger and cocking your wrist, the loft you get by not bending your knees as much and speed by holding the ball higher and or using a weak ball like a scout or tropical Storm or a bash, I like the bash myself.

Thanks Jim- I'm estimating the speed, since I'm going by a display from another center that tells me I'm at about 17.25 or so when I play straight, but about 16.5 when I stand in, slow it down, and hook it. It could actually be as slow as 15.5-16 at this center, but not much less. I do have a ball with the pin about 1.5-2" from the PAP that I can sand down to start the night. I'll let you know how that works out.

Thanks again

Your ball speed drops approx 2 mph for a straight spare shot, and approx 3 to 5 for a strike shot depending on the oil, so your speed might be a little high as I suspected, let me know if the pin axis ball works, start if off dulled to 1000 abralon, or the grey scotchbrite pad.