New AMF Ball

AMF300 introduces the Villain, a BASF reactive urethane cover, surface in Purple and Black. The RG of a #15 is 2.486 and Diff of .040. The core shape resembles the (retired) Game core from Columbia (shown here).

Ross Named Head Coach

Ross named head coach of USBC International Training Center

Rod Ross, one of the most respected and innovative coaches in the sport of bowling, has been named the first head coach of the United States Bowling Congress (USBC) International Training Center that will be constructed in Arlington, Texas.

Geico PBA Team Shootout

Sunday, June 22 @ 1 p.m. ET, ESPN GEICO PBA Team Shootout Hosted by Six Flags Great America The Professional Bowling Association (PBA) returns to ESPN this weekend with a star studded team event. Don't miss a minute of the action. The first show begins tomorrow at 1 p.m. (All shows listed are EST). The event unfolds over the next few weekends. (Sun., June 29 ESPN 1 - 3 p.m., Sun., July 6 ESPN 1 - 2 p.m., Sun., July 13 ESPN 3 - 4 p.m., Sat., July 20 ESPN 1 - 3 p.m.)

Three teams will compete in round robin, Baker style match play with a total of 12 matches taking place. Each team will bowl four matches against the other two teams, with each match taking place on a different oil pattern. The only one of the five PBA oil patterns which will not be used during round robin is the Cheetah pattern as that pattern will be used in the championship round.

The "New" Code from AMF

AMF300 introduced it’s new Nkryption Code, wrapped in a Teal and Purple “Code Plus” coverstock. Wrapped with a stronger cover, finished with compound, that reads and performs stronger down lane, the new Nkryption Code has a new version of the "Code" core now in an asymmetric state. #15 pounder - RG: 2.472, Differential - .052.

National Bowling Week Guiness Record

Bowling center proprietors across the industry can do their bit to set a Guinness Book world record for most games bowled in 24 hours when National Bowling Week (NBW) winds up on Aug. 30. The Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA)is asking all centers to run NBW events that day and report the total lineage, which will be added to tallies reported by BPAA centers, and forwarded to the Guinness Book of World Records.

2nd Annual Roto Grip King of Them All Tournament

Sam's Town Hotel, Casino, and Bowling Center, Las Vegas, NV will host the 2nd Annual Roto Grip King Of Them All Tournament July 29th through August 3rd. The tournament is open to all United States Bowling Congress (USBC) Members and you do not have to be an Amateur Bowlers Tour (ABT) member to participate. The Grand Champion is guaranteed $10,000 and there is an additional $2,500 guaranteed for a 1st place finish in each average division. One in six entries will cash and make the semi finals. To register click here and fill out the entry form.

Bowling Hall Moving to Texas

The International Bowling Museum and Hall of Fame Board of Trustees voted unanimously
this week to move the Hall of Fame from its current location in St. Louis to Arlington, Texas.
The Museum/Hall will be located in a new development that will house the United States Bowling 
Congress (USBC) and Bowling Proprietors Association of America (BPAA). 

Will Orlando Be Home to the Second National Bowling Stadium?

Orlando Area Gets USBC Tournaments. The United States Bowling Congress has announced it
will conduct 13 events -- seven Open Championships and six Women's Championships --
from 2011 through 2029 in a privately-funded bowling center on land being made available at 
Disney's Wide World of Sports complex in Osceola County, Fla.

According to Mickey News, a Disney Web site, the complex is envisioned as encompassing 160,000
square feet and housing "at least 100 lanes (it would be the country’s largest bowling center),
stadium-style seating, a restaurant and other facilities."

Mickey News reports that Osceola County will use tourist development taxes to make a promotional
payment of $1 million to USBC on the first day of the 2011 Open Championships. According to the 
Orlando Business Journal, another $1 million would be paid for each of the additional 12 contracted
tournaments, as long as the USBC events continued to meet the promised number of room nights.

Team USA Bowling Adds Pros

TEAM USA will send what is arguably the best group of players it has ever assembled to take on the world in international competition Aug. 20-31 in Thailand. The men's list: Professional Bowling Association (PBA) stars Walter Ray Williams Jr., Chris Barnes, Tommy Jones, Patrick Allen, and record setting PBA rookie Rhino Page, as well as veteran amateur standout Bill Hoffman.

ON the women's TEAM USA: former professionals Carolyn Dorin-Ballard, Wendy Macpherson, Liz Johnson, the PBA's first female exempt player and former Lady Pro Kelly Kulick, Women's US Open Champion and Clash of Champions Winner Lynda Barnes, and successful national and international amateur Diandra Asbaty have been selected to compete at the Pan American Bowling Confederation Women's Championships (formerly American Zone) in Santiago, Chile, on Oct. 18-26.

Lane #1's New Buzzsaw THS.

Lane #1 reports "the Buzzsaw THS glides through the front part of the lane (the heads) while maintaining a strong even arc off the dry boards." Potentially, this reaction eliminates over-under ball reaction off the dry boards, found on the Typical House Shot (THS). The teal BASF coverstock identifed as "SuperFlex solid Bleeder" is finished at 1200 grit and polished. The patented "Diamond" core exhibits a Radius of Gyration (RG) of 2.50 and RG Differential of .035.

Track Kinetic, Pearl Version

Mid summer expect the Track Inc. Kinetic Pearl. The asymmetrical "Shuttle" core will be covered by a Purple/Black "UMP Gen 2" reactive pearl veneer finished to 2000 Abralon then polished. The New Track pearl is recommended for medium to heavy conditions generating numbers: RG - 2.46, Differential - 0.044, and intermediate diff - 0.008 - 0.006. Worldwide Release Date July 15th, 2008.

TRACK to Launch Up-Rising

TRACK INC. to host Vegas-style launch party in the PALM’S FAMOUS KINGPIN SUITE. On July 1, Track will host the Up-Rising ball launch. 200 bowlers will gain exclusive access to the launch party and will demo balls in the hotel’s two-lane bowling suite. Free products, open bar, two after-hours parties and other incentives are also part of the unique evening.

The Track Up-Rising features the "Mega Tron" asymmetrical core wrapped in "HP Gen 2" Black solid reactive veneer finished at 4000 grit Abralon then polished. The numbers: RG: 2.48, Differential: 0.056, Intermediate Diff: 0.032 - 0.030. Recommended lane condition: heavy to medium.

Hammer's New Razyr

Hammer is entering the world of three piece reactive balls, competing with their own Columbia 300 brand Scouts. Three piece balls feature maximum length with moderate hook. The Razor accomplish its length with a high density pancake core, and is driller friendly and easy to layout. look for a new "Recoil" reactive cover (Purple/Red) . 15# RG 2.65 DIFF 0.020. Available in August 2008.

New in July From Columbia 300

Columbia 300’s Momentum Swing with a NEW "Ne2Maxx" reactive coverstock in solid Blue finished at 2000 with Abralon features the “Resurgence” Asymmetric core targeted at Medium to Heavy Oil conditions.

Columbia 300's Noize Specs: Utilizing the popular "Ti Boss" symmetric core used most recently in the Wrath series, with the Resurgence "New Era" Reactive cover in Red /Orange /Black, the 1000 Abralon finished surface is projected for medium to heavy oil lane conditions. Worldwide Release Dates July 15^th.

Imbalance and Influence On A Balls Reaction

Any imbalance will effect a ball (within the parameters of the many outside influences). The degree of the influence is the responsibility of the driller. If you throw hard, (and have a decent rev rate, a typical axis tilt and rotation) and the lane is drier, the maximum top weight in a drilled ball of 3 ounces, might cause the ball to skid a little further but to hook violently. The same ball with more surface, might hook early, burn up and roll out.

Same ball shiny, with ball speed, on more oil might skid for days.

Players, their unique skills (speed, rev rate, tilt, rotation), and the lanes current state of condition (oily, medium, light, dry) all come into play when choosing to maximize top weight, lessen or minimize top weight or seek bottom weight.

Often, I choose more top to benefit slower players or players seeking later ball reaction. Top influences the down lane reaction. But, again, more top might make a ball unplayable on a lane with more oil.

Layout and imbalances are tools to shape the down lane action of a ball.
Ball surface helps manage the front part of the lane (rougher for more oil or more ball speed, smoother/shiny for slower speed, less oil).