BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: Jesse James on July 10, 2022, 01:11:43 PM
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In general, high performance balls are a total waste of money! They are mostly just marketing gimmicks for sales. In 90% of the bowling alleys across the nation, you never see the heavy amount of oil needed for these monsters to even exist!
You can make an entire effective arsenal using low differential or even entry level balls by just varying your layouts and changing the covers on them.
How many times do they post the list of balls the pros are supposedly throwing on TV, yet they are always using an intermediate ball or a ball lower than the one in the middle of their arsenal?
Every time I travel across country to bowl in various tournaments the shot is light oil or drier, or driest!
HP balls are a waste!
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It all depends on where you are/where you go and what you bowl
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Everyone's experience is different. Our house uses a 41ft medium-heavy house shot. Entry level balls tend to not have enough to get back to the pocket.
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For most bowlers on most day to day bowling bigger equipment is over kill. Has been since the early 2000s and isn't charging.
It's up to the bowler to not buy into the marketing and instead focus on need vs want.
Most need to buy a plastic spare ball but most want to buy strikes in a box.
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For those of us who only get 225 revs at 17mph... I strongly disagree, lol. I don't ever go anywhere without my Crux Prime, and I 'ball down' to an Altered Reality which is pretty damn strong itself. Our house pattern is just 41ft Kegal Main Street as fast as I'm told. When I bowl at a different house, I need even stronger equipment to get the ball through all 3 phases reliably.
The only issue with these tanks is that casual bowlers don't always understand what "strength" means, or when the actually need strength vs shape. Pros don't use these, because they have 500 revs, I'm not sure it fully computes for us filthy casuals. I think your point is well understood, in that too many people are probably incorrectly using "hook in a box" but they are absolutely imperative for some of us.
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So then what do you say to those that are pretty speed dominate? Even if you take a Hustle, Beast, Rhino, Electrify, or something else similar down to 500 or 1000 they still will get minimal ball reaction because the ball needs time to react and even if it hits the headpin; its like throwing a 12 pound ball straight down the middle. There is a necessity for asyms on house shots for a handful of bowlers even if the masses can get away with something like a GB4 or something similar.
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For those of us who only get 225 revs at 17mph... I strongly disagree, lol. I don't ever go anywhere without my Crux Prime, and I 'ball down' to an Altered Reality which is pretty damn strong itself. Our house pattern is just 41ft Kegal Main Street as fast as I'm told. When I bowl at a different house, I need even stronger equipment to get the ball through all 3 phases reliably.
The only issue with these tanks is that casual bowlers don't always understand what "strength" means, or when the actually need strength vs shape. Pros don't use these, because they have 500 revs, I'm not sure it fully computes for us filthy casuals. I think your point is well understood, in that too many people are probably incorrectly using "hook in a box" but they are absolutely imperative for some of us.
Thanks Adrenaline, Twohands834 and others for the informed responses. It was a slow day and I thought I'd shake it up a bit. Only saw like 6 or 7 new ball reviews by staffers and those get redundant and boring. I knew exactly what I was posting and that it would get some responses for sure. Of course there's always that one guy you just can't have a regular conversation with. (sigh)
Speed dominant bowlers definitely need bigger balls to compensate correctly. My old teammate who was 6'-3" and 275 was the perfect example of that. He regularly "broke" the cameras in the alley because he piped the ball over 22mph. It would make them shut down and they'd have to be reset. He threw a HP ball, drilled strong with surface!! Dude was a monster!
Thanks for the responses! LOL
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For most bowlers on most day to day bowling bigger equipment is over kill. Has been since the early 2000s and isn't charging.
It's up to the bowler to not buy into the marketing and instead focus on need vs want.
Most need to buy a plastic spare ball but most want to buy strikes in a box.
^^ Spot on here; This has been my way for, so many years!!!!
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Jesse James is on point; But as a few of you mentioned, their will always be ' exceptions to the rule’. Having for so many years myself being uneducated, and overwhelming, throwing the newest ‘Hook Monster’ , I quickly realized, that I need a balance of pieces to play the lanes properly.
But with the understanding of the pieces you have, on top of, understanding how to play the lanes and your physical game, it’s easier to adapt accordingly. Too many snow tires on the market for 88/90% unfortunately, imo.
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I'm also a speed-dominant, low-rev player, and have been for over 55 years.
For most conditions, the stronger the ball, the better (this includes most house conditions too). They give me an extra several feet of lane.
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In general, high performance balls are a total waste of money! They are mostly just marketing gimmicks for sales. In 90% of the bowling alleys across the nation, you never see the heavy amount of oil needed for these monsters to even exist!
You can make an entire effective arsenal using low differential or even entry level balls by just varying your layouts and changing the covers on them.
How many times do they post the list of balls the pros are supposedly throwing on TV, yet they are always using an intermediate ball or a ball lower than the one in the middle of their arsenal?
Every time I travel across country to bowl in various tournaments the shot is light oil or drier, or driest!
HP balls are a waste!
This is anecdotal, you live in Maryland and bowl on dirt. Trust the rest of country is much more evolved.
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I'm also a speed-dominant, low-rev player, and have been for over 55 years.
For most conditions, the stronger the ball, the better (this includes most house conditions too). They give me an extra several feet of lane.
+1. For a long time, I was pretty matched with speed and rev rate. Since having a wrist injury a few years ago, I lost some rev rate and am now more speed dominant. Having stronger equipment helps compensate and still lets me play within my comfort zone. HP balls are definitely not a waste in these scenarios.