What Is A Short Pin Layout & How Can It Help YOUR Game

Today we are talking about what a short pin layout is and how it can help your game as better option POTENTIALLY than urethane!
BowlersMart affiliate links below!
Order a !Q Tour Solid here: bit.ly/3ts5UNJ
Order everything else here: bit.ly/3sUTcHd
DH Lab Ball Spinners: bit.ly/BallSpinners
Venmo @LNAPOLES All donations go towards the new camera fund!
Link to my Patreon: / luisnapoles
Link to my Discord: / discord
Promo code NAPOLES10 at www.coolwick.com for 10% your entire order and free shipping!

[@Kawboy65]

Short pins have a lot of uses. They are great for people looking for control, but don't have the rev rate for urethane. They are receptive to hand position changes, and they blend over under house patterns really well too. I always have a big asym with a short pin layout in my bag.

[@sealance]

I just don't see the point of taking a big asym and doing that when you can just use something like a Rack Attack instead.

[@Kawboy65]

@@sealance Because it is not the same. A short pin layout doesn't just turn something like an Innovator Solid into a Rack Attack. The Asym gives a lot of flexibility to tune the reaction where something like a Rack Attack is a very limited application. Mo Pinel even advised against short pin layouts on symmetrical balls.

[@LuisNapoles]

Next one I wanna try is on an asym

[@FlameWolfKX]

I have a layout very similar to yours on an Infinite Physix. I have a “normal” layout on my first and it was very clean and whippy for later games, the short pin ball is my fresh ball for most nights then I ball down into the longer pin. Very interesting what layout (and surface) can do for the same ball!

[@LuisNapoles]

Very cool!

[@nordattack]

Lou, you perfectly replicated my experience with short pin reactive, they are super finicky and over/under, the total opposite of urethane. A ball that is designed to skid and read the lane later and more aggressively will never read the lane early and lay off in the back just because you put a short pin on it. If you want early read and control of the back so you can keep your shot in front of you, then just use urethane. Look forward to your short pin vs. urethane vid. Hopefully you compare to the IQ-78 as well as the Pitch Black.

[@LuisNapoles]

I’m gonna do a comparison to urethane!

[@bgoggin88]

Nice I love short pin layouts. Honestly they don't really replace urethane but do have really nice shape and reaction.

[@LuisNapoles]

I totally agree!

[@kevinspradlin6288]

I actually have a short pin layout on my pink widow urethane...great ball and easy to control under a number of conditions.

[@jonwirth3981]

I have a short pin OG Pride, I used it all three games on THS and ended up with a 659 series.

[@LuisNapoles]

That’s awesome!

[@pargoed]

Yea I have a short pin C300 Madness and it’s a beast. I bowl a second shift league and in houses with very strong backends and this is normally the first ball out of my bag. 90x2.25x40. MB is left of my thumb.

[@LuisNapoles]

I wanna bring mine to league!

[@machinethesun9243]

I have this layout on a Jackal Ghost and it worked great on Wolf, especially after urethane carry down. That said, I can't use the ball at all on a typical house pattern because it's super straight like a plastic ball with a solid cover. So it's a dedicated short pattern tournament ball.

[@LuisNapoles]

Oh nice!!!

[@eddieroeun4794]

Your videos are entertaining and helpful, thanks Luis.

[@LuisNapoles]

Glad you like them!

[@johnyarbrough9280]

Thank you for making this video about bowling balls this will help me out today

[@LuisNapoles]

I’m glad we could help!

[@adamabdelaziz4586]

I’m very intrigued Luis, so impressive

[@LuisNapoles]

Thanks!

[@dansbowling8879]

I have a short pin Helios. 90 x 2.25 x 45. Obviously don't get much use out of it with a THS but I am able to play way right when the lanes are dry (I'm a lefty) and strike consistently on THS. Haven't had a chance to try it on sport yet. I don't own a urethane so can't compare but I can say that in most cases the short pin leaves me alot of 7 pins but when it's right it's golden

[@LuisNapoles]

I can’t wait to try mine on a sport shot

[@user-us3pe8zc7r]

I bowl like Tom Smallwood with a high rev-rate and high track, but my ball always reads too early and hard. I've been thinking about going to a short-pin layout for some time now. It is great to see your video showing what this would do!

[@daviddeiss7907]

I have a short pin vintage vapor zone and the surface prep on that ball is 500 and slip agent, I'm slightly rev dominant with slow speed and where I bowl the lanes are medium dry and transition quickly but I gotta say this ball is the daddy on house shot for me.

[@LuisNapoles]

I’m sure that looks great!$

[@damarapoledna3636]

Drilled up a short pin Zen Soul and love it as I'm rev dominate

[@LuisNapoles]

Nice!! Rev dominant players will love short pin!

[@larrylacroix3944]

Never really knew what the difference was between short and a long pin. Very interesting

[@LuisNapoles]

Glad this could help!

[@PatrickLepageArmWars]

muchas gracias much love for the sport keep teaching layouts is pin up down all that I need to learn 'm a noob bowler =P

[@LuisNapoles]

Happy to help!

[@Brent-Tanabe]

I had this layout on several balls. I'm more of a down & in player so thought this may only enhance my game. Had it on a Idol Helios, Hot Cell Urethane, RST-X2 and the ball it was the absolute best on was my UFO Alert. Haven't done this layout recently but may consider it if I feel I may need the reaction again.

[@LuisNapoles]

This is great for down and in

[@markmatroni631]

I have 2 pin downs and about to do 1 in a Radical Hitter.

[@LuisNapoles]

This isn’t pin down though

[@danlorwil083175]

I have a low flare, short pin layout on my AstroPhysiX. My short pin layout is 90 × 1 1/4" × 45. Great on high friction environments! I can play straighter and stay further outside longer. Less hook but big hit at the pins! Great layout for stronger asymmetrical balls!

[@LuisNapoles]

I’ll have to try that!

[@muttsbutts]

Great video Luis! Since you are always looking at "shape", I think you meant Cubist not Cuban, but I digress. Thanks for making this video for me (well kinda), because I have been musing as to what type of layout, to use on this "recommended" ball.👍👊✌🖖

[@LuisNapoles]

😂😂😂😂 we’ll chat today!

[@Mulelicious]

What would be the best time to play that short pin ball? Fresh, dry, short pattern?

[@LuisNapoles]

Fresh and/or short

[@jamesnoon2102]

Glad I watched this. I agree short pin does read early and smooth but still not the same look and reaction as to urethane. It hooks out and burns up for me under too much friction. Not a fan of short pin but does have its place.

[@LuisNapoles]

agreed with everything you said. It def has its place

[@mikewrobel2881]

I'd love to see the short pin ball on a low volume house shot like Brunswick Crown Jewel pattern, like 41 ft 19 ml.

[@LuisNapoles]

Ohhhhhh yes!

[@travishanson166]

I use short pin when the middle is toast and im laying down urethane left of 25. I move outside of 5 and rocket down and in with less than 20 degrees of axis rotation. Instead of getting inside the ball and up the back, i get on the the outside of the ball until im at the bottom then come up the back. That way my hand cant get up the side or in front of the ball.

[@hersheljones9467]

Never had a short pin ball might try it though anyway u can compare uc3 and iq 78

[@mauricerogers4956]

I have a hammer dark web hybrid short pin but it barely hooks and doesn’t hit hard. So I have urethane ball and about to try the new Trucut gloss.

[@LuisNapoles]

I wanna try it also

[@knep24]

I think something you see in this video is how much faster reactive lane shines vs. urethane.

[@LuisNapoles]

Yes exactly!

[@johnyarbrough9280]

Wow very smooth and strong

[@LuisNapoles]

Yup!

[@briangillespie2977]

I have a Code X drilled with a 2 1/4 inch pin... I use it to combat the carry down after urethane... cleaner than urethane, but very similar motion to urethane, but the hitting power of reactive.... whats not to love about that!!

[@LuisNapoles]

Nice!!

[@user-gt1wr1vh3i]

First - Thanks for this video Luis. Urethane is difficult to replicate with reactive. I have used a pin down layout in the past with a strong reactive ball. I used it in a USBC sanctioned tournament a few years back and averaged 235 across 9 games for a win, which was cool.

[@LuisNapoles]

Any Time!!

[@scottythompson940]

Cool video talk tech bowling bowling Luis

[@LuisNapoles]

Thanks!!

[@scottythompson940]

@@LuisNapoles your welcome

[@traviskirk3834]

I got a right handed Brunswick quantum leap and 2 original forest green quantums and the layout is leverage pin with heavy spot towards grip center and the leap is 320 grit out of box and the og Forest green quantums one is 5500 grit trucut and other is 4000 trucut . I use the leap in league and when my spot the 10 board dries out I move left because if I move right it doesn't have enough to come back so when moving left doesn't work with a higher ball speed with a little loft I go to the old forest green quantum at 5500 grit polish and it works but all in one being speed dominant lefty low revs with the quantum leap at 320 grit out of box I am all for short pins 1/2-1 inch pins i love low flare but tons of hitting power.

[@LuisNapoles]

That’s awesome!

[@traviskirk3834]

@@LuisNapoles I already went through one 1 inch pin layout ball . My dad's 1 inch pin web tour solid and my pap is like 1/2 -1 inch away from the pin because the pin spins around a small spot . I threw it so much the whole bridge and above the bridge broke out.

[@bobnicolli4265]

Luis can you use a short pin layout on a pearl ball ?

[@AngealDark]

Short Pin is idea for no flares but so is 5 and 6 pin to pap is no flares as well

[@LuisNapoles]

Yup!

[@user-iu5ce4uz1c]

Have tour dynamo & new blue short pin for 12 mph speed

[@LuisNapoles]

Nice’

[@lonestarpatriot876]

Looks alot like how the first resin reactive balls like the Xcalibur were in the early 90's. At the time, they were considered extremely strong and high performance, but now they would be considered weak.

[@LuisNapoles]

I wanna get one of those!

[@lonestarpatriot876]

@LuisNapoles I have a Track Synergy Pearl that was released not long after the Xcalibur, and it was widely used on the PBA tour in the 90's. I still bowl with it from time to time. Track put that core in the Cypher, which was released this last April. It is essentially an updated Synergy.

[@andrewfoglestad3641]

I've been debating on doing a short pin but for some reason it freaks me out. i am a rev dom bowler and I want a very controlled ball to use on a sport shot and a house shot. I've been thinking about doing the scorpion low flare. I was thinking of like a 45x2x40 but as you stated that first number of a layout doesn't really matter, but would it make any difference if i did i did 90x2x40?

[@scottschmitz3988]

I am extremely rev dominant where i cant get above 12 mph on my throwing speed. Any other layout other than short pin means too much hook for me. Reactive balls hook too much for me no matter what i do with the layouts. I have even tried short pin on the weakest of reactive balls, and still reactive will hook Short pin on urethane is near perfect for me. Plastic/polyester, i probably have to have mine laid out somewhat stronger.

[@LuisNapoles]

I’d love to see that!

[@glemast]

Mikeys father , the late Mo Pinel , did a series on short pin , low flare layouts. On KZbin under #momunday or RadicalBowling. All info. from him is good. Might talk to Mikey for more info.

[@brianlevandowski3167]

Can you do a short pin on the new summit pearl

[@LuisNapoles]

If I can snag an extra one then y a

[@brianlevandowski3167]

@@LuisNapoles cool, I wondering how close the reaction will get to a ruby. But the cover is the big difference with the tx vs the rs2.

[@denmanfite3156]

I'm a huge fan of short pin I have two in my bag 1 asym and 1 sym for different lane conditions. My two best scores since switching to 2H have been with those short pin balls. I wouldn't call it "like" urethane, but I never wnaed wanted it to be that way. What's odd is my urethane ball hits the lane and hooks in the first 3ft at my local house it's anything BUT "controllable" in that context.

[@denmanfite3156]

Also I'd say the rough experience you had playing with that ball farther inside is exactly what short pin is going to do: not turn the corner like that. The ball is designed to get the core into a roll early and with a lot of energy but that's not going to be condusive to making a big turn like a longer pin with more imbalance would do. Cheers Luis, just glad to see more people talking about short pin.

[@LuisNapoles]

That’s good to hear!!

[@eleineke]

How would this compare to a pin down IQ?

[@LuisNapoles]

Pin down !Q will be longer and more pop down lane

[@GorgonOfZola]

As a low tilt high track player, I cannot reliably use pin down without doing the thumpty thump. Never tried a short pin layout. Would I experience the same issue considering the pin is below the fingers?

[@fuzzytattoo]

I am a high track low tilt as well. Maybe 6-9 degrees depending on hand position. Was 3 degrees before working with a coach on my release. Had a pin down Katana Dragon that would thump its way down the lane for maybe 8 boards of total hook if I was lucky. Wanted so bad to like it but just couldn’t use it. Finally drilled up an old Zing solid, and threw it last night at league with a 1 1/8 inch pin. Laid out with longer drill and val angles too. More like the molder Mo short pin layouts. Nice smooth motion, lil pop down lane, and no thump unless I grabbed it hard. So maybe twice, and that’s on me. But, I could come up the back for smoother or around it a little when I needed to move in a bit. Will need to practice a bit more to get used to it, but I loved it. Straightest line I’ve played in league in years, and rolled over average, so I’m happy. Def will be first ball out of the bag for a while to come. Think I might try a 70x2x40 sometime as well to see what that might look like on another “big” ball.

[@TessNMM]

I don't think there is a situation where you need urethane, yes it may be better, but it isn't needed. You can use reactive, is it going to be your best look or what you prefer, maybe not. Considering new rules, short pins and surface adjustment may be the way to go moving forward. It is a perfectly acceptable replacement. Is a pen a replacement for a pencil, yes it is, will it function identically to a pencil, no, but in the end you can accomplish the same things with a pen that you would with a pencil.

[@LuisNapoles]

I would disagree with that. Sometimes you just NEED urethane shape

[@TessNMM]

There are reactive balls and layouts that can accomplish similar results. You NEED air and water to live. You don't NEED clean air and clean water. Humor me, give an example where you NEED urethane, not one where you would like urethane or has traditionally been used.

[@theb2694]

​@@TessNMMCoverstock is 80% of ball motion. Reactive balls with short pins don't control the front half of the lane nearly as well as urethane. Reactives with short pin layouts use up energy more abruptly when they do transition. There is a reason that the pros prefer urethane over short pin; they have an eye for ball reaction.

[@AngealDark]

Problem with 1in Pin to PAP is if there PAP is wrong. I rather see 5 7/8 to 6 3/8. Pin to PAP. If the PAP is off. Or if they change hand position you might create 2 5/8 pin to pap

[@LuisNapoles]

Agreed! Mine is def right though

[@user-gt1wr1vh3i]

Luis, if you make a short from this video, I suggest using Janet Jackson's song "Control" - Catch you tonight on the league livestream sir!

[@LuisNapoles]

I like that idea! Haha

[@mattstoremangolf4]

Is this basically the purpose of the Tour Dynamx?

[@LuisNapoles]

Not at all

[@mattstoremangolf4]

Chris Barnes said it could be a Urethane killer because of how controllable the motion is. @@LuisNapoles

[@arthurguzman780]

What about the RICO drill?

[@LuisNapoles]

The problem with rico is that it isn’t really a layout. Pin in palm with cg kicked 45 degrees will be different layout numbers for everyone

[@arthurguzman780]

I did it with my revenant and it smoothed it out. I saw a video by Michael Tang where he drilled the Cosmos and Revenant both the Rico drill. @@LuisNapoles

[@2handlife200]

Can you throw a in a tru cut gloss ball in with the urethane vs short pin comparison?

[@LuisNapoles]

I will do!

[@larrylacroix3944]

Is there league tonight

[@LuisNapoles]

Yes sir!

[@memorosales7135]

always

[@LuisNapoles]

Huh?

[@markmatroni631]

No but it’s below fingers kicked out. Close to same look/reaction.

[@johnyarbrough9280]

I prefer pin up on all my bowling balls

[@LuisNapoles]

That’s cool !

[@34e321]

Next time put some white tape on your axis so we can see the migration. Also show the flare for us tech junkies

[@Kawboy65]

Radical's drill sheets show the axis migration with their layouts. You can find them on their website. I have tested them with tape and found them to be accurate.

[@34e321]

I just want to see the ball roll it's hard when he's using a solid color ball.

[@LuisNapoles]

I’ll work on that!!

[@440bowler]

Why is this patch pirate still making videos on house shot

[@glemast]

Oooops, should have listened to video first.

[@LuisNapoles]

What do you mean?

[@dswede9312]

500 grit in league? UGH

[@LuisNapoles]

You’d be surprised

[@dswede9312]

I would be surprised if your teammates did not kick you off the team. For destroying the lanes. Come on Lou , you know better.@@LuisNapoles

[@petervoyt24]

Big deal. We would drill balls like this 40 years ago LOL. Nothing new. You just now figuring this out ?