Bowling Ball Maintenance and Specifications

The Ultimate Bowling Guide

This is a bowling tips article on some basic bowling ball maintenance and specifications for most competition or league play. Some will of this bowling ball maintenance tip will be second nature for your more experienced players but they may learn something as well…

Introduction
Remember bowling ball specifications and rules are constantly changing for the manufacturers and the bowlers themselves so when reading this article take into account that some of the rules may have changed after it was written. These are just some suggestions and are basically kind of common sense.

Basic bowling ball maintenance
Bowling ball Maintenance is a common question I get asked about a lot I hear things like, how can I make my bowling ball last longer, my bowling ball has quit reacting after only a few games and a lot of other complaints of this nature.

The fact of the matter is bowling ball maintenance is one of your biggest keys to making your bowling ball not only last longer but score better. In addition is one of the most overlooked and neglected things and in bowling by your average player. I mean no disrespect to the players themselves but they in turn make the problem of ball death happen more frequently and quicker.

The bowler only has to do a couple of small things to add a few more games on the bowling balls life. And they could make the ball last from 30 games 100, 150 or even 200 games just by how well their bowling ball is maintained.

Maintaining your bowling ballThe manufacturers recommend you do a few things to maintain your bowling ball and keep it in optimum performance (Note: no bowling ball is going to last forever). They recommend you do a few basic things.

One is clean your ball with a USBC certified bowling ball cleaner after you’re done bowling, use a micro fiber towel during competition and the other is adjust the cover stock surface after so many games.

I personally use abralon pads by hand before every time I bowl on most of my bowling balls. Usually the 1000 or 2000 grit, some of my bowling balls don’t react every time but they will react better the second time or after three or four games.

You will have to do some trial and error to find out when your bowling ball and your style match up with to surface rejuvenation with abralon. (Note: this must only be done before or after competition, according to the USBC rulebook).

Basic rules and specifications during league competition
1. You can use cleaners during competitions as long as they don’t alter the surface hardness of the bowling balls cover stock and is dry and totally removed before your delivery.
2. If you sand or polish the bowling ball the entire surface of the bowling ball must be done and may not be done after competition has started.
3. No foreign materials may be placed on the outside of the bowling ball.
4. Refer to Bowl.com for more on bowling ball specifications…

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In Conclusion.
Bowling ball maintenance is a much neglected thing by many bowlers.
Can be easily maintained with special bowling ball cleaner and surface management.
Care must be made to follow the rules and regulations of your league or tournament.

Good luck and good bowling

Bowling Tips and Techniques

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Bowling in the Off-Season and Crosstraining

This is a bowling tips article on a few thoughts and ideas or theories that can be applied during the off-season. Example would be in the summertime in most parts of the United States.

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Due to long bowling season in most parts of the American Midwest a lot of bowlers get tired towards the end of the season and put their bowling balls away until next fall. This is fine for some and it is a good idea to take some time off of any sport…

However, this is the best time for anyone that really wants to improve their bowling game for next season and catch a lot of people by surprise and have summertime practice sessions at your local bowling center.

This is especially true at the beginner level. You can work on things that you did not have time to do during the regular season. So we believe that it is a good idea to take time off, but also don’t stop bowling.

Another great idea for the summertime, so you don’t get burned out yet still keep your skills sharp is to take across hobby. Some call this cross training. This is where you take a hobby that is similar in motion and similar in thought, but yet is different. Some take up golf.

I personally take up fishing and I’ll tell you why. In bass fishing is very similar in certain ways to experimenting with bowling balls because you have to find the right color and style of lure in fishing to attract the fish, you also have to use the right angle as you cross the lure through the water this is much like choosing a bowling ball for certain situation and bowling.

You have to choose the right bowling ball and yet you choose the right angles. You can see you where I’m coming up with the comparison. The thought strategies are similar but not the same.

I personally feel that a lot of bowling is in your thought process and your strategy and having a good plan of attack. Fishing is no different. Before I go out to the lake, river, or pond I have a specific strategy and have all my fishing poles ready. Just like I prepare my bowling balls for league or tournament.

This is just an example of cross training and how it can benefit your game.
Yes I still practice during the summer But I slow it down and take some time off in addition to doing the cross training.

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In conclusion
Bowling in the off-season
It is a good idea to take some time off.
We still believe that if you want to improve this is the best time to do it, especially for beginners.
Try cross training for me its fishing for you it maybe golf, my son takes up Frisbee golf.
It’s a good idea just to stick with something that is closely related to the thought process of bowling, but it’s really a lit just a little different.

Bowling Tips and Techniques

Keeping Your Approach Natural in Bowling

Thank you for your interest in bowling tips. First, this is a bowling tips article on having good timing with a natural smooth approach along with a good follow through in bowling.

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Have good timing in your bowling approach Not having good timing in your approach can cause your arm swing and foot work to be out of sequence or have too early or too late timing… This early or late timing can cause you to be off balance at the end of your approach and in turn make you have trouble hitting your intended target… Then you could ether pull your shot to the left or miss right of target and your bowling ball will not recover back to the 1,3 pocket, (This is for right handed bowlers reverse this for left handers).

Have a Natural Consistent Slide
It is imperative that you have a consistent natural slide with a smooth approach to help prevent these types of timing problems in your bowling.

Keep a Smooth Approach
Your approach should be smooth and fluent and in harmony not choppy and you should not march up there like a soldier. You should have a medium slide with your release and hand position of your bowling ball at about your ankle. Again your arm swing, footwork, and your release position should all be in harmony and in rhythm much like a small dance.

Have Good Extension of your Follow Through After Release
Do not forget to follow through after your bowling ball is released make sure you have good extension of your follow through in a direct line toward your target as your follow-through is an extension of your bowling ball and release.

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In conclusion
The main cause of timing problems in bowling is in your approach.
If your footwork and your body are not is harmony you could get early or late timing.
This early or late timing can cause you to be off balance at the end of your approach…
Your approach should be smooth and fluent and in harmony with your arms swing, footwork, and release position.
Do not forget to follow through as this is a very important part of the extension of your bowling ball and release.

Bowling Tips and Techniques

The Four Step Approach On Video

 This is a bowling tips and techniques video we found.
The video itself is called Timing — Four-step approach…

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The video does a good job of explaining how to do the basic four step approach… It shows the form and timing of a top Team USA Bowler. We found this video on YouTube and was presented by Bowl.com… Watch, enjoy, and learn from this very good video..

Bowling Tips and Techniques

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Bowling Ball Drilling Layouts and Pin Location

First, this is a bowling tips article on understanding pin location and how it is used in bowling ball layouts.

This is a little more advanced bowling tip for your intermediate to advanced bowler although your beginning bowler may learn something as well.

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The tournament bowler in today’s game needs to have a wide variety of bowling equipment and they also need to understand when to use, what type of bowling ball whether it is the right cover stock, type of core or type of bowling ball drilling layout. This is where the pin location comes into play and this is what we are mainly going to focus on in this article.

Pin location and bowling ball drilling layouts.

First of all, what is the pin?

The pin is what they use when they make a bowling ball to hold the core into place as they pour the cover stock material in a mold so that it can dry. After that material dries they will cut this pin off the bowling ball. The pin then shows the ball driller where the center of the top of the core is located on the bowling ball. They use a different color in the pin compared to the bowling bowl color it self.

That is how they determine the position of the weight block in the bowling ball before drilling. This was on a symmetric bowling ball, asymmetric bowling balls will have pin along with a mass bias location.

I’m not getting into too much detail on the difference between asymmetric and symmetric bowling balls. A basic rule of thumb to understand the difference between asymmetric and symmetric cored bowling balls is as follows.

1. An asymmetric bowling ball will typically have a faster change of direction, will rev up faster off the spot. This is measured by the spin time of the asymmetric core design. Basically the higher the number of mass bias strength the faster, earlier and stronger this ball will read the lane. But it can be delayed by the type and texture of cover stock itself.

2. A symmetric bowling ball will typically have a smoother and slower change in direction. These core designs usually are smoother in ball motion than the asymmetric type. Again, by changing the cover stock itself, you can change the length of the slide area of the lane which will affect the response of the bowling ball down lane. This brings us into when the pin and bowling ball drilling layout comes into play.

A basic rule of thumb.

1. The closer the pin is to the track of the ball the more end-over-end reaction along with a longer and stronger reaction down lane.

2. The closer the pin is to the positive axis point of the bowling ball the smoother and earlier the reaction of the bowling ball will tend to be, in other words you will have an even earlier rolling bowling ball with less backend.

3. Putting the pin higher or above your finger holes will also give your ball a later and stronger response.

4. Putting the pin below the finger holes typically will give the ball an earlier and smoother response.

That is mainly just a guideline for the pin location. Adjusting this in different locations can create a wide variety of bowling ball reactions in conjunction with the mass bias location on asymmetric balls and the cover stock itself.

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In conclusion
This was just generalized guideline to follow when thinking about bowling ball drilling layouts.
First, you need to understand what you need in your bowling arsenal.
In other words, do you need more help down lane with a faster response or do you need a smoother, earlier and controlled response to the condition of that lane.
This, along with choosing the type and preparation of the cover stock is a very important key to having a bowling ball drilling layout and cover stock that fits the needs of your game.

Bowling Tips and Techniques

How to Handle Those Tougher Nights in Bowling

The Ultimate Bowling Guide

This is a bowling tips article on some things to consider on those tougher nights or when things just don’t seem to be going your way. This is a strategy that I recommend and have used over the years. It Is hard, however, as it can be very frustrating when you feel like you’re rolling a good shot and nothing seems to fall or you cannot seem to put anything together.

This can be true on sport patterns and on typical house patterns, when for some reason the pin carry just is not there. So I have listed some things that I have tried and have worked in the past for me.

Things that I have tried.
What is the best suggestion I can give you if you just cannot seem to get the right ball reaction or get the bowling pins to fall on a house pattern?

Let’s say you can strike on one lane, but it seems like you leave everything in the back row on the other lane. On these nights I approach this just like I was bowling on a sport pattern. Keeping your game clean is of the utmost importance in this situation.

First I have to get into my mind that a huge score is out of the question tonight and that I want to maintain a decent score. So, I have to try to change my mindset and get the thought of striking every time out of my head.

Then I go into the sport bowling mindset, even though I’m not on a sport pattern. Here’s how I attack a sport pattern. Number one, spares are very important in sport bowling, so I try to keep my game clean and get a double for a small 200. In sport bowling it is very, very important to keep your game clean.

I know it’s not as much fun to roll spares every time as it is to bowl strikes. When I realize that I’m having pin carry issues on a house pattern I use the old keep my game clean and the strikes will come.

What I am trying to do is spare my way through and hope for a double. In addition, I have also noticed that when I get into the keep it in clean mindset, I often will come back with a bigger score than I anticipated.

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In conclusion
This tip has helped me time and time again, if I can get beyond the frustration of not being able to strike.
I hope this helps you like it has helped me over the years.
So try to keep your game clean, and the strikes will come.
What could be a bad night due to frustration could turn into a decent night or even a good night to maintain average.

Bowling Tips and Techniques

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Keeping it Clean on Those Tougher Nights in Bowling

Weather and Bowling Conditions

This is a bowling tips article on how the seasons and the weather can affect bowling conditions.

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If you’ve been in the sport of bowling for very long, you know that there are many variances from night to night in the conditions of the lane.  One factor that should be taken into consideration when you approach the bowling center is the condition of the weather outside and the season that you’re in.

This is also true of the part of the country or the world that you’re in. An example would be Arizona, for instance, has very dry and hot air, Colorado has cold and dry air, and the Midwest has very humid air.

These are just a few examples to give you an idea of what I am referring to as far as location and how it affects your bowling environment.

These environmental changes will make the conditions in one part of the country or world act differently than another.  This is not as much of a factor with today’s modern synthetic lanes as it was with older wood lanes.

It does still affect the conditions just not as much. A lot of the synthetic lane panels are put on top of the old wood and as you know wood shrinks and swells with humidity.

This is a major reason why from night to night your conditions, even though the center dresses them the same, act differently. Not only are the lanes affected but the bowling pins themselves as they have wood in their core.

So now we know that the lanes and the bowling pins just like your old wooden door at home are affected by the weather outside even with the newer synthetic lanes although just not as much.

Unless you’re center has humidity control that can keep a constant relative humidity inside the center, there’s no way that the lane conditions cannot be affected by the weather and humidity outside.

Some of these theories have changed over the years.
Typically on a hot, sunny dry day, the lanes would tend to dry out faster.

On a hot humid day the bowling pins are harder to knock down; August and July in the Midwest.

A winter environment, like January in the Midwest with drier subzero temperatures, the lane conditions tend to be crisper and drier but yet the bowling pins do tend to fall better.

In the old days they used to say when it was raining outside the pins were hard to knock down.
I have noticed just the opposite. I personally look forward to rainy days for two reasons, the shot lasts longer and does not break down as quick and increased pin carry because of the extra humidity in the air.

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In conclusion
Bowling Lane conditions are affected greatly by the weather along with the part of the country you’re in.
A Drier environment will react differently than a humid environment.
Rainy days tend to make the shot last longer especially on wood lanes.
Sunny, dry days with a lot of humidity make bowling pins very heavy.
Very cold dry days like in the middle of winter the lane conditions normally are drier and crisper but yet the pins seem to react well.
Take into consideration the weather outside as playing an important key in the conditions that you’re bowling on.

Bowling Tips and Techniques

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How Weather Effects Bowling Conditions

Understanding Bowling Ball Cores: Symmetrical and Asymmetrical

Understanding Symmetric and Asymmetric Cores In Bowling Balls.

Symmetrical and Asymmetrical Cores In Bowling Balls Whats The Difference?

The Ultimate Bowling Guide

This is a question you may have wondered, I know I did for a long time. Then one day I ask an ebonite representative in a phone conversation what this was on the drill sheets I seen some said symmetrical drilling instructions and other said asymmetrical ball drill instructions.

This really puzzled me and even after talking to him at the time I struggled with it, now this was a few years back. Well later I finally understood what symmetric and asymmetric was. Now I see a lot of bowling ball promo sheets with technical stuff on them that the average and even the high average bowler really has no idea of what most of this stuff means.

Now I will try to address some of the technical stuff, but I am not an engineer or science expert so the only thing I am going to try to do is pass on what was passed on to me. In addition, share some of my own personal experiences and studies. The first thing I will share is what the difference is between symmetrical and asymmetrical.

Ok first symmetrical, this means that something or object is even on all sides, a bowling ball is symmetrical before it is drilled, it is even on all its sides, some cores are even on all there side on the inside of a bowling ball. These balls tend to have an even and smoother reaction to them. Now asymmetrical, this means that something or an object that is not even on all sides. An example would be a bowling ball with a chunk cut out of it. 

Some cores in bowling balls are asymmetrical, these balls have a extra weight distribution in them called a mass bias on a bowling balls promo sheet, now bowling ball companies do have different terms they use for this, examples are intermediate differential, mass bias strength, PSA or Positive Spin Axis, Bomb, Key, to name a few. An asymmetrical bowling ball is very tunable to the bowlers style because of this weight distribution. 

These balls are drilled to enhance a bowlers week areas of the game or can be drilled to rev up sooner or later in the hook zone of the bowling lane. In addition, the style of asymmetry can cause the ball to spin faster or slower. As a rule the higher the mass bias strength the faster and the more influence the cores spin will have in theory. 

There again I am not a science major. Refer to Morich Bowling for more on this as they as I know it are the founder of this technology. In addition, Refer to Ebonite for there bowling ball layouts that I wrote about in the beginning. There is and example below of symmetrical and asymmetrical.

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Bowling Tips and Techniques

Understanding Bowling Ball Cores: Symmetrical and Asymmetrical

8 Unwritten Rules For Bowlers

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This is a bowling tips article on some of the most common unwritten rules that league and opened play bowlers should abide by for you’re avid bowler these rules may be second nature. But I have seen a lot of beginners and open play bowlers not use or understand these simple unwritten rules. So we will list a few of these basic unwritten rules below.

Unwritten rules of bowling.

1. Never jump up in front of the bowler beside you always use lane courtesy, a good way to look at this is always let the bowler to your right go first. Some of your better bowlers allow for two lanes over this is not actually necessary, it is best to just look both ways before bowling just like crossing a street.
2. Never bring food or drinks down into the bowling area keep them up on the counters or tables behind you. Because you never know when you’re going to spill your drink or drop food onto the bowling area this would not be a good situation because bowlers may step in it and could stick, slide and possibly fall.
3. When grabbing your bowling ball at the ball return use two hands on the sides of the ball, this will help you keep from getting your fingers smashed.
4. Take care not to walk over the foul line and track back the lane conditioner off the lane onto the approach as this will cause a situation where you have oil on the approach and you would stick or slide.
5. If you have kids mainly the younger ones make sure you keep their hands back off the ball returns as they can cause injury to their hands. I have seen this a lot with the youth birthday parties and such. Just make sure the only ones on the bowling approach are the ones that are due up to bowl.
6. Take care when going outside that you do not have your bowling shoes on as they can get debris from outside and then you can track that into the bowling area and on to the approach. This can be an unfavorable experience for everyone due to the debris on the approach.
7. When going to the bathroom. Make sure that you do not walk in any water as a lot of times in bathrooms there is water on the floor mainly in the men’s room. This water on your bowling shoe can cause you to stick and fall.
8. Never use your drink hand as your bowling hand, use your opposite hand when drinking a beverage when bowling. Example: if you’re right-handed bowler use your left hand as your drinking hand.

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In conclusion
This was just a few of your basic common unwritten rules in bowling there may be more.
Use courtesy and caution, and good luck in bowling and have fun.

Bowling Tips and Techniques

Bowling Ball Reviews Most Common Terms

This article is on some of the most common terms used in bowling ball reviews and what they mean.

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I will first post a list of the terms and then what these terms mean.

Most common terms for bowling ball reviews

1. Bowling ball layout or bowling ball drilling layout.
2. Bowling lane conditions or conditioning pattern.
3. Bowling lane surface.
4. Bowling ball surface or cover stock surface finish
5. Abralon
6. Bowlers style
7. Hold or set up
8. Roll out or roll straight
9. Transitions
10. Bowling ball core
11. Recovery
12. Overreact
13. Dual angle
14. Pin
15. CG or center of gravity
16. Mass Bias

Now what these terms mean

1. Bowling ball layout or bowling ball drilling layout – This is the type of dynamics used in drilling the ball.
2. Bowling lane conditions or conditioning pattern – This is what pattern was layed out when the person reviewing the ball bowled (usually the footage, house, or sport pattern will be listed).
3. Bowling lane surface – The type of surface that the reviewer bowled on. Bowling centers have different types. (Wood or Synthetic, Brunswick or AMF)
4. Bowling ball surface or cover stock surface finish – This is the type of finish used when the ball was reviewed. (Out of box, Polished, or Abralon Surface finish)
5. Abralon – This is a foam pad that has an abrasive on one side and a foam backing on the other. This pad comes in different grits. The cover stock surface finish of the bowling ball can be adjusted for an earlier or later hooking reaction with these pads.
6. Bowlers style – This is the style of the bowler using the ball that is reviewed. (stroker, tweener, or cranker) The revolution rate of the bowler and their bowling ball speed can also be listed.
7. Hold or set up – This is when the bowling ball stops hooking and sets up. They used to call this the fade back shot.
8. Roll out or roll straight – This is like the hold in away. It is when the ball has no energy left in the roll zone of it’s transition and then stops and goes straight.
9. Transitions – When a ball is rolled down the lane it will go through stages. (Slide, Hook and Roll)
10. Bowling ball core – This is the engine of the bowling ball, and where the bowling ball dynamics from the drilling layout come in to play.
11. Recovery – This is when the ball is swung wide outside its intended target and then comes back to the pocket. (The ball recovered well)
12. Overreact – This is when you get the ball out to the dry area of the lane and it grabs to hard, or when it hits oil and will not hook. (also known as over under reaction)
13. Dual angle – This is a bowling ball drilling method that is becoming very popular. It uses a degree angle scale to fine tune the bowling ball to the type of bowler and the pattern bowled on. Morich bowling invented this. (Refer to Morich bowling for more information about this method).
14. Pin – This is a dot that is on the bowling ball that was used to hold the core in place when it was drying in a mold at the factory. They use this spot to adjust the drilling layout on the ball for a desired ball motion.
15. CG or center of gravity – The center of gravity on a bowling ball is where all the weight distribution is equal before drilling a bowling ball. It is used as a guide for bowling ball layouts on symmetrical core designs.
16. Mass Bias – This is used on an asymmetrical bowling ball for a drilling guide rather than the CG.

In Conclusion:
These are some of the terms used in bowling ball reviews. There may be more that are not listed, but these should help you have a basic knowledge of these terms.

Bowling Tips and Techniques

 

Common Terms Used in Bowling Ball Reviews