Over the summer time I bought all hammer equipment (blue vibe, grind, jigsaw corner) because someone gave me a blue vibe @ 4000 abralon (no polish) and I was impressed at how much it hooked for a low price point ball.

The problem is that I cant seem to keep the balls from hooking. Im a tweener at best when it comes to my style yet I start most nights between standing 35 - 40!

keep in mind that this house is known for a decently oily shot and while the outside and backends really fly there still is a very good amount of volume. I suspect it is relatively short as playing or swinging to the outside really helps. (throw the ball inside and its guaranteed to hook big time once it exits the pattern.

I''''''''m starting to think maybe its my equipment. I have been throwing the hardcore hammer grind lately, it was great the first week shooting almost 700 and then it started to hook more as it soaked up oil just like all the balls that have the widow cover on them. now i havent shot over 600 in at least 5 weeks. (also thats due to being not the greatest bowler lol)

my friend subs at the same house and complains about the same thing... he throws his rapid fire solid and it hooks in nice and smooth and says 16 mph (read downlane). he then picked up his midnight vibe and I thought he was going to throw his arm out whipping it really hard down lane and it came up 15mph..... meaning to me that the ball is generating friction and slowing down even though he threw it harder.

this is also what I am seeing only one shot of mine is 16.5mph, the next 14! I have resorted to breaking my wrist back and throwing about 35-40 degrees of rotation on the ball with a static wrist position because anything else and I have to ventur further left then 40 by just the 2nd game..... this includes using my blue vibe @ 4000 polished up with eb. FF., albeit the vibe does hook much later but it hooks a lot thru the heads.

maybe for my style these balls just start up too quickly?

also when I changed to all hammer equipment I changed the way I hold the ball by making the thumb bigger and the finger grips as well. so I wonder if the grip pressure I have to use is causing the early hook... I do try to let go the finger grips during release.

my stats off the top of my head:

15.5-16.5 ball speed
around 280-320 revs
can play from 30 - 70 degrees of rotation
NOT much tilt, so I tend to not have a problem hooking the ball.
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Hammer has set the trap Hammerheads.

"Get them kiiids of the STREET!" -)

Edited on 11/4/2010 8:33 AM

Edited on 11/4/2010 8:39 AM

Edited on 11/4/2010 8:40 AM