Hook Phase of Ball Motion

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flagator07
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Hook Phase of Ball Motion

Post by flagator07 »

I understand the hook phase of ball motion can be adjusted by changing the VAL angle of a layout. Basically a smaller VAL angle should result in a shorter hook phase and it does this by increasing the total differential of the ball. So looking at ball reaction from front to back, a ball with a smaller VAL angle should transition to a roll sooner than one with a larger VAL angle (all else being equal).

What I am not clear on is what this means in terms of right-to-left ball motion (for a right-handed bowler). Does the higher differential and resulting greater flare mean the ball will travel a greater distance from right-to-left when hooking? Or does the shorter hook phase mean the ball will actually travel less from right-to-left than a ball with a longer hook phase because the ball transitions to its forward roll earlier?
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Re: Hook Phase of Ball Motion

Post by EricHartwell »

flagator07 wrote:I understand the hook phase of ball motion can be adjusted by changing the VAL angle of a layout. Basically a smaller VAL angle should result in a shorter hook phase and it does this by increasing the total differential of the ball. So looking at ball reaction from front to back, a ball with a smaller VAL angle should transition to a roll sooner than one with a larger VAL angle (all else being equal).

What I am not clear on is what this means in terms of right-to-left ball motion (for a right-handed bowler). Does the higher differential and resulting greater flare mean the ball will travel a greater distance from right-to-left when hooking? No Or does the shorter hook phase mean the ball will actually travel less from right-to-left than a ball with a longer hook phase because the ball transitions to its forward roll earlier? Yes
Pin to PAP distance affects the amount of hook in conjunction with the VAL angle. Forward rolling pin positions will produce less hook, shorter hook zones, earlier roll. Where as Pin positions that retain tilt and rotation will cover more boards and have longer hook zones, rolling later.
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Re: Hook Phase of Ball Motion

Post by flagator07 »

Thanks Eric. That makes sense to me. What caused me to ask this question was when I compare Totally Strong layouts to Benchmark layouts, the Strong layouts usually have smaller VAL angles. I understand this helps to make sure the ball reaches its roll phase before it hits the pins, which is beneficial on heavy oil, but if it also causes the ball to cross fewer boards, wouldn't that actually make it more difficult for the ball to get to the pocket? I guess I need to think of a stronger ball as one that rolls sooner instead of one that hooks more.
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Re: Hook Phase of Ball Motion

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flagator07 wrote:... I understand this helps to make sure the ball reaches its roll phase before it hits the pins, which is beneficial on heavy oil, but if it also causes the ball to cross fewer boards, wouldn't that actually make it more difficult for the ball to get to the pocket? I guess I need to think of a stronger ball as one that rolls sooner instead of one that hooks more.
Not if you're playing the correct part of the lane.
Assuming the pocket is at 17.5, and your ball will hook 10 boards, where should your breakpoint be?
If your ball will only cover 5 boards, where should you be playing?
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Re: Hook Phase of Ball Motion

Post by flagator07 »

Darkhorse, correct me if I'm wrong but I think what you are saying is the ball with the smaller VAL angle will require me to use a breakpoint closer to the pocket than a ball with a larger VAL angle. That's consistent with Eric's response - it's just different from my initial concept of what "stronger" actually meant in terms of ball reaction. I had previously thought a stronger ball would allow me to use a breakpoint further away from the pocket and/or utilize a larger launch angle than a "weaker" ball. But it appears the opposite is true.
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Re: Hook Phase of Ball Motion

Post by TonyPR »

When looking at ball reaction we need to look at it from front to back making sure our ball gets into the roll phase soon enough(skid-hook-roll) for optimum carry, especially on sport shots and especially when changing pairs in a tornament the earlier breakpoint should be easier to read from pair to pair. Side to side will be determined by the pattern's length and the transition which will be affected by who is playing, what equipment they are using and how they are playing it.
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Re: Hook Phase of Ball Motion

Post by 56bird »

Great conversation. One thing my coach said when critiquing my arsenal, he felt that everything was drilled "too strong". Not that a ball drilled strong is bad, but that having *everything* drilled that way isn't so good.

I always think of "strong" as "ability to handle oil". How many times have we had a new ball release video posted on here showing different layouts, only to have someone complain "double-thumb is supposed to be ultra-strong but it's covering less boards than the weaker layout!" Well, yeah.

Something to consider though, most of us bowl on fairly easy house conditions. We need a certain amount of ball motion to take advantage of "lane help". That "totally strong" layout isn't always the path to best scores.
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