BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: abcarr on September 29, 2014, 02:59:10 PM
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What are the differences, advantages, disadvantages, etc.. of symetric and asymetric balls and are they things a once-a-week league bowler like myself will notice?
I'm currently using a Storm Special Agent but recently bought a fully plugged and resurfaced Roto Grip Theory. So once I get it drilled, how much difference am I going to see in the two balls? I know the layout has a lot to do with how the ball will react, but will one ball have an advantage over the other on given lane conditioins?
Thanks!!
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In general an asymmetric ball will have a sharper back end than a symmetric one.. Will you notice a difference? Maybe somewhat..
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What are the differences, advantages, disadvantages, etc.. of symetric and asymetric balls and are they things a once-a-week league bowler like myself will notice?
I'm currently using a Storm Special Agent but recently bought a fully plugged and resurfaced Roto Grip Theory. So once I get it drilled, how much difference am I going to see in the two balls? I know the layout has a lot to do with how the ball will react, but will one ball have an advantage over the other on given lane conditioins?
Thanks!!
How usable and how much backend the Theory has depends on if your driller drilled it for the reaction shape you desired, for your release and for the oil pattern/lane surface you face regularly. If all the above holds true, then how much use you can make of it depends, to some extent on how consistent you are with your release.
Depending on the drilling AND your release, you may see no difference or a HUGE difference.
An asymmetric cored ball has far greater dependency on the drilling for its ball reaction than a symmetric cored ball. Meaning it's far easier to screw up a good asymmetric than it is to screw up a good symmetric ball with the drilling. It's easier to drill a symmetric than an asymmetric, shown by the vast number of symmetrics with "1:30" drilling that still work for many bowlers.
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In general an asymmetric ball will have a sharper back end than a symmetric one.. Will you notice a difference? Maybe somewhat..
For my 2 cents, I would amend that statement lightly.
An asymmetric has the potential to be either more rolly than the equivlaent symmetric ball or have a sharper backend, depending on the bowler's release, the ball's basic design, the drilling and the oil pattern.
In general for stronger, solid, heavier oil balls, asymmetrics have THE POTENTIAL to have a sharper backend, WITH AN IMMENSE DEPENDENCY on the drilling and the consistency of the bowler's release, from frame to frame and the ball's basic design.
Many pearlized/polished symmetric cored balls intended for medium +/- oil, are as flippy (sharp a backend) as 95% of the asymmetrics, due to the coverstock and the core and their interaction.
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I would not recommend an asymmetric ball for a 3 game per week league bowler, they are too dependent on a consistent release. There are some great mid level symmetrics that will do the job. -- JohnP
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^^^^^^^
+1 to John P.
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All balls are asymmetric after drilling. Depending on the ball and layout you can closely mimic one to the other. Most companies now only put asymmetric cores in high performance equipment. For some that aggressive of a cover may be more then needed for 3 games.
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On those two specifically you will see the theory tip on the back end significally more than the special agent.
For storms master line ( marvels, IQs, agents, excluding dimensions :)) I sacrifice back end for midlane. Usually the assymetrics have Midlane and back end...symmetrics in the master line are typically about midlane with mild backends. This is my experience.
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in terms of advantage versus disadvantage..
with asymmetric you now have a bigger payoff of backend--make sure you need it.
with symmetric you will have more control, but less off the dry boards..
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If you use the blueprint software at any point and play with layouts and weight hole locations you will see that you can increase the Int Diff (mb/psa strength) of many symmetric balls to be as much or more then asymmetric balls.
That always makes me laugh when people then say they can't use asymmetric core balls or something along those lines. If you know where the psa ends up on a symmetric after drilling you can mimic that with a asymmetric to get the same characteristics. It is hard to explain to people who do not want to believe.
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I love the comments above by BillD and Kidlost above.
In general when Mass bias is put strong Assymetrics create that angular move that is needed on sloppy backends. If your backends stay crisp symmetrics are often in most setups more user friendly.
I also agree Assymetrics can be drilled to be less snappy!
Lastly, redrilling assymetrics dramatically different from how they were first drilled I often find is a crap shoot! I look to Kidlost to verify why that might be!
Usually when I redrill assymetrics I do not do much different than respan on top of the already existing holes if I want to have predictable results. Tough to find those left handed assymetrics to do so!
REgards,
Luckylefty
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Thanks for the replies. Lots of food for thought!!
After reading the comments here and doing some reading online, it definitely appears that a consistent release is the #1 factor in being successful with an asymmetric ball. What I haven't seen mentioned, in regards to a "consistent release", is what exactly is being referred to? Ball speed, rev rate, release point, how your hand comes out of the ball or all of the above? Or some other aspect I'm missing? The reason I ask is that I've been told by teammates and other bowlers that I do have a very consistent release. My problem is not being able to consistently hit my mark.
So I guess my next step is to take the Theory, along with my other balls, to the pro shop and see what the driller recommends. The guy did a great job on the Special Agent so I trust that he will steer me in the right direction as far as what I need (or don't need) and how to lay out the ball so as to get the most use out of it. And as someone mentioned here, he may even tell me I don't need a ball like that if all I'm doing is bowling league one night a week.
Thanks again for the replies!!!
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An asymmetric core loses rotational energy quicker and can be, in general less consistent reaction wise...the primary factor is the strength of the asymmetry...lower than .010, it's comiarable to a drilled symmetrical core...casual league bowlers should look towards mid range controllable equipment...don't always need a home run
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LL in reference to your question on redrilling asyms vastly different from the original drill consider what density was drilled out of the ball and how it was replaced with just resin.
Wihout a determinator like product to correctly relocate the psa and low rg axis alng with checking statics you are playing a guessing game for how you are drilling a ball. Unk psa and low rg axis along with changes in core dynamics equals guessing game.
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Difference in shell is going to be a lot more noticeable than core differences between symmetrical and asymmetrical. I have had great luck with asymmetrical balls over the years, but the top 3 balls in my current arsenal are all symmetrical. Not sure the difference will be significant for a once a week league bowler on a house shot, even if you are relatively accomplished.
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What I haven't seen mentioned, in regards to a "consistent release", is what exactly is being referred to? Ball speed, rev rate, release point, how your hand comes out of the ball or all of the above?
All of the above, but most importantly the ability to release the ball with the same PAP every time. I've checked PAP's on a lot of three games a week bowlers and many can't do this. And regarding the ability to mimic asymmetric characteristics with a symmetric ball, yes, I can do that. But I wouldn't put a three game a week bowler in this type of layout on a symmetric either. -- JohnP