This week I wanted to get back to some of the questions I get asked when customers come in to buy a bowling ball. One I hear a lot is; “What is that big dot on the bowling ball?”  Hopefully I can help answer that question and give you some tips on what you might need for your next bowling ball drill layout.  

The big dot is called the locator pin. This marking is added in during the molding process of the bowling ball to show where the top of the inner core, or weight block is located.  It also helps to stabilize the bowling ball during that process. This is a major reference point for the Pro shop operator to help in the decision of how to layout your bowling ball.  Now if you think that’s all that it’s for then your not seeing the true scientific reason for it. Where you place this in relation to a Bowler’s Positive Axis Point, or P.A.P. determines how and when the bowling ball will start to react.  

To determine where the pin should be placed, in reference to your P.A.P., you need to understand the three phases of bowling ball motion.  A bowling ball will go through Skid, Hook and Roll.  Drilling can determine how long or short you can control these three phases.  Bowling ball surface plays a major role in ball motion, but so does drilling layouts. Placing locator pins closer to a bowler’s positive axis point will result in a bowling ball that will rev or hook, sooner and the end result is a less aggressive back end reaction and an earlier rolling overall ball reaction. In essence you have shortened the skid section of your bowling balls reaction and increased its roll section.  

Placing pins further from your P.A.P. will result in a longer skid section, thereby creating a delayed hook and roll section.  This second layout is the layout where bowlers see that skid/snap kind of reaction on the lane.  Now if you’re a newer bowler and do not have a bowling ball that the pro shop can look at, then they can not determine where your axis point is and will have no reference on how to drill your next bowling ball.  Remember last week’s tip where I mentioned to make sure you bring in your bowling ball?  This is where it comes in to play.  

So let’s recap. Placing pins further from your P.A.P. will create more length and more delayed hook.  Placing locator pins closer will start the hook sooner and smooth out the back end reaction.  So look in the bag, and tell me what you see with your equipment?  Do you have the same layouts? I sure hope not.  Always make sure that you have different layouts for different types of bowling ball reaction.  If you need to learn more about what you have, or what you need, email me.  Until next time, good luck this upcoming bowling season. 

T.J. Yeip is the Manager of GLC Bowling and the Lead Technical Advisor. He is an IBPSIA Advanced Certified Member and former PBA member. You can email your questions to him personally at thomas.yeip@glcbowling.com

Welcome bowler’s to another tip of the week presented by yours truly.  Bowling season is fast approaching and manufactures are releasing new bowling balls.  So how do you, the consumer know what bowling ball you should purchase this season?  The answer, all of them!  Of course I would say that since I am in the business of selling bowling balls, but seriously I am also in the business of education.  So again, how do you know?  This week I will I would like to give you a few things to think about when you are purchasing a bowling ball.  Heck maybe you may buy two, three or four…. Well it was worth a shot.  

We are expecting 25 new bowling balls at or near the beginning of the season.  This may seem like a lot. However four or five years ago one company might have released that many new balls.  Manufacturers are definitely cutting back their production on bowling balls to help with the shelf life which in turn helps the customer make a better purchasing decision.  Today consumers are likely to spend more time researching new equipment with the help of the internet.  Along with the convenience it is amazing the amount of detailed information you can find on the Web.  Some people in our industry think the internet is a bad thing for Pro shops.  I tend to feel differently on this subject.  I like the fact that the customer is so involved in their purchase and much better informed about the product and their options.  While bowlers may have an idea of what they are looking for, my job as pro shop operator is to make sure that the customer gets exactly what they need to be a better bowler.  So what is it that you need?  Do you need a ball for heavy oil?  Are you a once a week casual league bowler, or are you the so called weekend warrior?  All these factors come in to play.  In fact, we as Pro shop operators need to know what bowling center or lane surface you are bowling on. Which ball will work for you? 

Bowling balls are becoming far more advanced with core and cover stock technology.  It’s more important then ever to make sure that you match up the right combination to your game.  Let’s take for example a bowler who is looking for a more aggressive bowling ball for oily lane conditions.  Some of you might already have a ball or two in mind.  But let’s first think about the bowler and their bowling style.  If you have high ball speed, and a high rev rate, the bowling ball of choice will definitely differ then that of a bowler with slow ball speed and a high rev rate.  This is where you still need your Pro shop operator to help you make a wise choice. We need to put all of the facts together to help you choose the best ball for your money.  The First step is to figure out what category are you in.  Do I have fast, medium or slow ball speed?  What is my rev rate? Are you a low rev, medium rev, or high rev player?  Next think about the lane surface that you bowl on.  Do you bowl on wood, or synthetic?  All of these have implications when purchasing a new bowling ball.   

The second tip is to look at what you currently have. What is that bowling ball or balls currently doing for you?  Sometimes taking a step back and looking at your current line, will definitely help in your decision on what you think you still need.  You may find that you have a good arsenal, and you just simply might need a plastic ball for your spares.  You may see that you have too many of the same type of bowling ball and need to venture out of your comfort zone.  Maybe you feel that the bowling ball weight is too heavy for you and you think that purchasing a lighter weight may help.  

Most importantly, whenever you go into your local pro shop to purchase a new bowling ball, please remember to bring in what your current ball or balls.  By bringing in what you have, the pro shop operator can understand a lot.  Seeing what you currently have can help make a better decision when drilling comes into play.   So remember, classify yourself on ball speed. Classify yourself on rev rate.  Do some research and bring your equipment into the pro shop (or email me). By doing these few simple steps, and the help of your pro shop you will make a better decision when spending your hard earned money.

T.J. Yeip is the Manager of GLC Bowling and the Lead Technical Advisor. He is an IBPSIA Advanced Certified Member and former PBA member. You can email your questions to him personally at thomas.yeip@glcbowling.com

Last week I wrote about old school myths and some new teaching tips on how your body position should be during your approach and delivery. This week I want to talk about the old school teachings that say “Don’t drop your shoulder”. 

Let’s first start by asking the question, “What do they mean by not dropping your shoulder?”  Back in “the day” before they had reactive cover stocks, bowlers played the lanes on a more parallel path to the pocket. This required you to play the lanes closer to the gutter which created less left to right ball motion. With less left to right ball motion, you have to keep your body more parallel and your hips and shoulders stay closed. That same rule applies today when playing the lanes in that fashion. What they meant back then about not dropping your shoulder was simply, if you lowered your shoulder you would open your body thereby not creating the correct ball path. 

That being said, in today’s bowling era with all the aggressive bowling balls on the market, you need your ball path to be more left to right. (Right to left for the left hand bowlers) So what about shoulder drop?  Let’s think about your body position, which we talked about last week. If you are playing the lanes and you are generating a left to right ball path and your right shoulder isn’t lowered, (for a RH bowler) then how do you generate the correct ball path?  You would have to physically strain your body to do this.  

So now let’s look at your starting position and your shoulders.  How you can avoid “dropping your shoulder?”  If you start your stance and you have your right shoulder set lower then your left shoulder, this puts your body in the correct starting position for that left to right ball path.  Now ask yourself this question, “If my shoulder is already lowered, how can I drop my shoulder?”  Look at all the PBA players for a second, look at how their body stance is before they make their initial approach, what is the most common thing you see? Their bowling arm shoulder is lower then there non-bowling shoulder.  

Let’s recap, when you are trying to create a more left to right ball path, your hips and upper body are more in line with your ball path (that was from last week’s tip) and thereby lowering your shoulder will generate your body to be in the correct position. So dropping your shoulder isn’t a bad thing, it’s just “old school” thinking. And don’t get me wrong, the “old school” thinking still applies for a certain purpose in today’s bowling environment. But it does not mean that that is the only way to do it. So remember, lower that bowling arm shoulder in your starting delivery, and keep it there until you have finished your release.  

T.J. Yeip is the Manager of GLC Bowling and the Lead Technical Advisor. He is an IBPSIA Advanced Certified Member and former PBA member. You can email your questions to him personally at thomas.yeip@glcbowling.com

More...