Bowling Ball Pairings

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Glenn
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Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by Glenn »

Asking for a friend as I was uncertain of the correct answer.
The statements that popped up (I think one was by Mo and maybe the other by a USBC coach) are as follows.
They address a strategy for house bowling, I think.

"Start with your symmetrical ball until you start leaving corner pins, then switch to your asymmetrical ball in the same pairing."

"Start with your symmetrical ball until you start leaving corner pins, then switch to your asymmetrical ball (same type) to carry the corner pins." – Mo

"Early, you want a smooth, controllable, consistent ball (sym) w/some surface; later as the lanes breakdown, you want a more angular ball (asym) that clears the front-end." – USBC

My question is what do they mean by terms "same pairing" or "same type"? Is it the amount of lane oil they are advertised as handling - coverstock? Or, a ball up/ball down pairing based on ...? Or, something else?
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bowl1820
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Re: Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by bowl1820 »

Here's the full quote from MO:
Mo Pinel wrote:
Low tilt bowlers usually use more symmetricals than asymmetricals because symmetricals have longer hook zones delaying the ball entering the roll phase. Therefore, it gives them more continuation until the carrydown gets them and they start leaving corner pins. At that point they should go to an asymmetrical because the asym. will respond to the friction faster carrying the ten pin when the symmetrical will not on the carrydown.

The lesson for low tilt bowlers is.......start with your symmetrical until you start leaving corners. Then, switch to your asym. to carry the corner.......................
"REMEMBER, it isn't how much the ball hooks, it's where."
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deanchamp
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Re: Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by deanchamp »

Glenn wrote:"Start with your symmetrical ball until you start leaving corner pins, then switch to your asymmetrical ball in the same pairing."

"Start with your symmetrical ball until you start leaving corner pins, then switch to your asymmetrical ball (same type) to carry the corner pins." – Mo
My assumptions are 'same type' is coverstock - if you start with a symm reactive solid, you switch to an asymm reactive solid with the same surface prep and let the core be the point of difference. 'Same pairing' might mean the same thing, not sure, it's an unusual term. Same pair of lanes maybe?
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Glenn
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Re: Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by Glenn »

Bowl1820 and Dean, thanks for your input.

When first presented with this question, I thought it might be the ball up / ball down pairing, but then I had doubts. I sorta kinda remember reading some semblance of these statements in the past, but could not put my finger on them. I looked through my materials and did searches on the internet, but came up empty.

Dean, I am leaning toward your point on cover-stock with the addition of its oil handling ability (as advertised). For example, sym and asym that are reactive solids for medium-heavy oil conditions. And, I am equally uncertain as to whether the surfaces should be the same, or different to further separate the pair (sym at 2000 on the fresh and the asym at 4000 on the transition).
I, also, wondered about using the RG value in the pairing, particularly if both balls are drilled with the same layout.

I guess my best answer to this question is that I do not know ....
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Re: Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by Bluelobstor »

I could be wrong but I understand the quote to mean switching from a symmetrical ball to an asymmetrical that has the same layout. For example, if your are starting out with a symmetrical with a benchmark layout then when you start to leave corner pins then switch to the asymmetrical with the benchmark layout.

This is just a guess but is how I understand what was said.

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Re: Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by gunso »

I'm pretty sure Mo is referring to hook potential when he talks about the same pairing. A good example would be the Hyroad and the Code Red from Storm. The hook potential is similiar with the same cover given that the cover prep is similiar but the Code has just a little bit bigger engine in it.

Doesn't neccessarily have to be the same coverstock, just similiarites in hook potential so you don't have to change zones since you are hitting the pocket in his example.
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Re: Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by Glenn »

What we finally decided to do to create a strategy for bowling on some local house conditions was a blend of several ideas, including one from Stevespo. We assembled a 4-ball arsenal (including a spare ball).

1st game ball is a Sym Pearl @ P2000, 60 x 4 x 40, having a BTM hook potential of 16.5
2nd game ball is a ASYM Solid @ P4000, 60 x 4 x 40, having a BTM hook potential of 17.0
3rd game ball is a Sym Hybrid @ Compound, 60 x 4 x 40, having a BTM hook potential of 16.0

The House is not always fresh for the leagues, so practice tells us which ball actually has the best look for the game. And, transitioning is somewhat fluid based on the opposing team and what they are throwing/where. The jury is still out on the results...
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Positive Axis Point: 6 1/4 over 0 up or down
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Re: Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by Bluelobstor »

Thanks for the update
PAP 6 1/4 over 0 up or down. Pap figured from the center of the bridge.
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Re: Bowling Ball Pairings

Post by krava »

If the league is certified with the USBC then from I have been told, they have to have a fresh oil done to them if it is sanctioned. I might be wrong here but I thought that you use ASM balls when you are doing a big hook. Bascially throwing the ball lets say over 4th arrow out to 12 and then back in. The sym balls might not have enough for you to make it come back but the ASM balls give you a little more help.

I have 2 asm balls and i really never use them. i left 4 corner pins today which i deserved every one of them. Throwing the ball and releasing it very weekly with bad spin won't help you knock down corners no matter what kind of ball it is. Another time I leave corners, which I left one tonight, was missing the target right and the ball coming back at too steep of an angle. I haven't really seen myself leaving corners and not sure why I was leaving them, atleast not lately and I don't think an ASM ball would have helped.

To be fair, I haven't had to move. Last thursday moved 0 boards, Today 1 board. Past few weeks haven't moved more then 1 board. I would take a tiny bit of speed off. like .25-.5 mph off the ball when throwing it before i would switch to an asm, if I wasn't playing say left of 3rd arrow.

I don't do alot of ball switching either. I bring 7 balls but only end up using 1 plus the spare.

I might be saying something wrong but If you aren't playing left of 3rd arrow and your leaving corner pins, your using the wrong ball (ball dying too soon and not getting into the roll) or etc, or you are having a bad release and having the ball rotate not in a strong position. If I throw the ball correctly with a good release and hit a board or so of my target, nothing usually stands up.

Alot of people I see, every time they hit the pocket they think they should strike. That was my feeling when I was 18. I threw the biggest fits you could imagine, ripping a towel apart, beating the wall with my fist, stomping etc. Now when I hit the pocket, I have to consider how I released the ball, how was the ball motion, what kind of angle the ball was when it hit the pocket, etc and most of the time I shake my head up and down and agree with the outcome and understand why what happened happened. (on side note, I left 4 opens first game didn't get upset, I got upset at the end of the game getting the last 5 X in a row. (got last 5x in a row 2nd game after 2 opens that game also) after the 2nd strike I shook my head each time thinking about what happened earlier. Then a female which is the head of getting the leagues together or something kicked the ball return after leaving a 9 count 2nd game.

as for bowling ball pairings. If you wanted to pair a SYM and asym for example you would do a scandal /s and a hammer ripped. usually asym balls are for heavy oil. I don't ever use heavy oil balls. I need a scandal /s but I can't get the thing drilled until I get the ball throw correctly first.
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