This is the promised later post. 🙂
A PAP measurement is described as a distance right or left of the center of the grip (depending on the hand bowled with) and a distance up or down from that line (resulting in the Vertical Axis Line, or VAL). As Jon determined from looking at the flare lines and measuring the ball, my PAP is 3 3/8″ right (since I’m right-handed), 1/2″ up. There is also a 2 11/16″ leverage point. I’m told this gives me a spinner type of track similar to that of PBA professional Ryan Shafer.
Drillings nowadays are often described using dual-angle notation, which is given as the angle of the intersection of the pin-to-CG (Center of Gravity) line and the pin-to-PAP line, by the pin-to-PAP line distance, by the pin-to-PAP/VAL angle. On my ball, it’s a 50° x 2 1/2″ x 23° drilling. What do the numbers mean as far as ball reaction goes? The 50° drilling is often given to those whose PAP is not known. The 2 1/2″ pin-to-PAP means I get a good amount of track flare (the width of the consecutive oil bands on the ball…a wider track flare means more fresh ball surface makes contact with the lane with each revolution), and the 23° means a snappy back-end reaction.
Now that my PAP is known, it means future balls can be drilled to have a different reaction, as the driller can lay out the ball keeping the information on the ball’s drill sheet and my PAP in mind. 😀
The Tenth Board 