Any better bowler who has dealt with me has had the phrase "build an arsenal" pounded into his head. Having the right equipment and knowing when to use it is 50 percent of the game today for better bowlers. Balls today are so condition-specific that it is possible to lose 50 or more pins a game just by using the wrong ball.
Any arsenal contains two basic components: your "core" balls and your "extreme" balls. With careful planning and consideration, building an arsenal within these two groups can, and will, significantly increase your chances of being successful.
In the following paragraphs, I will outline what I consider a good arsenal for the tournament bowler. However, there are limitless possibilities when it comes to your personal equipment. Before making your decisions, please consult your local IBPSIA (International Bowling Pro Shop & Instructors Association) pro shop technician. He or she can make this experience easier and more productive.
The basic building block of any arsenal is your "core equipment"—the one, two, or three balls that you will use 70 percent of the time. It is my contention that each core ball should be the same model, with slight variations in drill pattern and surface. Because the differences in each ball are minor, this allows you to change balls during a game without suffering major consequences.
For instance, if your ball is skidding a little too far down the lane, you can change to another ball with more surface and know the reaction won't be considerably different. This will give you more versatility and confidence in your mid-game change.
A good example of this happened to me last year in a Nation's Capital/Baltimore Area Masters tournament. With two games to go in the finals, the ball I had used all day began hooking too early. It was close, but it wasn't quite right. In the position-round match, I was facing a top area bowler. After leaving a split in the first frame, I changed balls. It was the same model I had used all day, but with a different surface. I proceeded to strike out and shoot 279, which put me in a good position to win the tournament.
The moral is this: Because I knew the second ball was similar to the first, I was sure that the reaction would not be extremely different. This gave me the confidence to make the ball change when I had to.
For most better bowlers, I would recommend choosing your core balls based on previous successes. For instance, if you have had good success with the Columbia Beast, use it. If you like your Nitro R2 best, make it your core.
Your core ball doesn't have to be the latest or the greatest. It just has to work best for you. By adding one or two more of the model you choose, you eliminate the chance of drilling a boat anchor.
Having the right equipment and knowing when to use it
is 50 percent of the game today for better bowlers.
When you decide on your core ball, simply change the drill patterns and surfaces on your new ones to achieve slightly different reactions than your original.
Since the tournaments you'll be bowling probably won't be in your home center, it is important to have equipment for various lane conditions. I call these bowling balls your "extreme equipment."
To prepare for tournaments, you must have at least one ball on either side of your core equipment. The first should be a drier-condition model, probably a pearlized or three-piece reactive-urethane model. This ball should be drilled and surfaced to hook slightly less than your least-hooking core ball. Therefore, if you hit a condition slightly drier than you normally see, you're covered.
I also would recommend that you carry a plastic or pearlized urethane ball to use on extremely dry conditions and for single-pin spares. (I suggest that any bowler who aspires to tournament competition learn to shoot spares with as little hook as possible--a plastic ball is perfect for this.)
You should drill the plastic or pearlized urethane ball over the label. This will keep the ball fairly balanced and easy to control. On the pearlized or three-piece reactive, go ahead and try a label shift pattern to increase the hitting power.
The second extreme condition would be heavy oil or carrydown. For this you would choose one or two of the new high-tech balls on the market. The first should be a moderate to high R.G. (radius of gyration) ball such as the Cuda/C or Electrical Storm. Choose a ball with the pin two or more inches out, and drill in a high R.G. pattern.
This ball will work well when the heads break down and the oil moves down the lane. Because of the high R.G., it will tend to move more easily down the lane, storing its energy for release on the back-end. To aid this type of motion, experiment with different surfaces to find the one that suits your game.
To combat extremely heavy oil, there are several balls you can choose from. These balls have low R.G. designs with very aggressive coverstocks. Examples would be the Blue Zone, Omega LM, Pro XS 1, and Jade Firestorm.
Utilizing this type of ball with a high-flare drill pattern makes it much easier to score on the heavily-oiled conditions you see in some NABI and PBA regional tournaments. Once again, choose a surface texture which best suits your game.
Below is a quick rundown of one possible arsenal combining all of the factors listed above:
The arsenal above is indicative of the type of equipment tournament bowlers must have to be competitive. The difference between cashing and going home broke can be extremely small. You must be able to make quick and rational decisions to compete successfully.
Understanding what your equipment can and cannot do is an important step in your tournament career—just ask the ones who are winning!