Bowling How To's & Coaching Tips, Bowling Tips & Coaching Articles, Coaching Corner with John Gaines, Surface & Layouts
The Impact of Bowling Ball Surface Adjustments
How Different Surfaces Will Make The Bowling Ball React Differently
Today, we’ll visit the subject of ball surface and its impact on your bowling ball’s reaction.
Changing the texture of the coverstock on the bowling ball is the easiest way to change your ball reaction. Not only does it have the greatest impact on the end result, but you always can change it again if you didn’t like the result.
Unlike drilling a ball, which modifies the ball’s characteristics for life, ball surface can be altered dozens of times to experiment with ball motion.
How Much Can You Change Bowling Ball Reaction By Adjusting The Surface?
To give you an idea of how much range you can create by just sanding a ball, we’ve recorded two videos for you.
These balls are the same model, and we drilled them identically. The only difference is the surface preparation. We have one ball at 1,000-grit Abralon and one ball at 4,000-grit Abralon. The higher the number, the finer the grit used on the surface of the ball, creating a smoother texture. The lower the number, the more coarse.
We’ll start with the 4,000-grit surface, which gives the bowler a moderately strong ball reaction. Notice the distance on the lane that this shot begins to transition from right to left.
Bowling Ball Surface Is The Biggest Influence On Bowling Ball Reaction
The Impact of Bowling Ball Surface Adjustments from BowlersMart.com on Vimeo.
Here is the same ball in the same layout at a 1,000-grit surface. This ball hooks noticeably earlier than the one at 4,000 and will not hold the pocket. After making an adjustment of five boards with the bowler’s feet, the 1,000-grit ball now will hold the line to the pocket.
Surface is the biggest influence on your ball’s reaction. Surface dictates about 70 percent of the total ball motion. If you need more or less hook, change the surface, not the layout. The layout only determines the shape of the ball motion. Without even using polish, we created five boards in separation through these two balls.
Is your equipment over or under reacting? There’s likely a surface change you can make to improve your results.
More Articles BelowClick Here For Even More Articles
John Gaines – From the Pro Shop to Team USA to the USBC Bowling Hall of Fame
The Iconic Lodge Lanes USBC Open Championships Bowling Team If you have ever bowled the [...]
1 Comment
May
900 Global Tour Rep Day 5 & 6 – The USBC Masters
Being The 900 Global Tour Rep Day 5 & 6 – The USBC Masters By [...]
Apr
900 Global Tour Rep Day 4 – The USBC Masters
Tour Rep USBC Masters Syracuse, NY 2018: [addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] Day 4 Today is known as [...]
Apr
900 Global Tour Rep Day 3 – The USBC Masters
Global 900 Tour Rep USBC Masters Syracuse, NY 2018: [addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] Day 3 Today is [...]
Apr
900 Global Tour Rep Day 2 – The USBC Masters
900 Global Tour Rep USBC Masters Syracuse, NY 2018: [addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] Day 2 Today starts [...]
Apr
Tour Repping USBC Masters Day 1
Tour Rep USBC Masters Syracuse, NY 2018: Day 1 Today was practice session for A, [...]
Apr
The Coach To The Pro Bowlers In Competition – PBA Tour Rep
Tour Reps Are Another Set Of Eyes For The Pros [addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] If you follow [...]
3 Comments
Apr
Better Balance at the Foul Line – By John Gaines
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] Ways To Keep Your Balance While Bowling And Not Fall Off Your Shot [...]
1 Comment
Jun
A Simple Tip For Making The 10 Pin or 7 Pin In Bowling By John Gaines
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] A Simple Tip For Knocking Down The 10 Pin Or 7 Pin There [...]
2 Comments
Jun
30 Days To Becoming A Better Bowler By John Gaines
30 Days Or Practicing To Improve Your Bowling Scores I know, it sounds like one [...]
4 Comments
Jun
Changing Bowling Ball Surface Is The Easiest Way To Change Bowling Ball Motion By John Gaines
Bowling Ball Surface Is 70% Of The Balls Reaction Having issues hitting the pocket with [...]
Jun
How To Read An Oil Pattern When Bowling
Importance Of Knowing The Oil Pattern Before Bowling The Different Well Known Oil Patterns PBA [...]
Apr
Achieve Your Bowling Goals With A Solid Practice Plan
If You Want Higher Bowling Scores Create A Practice Plan [addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] Most of us [...]
2 Comments
Mar
Creating the Simple and Effective Bowling Ball Arsenal Part 3 By John Gaines
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] Part three of my blog series deals with choosing bowling balls. Now that [...]
3 Comments
Nov
Creating the Simple and Effective Bowling Ball Arsenal Part 1 By John Gaines
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] How To Make A Great Bowling Ball Arsenal Simplified Are you confused by [...]
2 Comments
Oct
Finger Inserts & Thumb Slugs Explained
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] Today in the Coaching Corner, we take a look at finger inserts [...]
3 Comments
Jul
The Impact of Bowling Ball Surface Adjustments
How Different Surfaces Will Make The Bowling Ball React Differently Today, we’ll visit the subject [...]
2 Comments
Jun
The Slide And Finish Position – Building Proper Bowling Technique And An Ideal Bowling Approach
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] Last Part of a Great Approach In Bowling – The Finish Position & [...]
1 Comment
Jan
The Timing Spot – Building Proper Bowling Technique And An Ideal Bowling Approach
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] How To Improve Your Timing By Knowing Your Timing Spot One of the [...]
1 Comment
Jan
The Bowling Pivot Step – Building Proper Bowling Technique And An Ideal Bowling Approach
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] The Pivot Step In Bowling Is Incredibly Important For A Solid Delivery The [...]
1 Comment
Jan
Second Step of the Approach – Building Proper Bowling Technique And An Ideal Bowling Approach
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] So We Discussed The Bowling Stance, The First Step & The Push Away [...]
Jan
The First Step and Pushaway – Building Proper Bowling Technique And An Ideal Bowling Approach
[addthis tool=”addthis_inline_share_toolbox”] How To Do The Pushaway And First Step In Bowling The next installment [...]
3 Comments
Jan
The Stance – Building Proper Bowling Technique And An Ideal Bowling Approach
Step By Step On How To Create Ideal Body Positioning For Bowling Over the next [...]
3 Comments
Dec
High Performance Bowling Balls Explained By John Gaines
Bowling Ball Terminology And What It All Means This is a difficult subject to explain [...]
8 Comments
Dec
Balls
Shoes
Bags
Accessories
Apparel
Deals
John, I took 5 pads and my polish to a practice session last summer with my Track 706a, hyroad Pearl and roto grip theory. Started with 1000 pad on all 3, then added polish. Then 1500 pad then polish. Same for 2000, 3000 and 4000 pads then with polish. Helped me settle on 1000 polished on hyroad Pearl,1500 polished on 706a and 1000 polished on theory. For me polish is a must on house shot here in Daytona Beach area. Theory was okay a few years back when I was back in Annapolis area.
Eric Sider(Bowl America Odenton)
Not fully understanding how this works….I change the surface of a No Rules from 2000 too 4 thousand….and then back…ball still read too soon… still needing more length I returned the surface too 2000… polished the 2000 which smooths the 2000 surface back out…I’m I back too 4000 or what?? The results were just what I wanted but how does this work?? THANKS