drillings,etc

Question
Warren-
My question regards all the physics of ball drilling: cg, pap, pin placement to fingers, etc and why is all that important. The reason I ask is because after 5 years back into bowling I'm rolling a 200 average but it's mostly as a stroker bordering on being a straight bowl thrower and at 17 mph per the machine readout (I don't think that's the real speed). At 57, I don't want to keep up bowling that hard but want to get more accurate instead. I believe the way my balls are drilled, after the driller looks at how I bowl, they are designed to roll straight down the boards and hook in (call it a "down and in" shot). I don't know how or what to tell my driller/pro shop to drill the ball the way I want to bowl it. The few things I know about my current drillings: pin is 3-3.5 in the box, the flare marks are just to left of my thumb and fingers although on my Storm Gravity Nano they flare out a bit more than the others, the rg range is 2.48-2.53 on the different balls. The out of box finish ranges from 1500 to 2000 on the others to 4000 Abralon (on the Nano). I'm confused, to say the least. The other guys on my team and leagues don't seem to even care about this info but I'm trying to improve and think this is a way I need to start. Appreciate you.

Answer
Jim,
Quite the question. What you are asking for is part of a $995 course from the Pro Shop Association or Manufacturers. If I get it all down on paper, you can buy my book.

What your driller needs to know: type of lane surface, lane condition, topography issues.

What your driller needs to know about you (your game): ball speed, rev rate, axis tilt, axis rotation.

What the ball can do: Strong solid cover (rough aggressive) to help the ball slow down on oil, Weak pearl cover (smooth shiny) to let the ball slide further down the lane, and everything in between, with all the variations of cover preparation in between.

What the core of your ball can do: Aysmmetric or symmetric, low radius of gyration or high radius of gyration, more flare with high differential radius of gyration or less flare with low differential.

Depending what you bowl on, understanding more of what the ball can do is vitally important.

Your description of your Storm Virtual Gravity Nano sounds like a basic strong layout. Given some basic assumptions, it's probably hooking too early and not as effective as you'd hoped. Your Nano is finished at 4K but the step below it is 500 grit and that truely is why the ball does what it does.

Why isn't your relationship with your driller more a a partnership. They should contribute to what you need with information and suggestions. By asking me then telling them, your basically informing them of the options to drill your ball. That should be on them!

Literally, to detail all of what you ask would be a book. So lets put the onus on you, list all your equipment, provide pictures, and I can describe and explain some of what you are asking about. We can discuss how and why the stuff does or doesn't work and why. Uderstanding what's going on with you is much more relatable, than just general info on bowling balls.

Thanks for your question. I look forward to hearing back from you.