How to Figure Out PAP for Bowling Balls

Finding your Positive Axis Point or PAP can be a little difficult. If you are doing this for the first time, ask a pro shop technician to help to make sure you are doing it correctly. Once you've done it right once, you shouldn't have any problems doing it again.

Things You'll Need

  • Pro Sect Scale
  • Grease or Wax Pencil
  • Armadillo
  • Span Gauge
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Instructions

  1. Finding your PAP

    • 1

      First, start by finding a clear oil line on your ball called the flare. Track a grease pencil on the line nearest to the finger holes. Place the Armadillo over the ball and line up the Armadillo over your grease line you just drew. At the end of the Armadillo, place an "X". If you are right handed the "X" will be right of the fingers, and vice versa if you are left handed. This will actually be your PAP.

    • 2

      Next, take your Pro Sect Scale and place it over your grip. You will want to draw a line from in between your fingers down to your thumb hole. Take your span gauge when finished and find the middle of your span. Once you have the middle of your span, draw a perpendicular line from the that point, this is called the midline, over to the area where you placed the "X".

    • 3

      From your midline that your drew, measure the distance from your PAP to that line. This is known as the Vertical Axis. Your VA can be positive, negative, or for some 0.

    • 4

      Another way to tell if you did this right, is to tilt the ball on its side, so you can no longer see the original line you drew on the track. Look directly down and spin the ball. Then place a pencil on the very top of the ball. If your pencil does not move while spinning the ball, that point is also your PAP.