USBC BOWLING BALL MOTION STUDY CONCLUDES
Two-year research project leads to new specification on bowling ball surface roughness
GREENDALE, Wis. - The United States Bowling Congress and bowling ball manufacturing company representatives have worked together during the past two years on a comprehensive study of bowling ball motion. Now complete, the cooperative research project's goal was to determine which characteristics have greater effects on the motion of modern, high-tech bowling balls as they roll down a lane.
One of the technical study's main findings is that the major factor in how a bowling ball reacts on a lane is the chemistry of its cover material. Modern bowling balls can be constructed with extremely aggressive, porous chemical materials in the cover, giving the balls potential to easily gain traction and hook hard and sharp into the pins despite heavy amounts of oil on the lane surface. Left unregulated, modern bowling balls could have a disproportionate impact on scoring relative to player skill in the sport of bowling.
With that finding in mind, USBC has created a new manufacturing specification dealing with the porosity and chemistry of bowling ball surfaces. Recently approved and set to be implemented in April 2009, this initial specification sets precise limits for the first time on the gaps between microscopic indentations on the outer surface, or cover stock, of bowling balls. The distance between the tiny gaps has a significant impact on how aggressively a bowling ball can hook on a lane. This component was determined to be the No. 1 factor that affects bowling ball motion.
Currently, the only specification USBC has developed for bowling ball surface measures hardness. The new specification is based on the chemistry of the materials in bowling ball cover stocks and measures how lane oil is absorbed into a ball's surface.
"For the first time in the sport of bowling, USBC has created a method capable of measuring differences of bowling ball cover stock chemistry by means of porosity and surface roughness," said USBC Vice President - National Governing Body Neil Stremmel. "With this specification and others set in the recent past, USBC is taking a step toward the re-balancing of player skill and success in the sport of bowling."
Bowling balls submitted to USBC for approval after April 2009 must meet the new specification to be permitted in USBC competition.
See the full report on bowl.com for definitions of the 18 variables and further details.
Two-year research project leads to new specification on bowling ball surface roughness
GREENDALE, Wis. - The United States Bowling Congress and bowling ball manufacturing company representatives have worked together during the past two years on a comprehensive study of bowling ball motion. Now complete, the cooperative research project's goal was to determine which characteristics have greater effects on the motion of modern, high-tech bowling balls as they roll down a lane.
One of the technical study's main findings is that the major factor in how a bowling ball reacts on a lane is the chemistry of its cover material. Modern bowling balls can be constructed with extremely aggressive, porous chemical materials in the cover, giving the balls potential to easily gain traction and hook hard and sharp into the pins despite heavy amounts of oil on the lane surface. Left unregulated, modern bowling balls could have a disproportionate impact on scoring relative to player skill in the sport of bowling.
With that finding in mind, USBC has created a new manufacturing specification dealing with the porosity and chemistry of bowling ball surfaces. Recently approved and set to be implemented in April 2009, this initial specification sets precise limits for the first time on the gaps between microscopic indentations on the outer surface, or cover stock, of bowling balls. The distance between the tiny gaps has a significant impact on how aggressively a bowling ball can hook on a lane. This component was determined to be the No. 1 factor that affects bowling ball motion.
Currently, the only specification USBC has developed for bowling ball surface measures hardness. The new specification is based on the chemistry of the materials in bowling ball cover stocks and measures how lane oil is absorbed into a ball's surface.
"For the first time in the sport of bowling, USBC has created a method capable of measuring differences of bowling ball cover stock chemistry by means of porosity and surface roughness," said USBC Vice President - National Governing Body Neil Stremmel. "With this specification and others set in the recent past, USBC is taking a step toward the re-balancing of player skill and success in the sport of bowling."
Bowling balls submitted to USBC for approval after April 2009 must meet the new specification to be permitted in USBC competition.
See the full report on bowl.com for definitions of the 18 variables and further details.
