NotClay… Sorry if you (or anyone else) was offended by my response! I just think it’s often useful to look at someones profile before assuming they don’t know what they are talking about…
Anyway… to answer some of your questions…
A long pattern (typically in the 45ft region), as used in most world class international tournaments these days (Europeans Champions Cup, World Championships, European Championship, Commonwealth Championships, etc) is, for a start, not necessarily a heavy oil pattern… it’s a long pattern.
In the past, I would have been with most of you on your thoughts, i.e. using a dull particle ball to start up early and cover some boards in the oil. In the 2006 ECC in Latvia I used an Epic Battle and was 7th on the long pattern, but noticed a lot of the guys at the very top were using shiny balls (couldn’t tell if they were pearl or what…) and wondered how they were getting move movement than me, especially since I’m not lacking in the hand department (watch the videos on the Roto Grip website - I’m the high rev player).
However, recently I sought advice from Paul Moor, the European Ranking Tour winner for the last 3 years in a row, on playing the long and short patterns, as I will be facing them again at this years ECC in Luxembourg. He advides me to go for a strong pearl, and having explained why, I thought it sounded reasonable…the reason is that pretty much nothing is going to grip a lot in the oil, and you have a very short back end. Using a dull ball may get a bit of movement in the oil, but won’t finish as well, and may actually burn up if its too aggressive… using a pearl ball, or a ball that will grip strong in the dry, will slide straight to the back end, then hook… You will be able to get better angle to the pocket this way, and have better chance of carrying.
I discussed this theory further with other top European bowlers, who agreed it was the best one to go with…
So, I decided to try the theory out, and this past Saturday was my first chance to try. I was playing on a 45ft pattern, with a decent amount of oil throughout the length of the pattern. I tried several balls during practice, and virtually every pearl ball I had hooked more than the dull balls I had. The strongest particle ball I had with me did very little in the oil, and nothing on the back end. The pearls skidded to the back end, then hooked hard.
So in summing, this is why I am seeking the strongest pearl known to man lol
On the pattern at the weekend I ended up using a Morich Awesome Revs, however I also tried the Paradigm Domination, the Horizon pearl and the Epic Quest.
So… finally… Scott33, I have far from no hand… but if you havnt got something that going to motor on the back end, trying to control the break point on a long pattern is pretty pointless…. Not clay.. no offence, but it would seem you know little about these sorts of conditions, as the advice you are giving is to go against that of the best bowlers in Europe… strikestriketapped… my above explanation should answer your question… Mainzer, yes the Revs was very good and I scored pretty well with it… Chawk15… I don’t think the pattern has been announced yet, but they are usually not flooded, however not much moves in the oil in the patterns ive played, until the lanes have been burned up a little… Battle was good for me in OZ and Latvia, but I’m looking for that little something extra…
Cheers for the responses guys
Ryan
