Ball surface and surface texture

In an era of advanced drilling patterns, various core shapes and sizes, and increased dynamic reactions, the most important factor determining bowling ball reaction is being overlooked by an increasingly large number of bowlers. Regardless of the aforementioned variables, ball surface material and texture are still responsible for 80 to 90 percent of a ball's on-lane reaction.

There are currently three basic surface materials available in contemporary bowling balls: (1) plastic; (2) urethane; and (3) "reactive" coverstocks.

Plastic or basic polyester is the most common surface type used by beginner bowlers. Most plastic balls come in a variety of weights and colors and generally are pleasing to the eye. This coverstock exhibits a very low coefficient of friction which produces an extremely long skid with a mild, if not noticeable, back-end reaction. Many contemporary power players take advantage of this characteristic when competing on the dry lane conditions prevalent in our area centers. Examples of balls with this surface are the Columbia White Dot and the Ebonite Maxim.

Structural urethane, which was developed in the early 1980s, is generally a surface of choice by middle- and upper-average bowlers. It is produced by combining a polyol resin with an isocyanate activator. When this combination hardens, it produces a compound which can exhibit varying degrees of surface friction depending on the texture of the ball. Urethane provides a strong roll and increased hitting power with a consistent, controllable arc. This surface is very popular when the heads and middle boards are oily, with dry back-ends and/or outside boards. Examples include the Black Turbo, the Blue Hammer, and the Blue Nitro.

The newest innovations in ball surfaces are the myriad of "reactive" shells available today. These coverstocks are unique and provide a roll pattern previously unattainable by the average league bowler.

The first generation of these materials were produced similarly to structural urethane. However, during the mixing process, a third "resin" was added that didn't bond at the molecular level with the urethane. This liquid would migrate to the surface of the ball, creating a "tacky" finish. This finish exhibited very low surface friction in the oily part of the lane (heads) and extremely high surface friction in the dry areas (back-end). This created a very long skid, with an enormous hook potential at the back-end.

In the last year, several new coverstocks based on this type of reaction have been created, and more explosive surfaces are on the way. Reactive balls include the Sunstorm, the Piranha, and the Nitro/R.

Now that we have covered the various surface materials, it's time to analyze the importance of ball surface texture. I'm sure most of you have noticed that new balls, both reactive and non-reactive, come in a variety of surface textures, from highly polished to heavily sanded. It is a natural progression of each aspiring scratch bowler to learn the effects of these different textures.

Before we discuss the many possibilities available, I would like to clear up a misunderstanding. It is important to remember that reactivity and hookability are not the same thing.

Reactivity is a measure of the ball's reaction to oil on the lane.

Hookability is the measure of the total number of boards a given ball will curve from beginning to end.

If a bowler throws a ball in the oily part of the lane and it never curves, it is an example of an overreaction but an under-hook. The ball reacted severely to the amount of oil on the lane (skidded too far) and did not produce an appreciable curve (under-hooked).

Likewise, if the same bowler throws the next shot towards the drier part of the lane (usually the outside boards) and it races over to the Brooklyn pocket, that also is an overreaction but an over-hook.

With that out of the way, understanding surface texture is fairly simple. In general, a duller-surface texture will be less reactive but produce more hook than a shiny-surface texture. A duller-surface also will begin to hook earlier than a shiny surface.

Given this, it is easy to understand why shiny reactive-surface bowling balls can be somewhat hard to control. The shiny texture, combined with a reactive shell, produces a ball roll that is very sensitive to slight changes in ball speed, rotation, and lane oil movement. In other words, this combination is very reactive.

The major ball manufacturers understand this phenomenon and are now producing weight blocks that reduce the reactivity of the new coverstocks. These new cores are more controllable and create more consistent roll patterns than those previously available.

However, if you are experiencing overreaction, but the budget won't allow a new ball, don't fret because there's still hope. By experimenting with various surface textures, it is possible to reduce the overreaction and still maintain the ball's hookability.

Go to your favorite pro shop and have your ball wet-sanded with different grades of finishing paper until you find an optimum hook/reactivity combination for your game. This should provide a quick and easy solution to your overreaction problem.