X-Holes can be used to increase or decrease track flare.

• Increasing track flare in an existing ball will tend to make the ball more aggressive, hook more, hook earlier and react stronger to the dry areas of the lane.
• Decreasing track flare
in an existing ball will tend to make the ball less aggressive, go longs, hook less and react smoother to the dry areas of the lane (less over reaction)

Brunswick is recommending a simplified one-hole size/ two-hole position technique that covers the vast majority of ball reaction changes that can be accomplished by drilling an X-hole.

• Use a 1" drill bit, 3" deep, to both increase or decrease track flare

Note: Larger and deeper X-holes result only in slightly greater increases or decreases in track flare. The one-hole size technique has the added advantage of avoiding problems with illegal static weights. As long as the ball was originally laid out with at least 3/4 oz of positive side weight and a small amount of finger/thumb weight, the 1" X 3" hole using either of Brunswick's recommended X-hole positions will keep you out of static weight trouble.

Brunswick recommends using a position 2 1/4" past the bowlers axis to increase flare, and using a position 2 1/4" back toward the pin to decrease flare. Using the line connecting the bowlers "axis" and the "pin" as reference line (see Diagram). The X-holes should be on or slightly below the reference line (holes on the line will sometimes drop the narrow point of the track and cause the track to flare over the finger holes).

Warning: Drilling a "flare increasing" hole can result in the track flaring over the X-hole. After checking the position of the bowlers last rack, make usre the "flare increasing hole" is at least 1 1/2" from the bowlers last track (see diagram). If necessary shorten the distance form axis in order to keep the "flare increasing hole" at least 1 1/2" from the bowlers last track.