you could just go here: http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?TopicID=69216&ForumID=80&CategoryID=5 and reset your preferences(thanks mi 2 az) and read the origonal post( http://www.ballreviews.com/Forum/Replies.asp?CategoryID=5&ForumID=16&TopicID=20852&PageNum=1 ) or if that doesnt work read this post

(MINUS THE TTTs)

--Bjaardker:Time and time again I see people talking about how their medium aggressive resin ball is "out hooking" their higher load particles & how much particle balls suck.

How many times have you bowled somewhere & overheard how their high load particle isn't hooking as much as their resin on these lanes. That must mean that the particle is a piece of junk since it hits so poorly & wont move at all.

After seeing this repeated so many times both here & on the lanes my only conclusion is this: 75% of the people who are buying new bowling balls have NO CLUE what that ball is supposed to do & when it doesn't cover 30 boards for them it's a "crap ball".

First, who's to blame on this one? the consumer for not learning what equipment they own? The ball companies for not making info readily available, or not clearly explaining what the technology does? The pro-shop for selling a ball to the consumer without explaining it?

Second, lets dissmiss this myth that just because it doesn't move as many boards it isn't "hooking" as much. Particle & reactive resin balls are 2 COMPLETELY different beasts. To try & compare how much one hooks versus the other is like trying to compare how a person hits a ball with a 1 wood VS. a 5 iron. On a clean walled shot, a particle ball will almost never move more than a resin. The reason for this is 2 fold: 1) The particle is beginning its hook as soon as it hits the lane. Even though it looks like it's skidding, all of those little particles are grabbing the lane & creating friction trying to get the ball into its roll. Thus reducing the skid of the ball & ultimately the number of boards for it to recover in the back end. 2) Unless there is a lot of oil to keep too many of the particles from grabbing, the ball will "Burn up". There will simply be too much friction between the lane & the ball & you will ot only get even fewer boards covered, but the ball will hit the pins like a purse. The higher load of particles = more friction. That means you will need even more oil & you can expect FEWER boards covered due to the ball trying to get in its roll even earlier. However in "hooking power" the particle is stronger because it is starting it's hook as soon as it hits the lane, while the resin is merely skidding waiting to find a dry board to move on. Bottom line, Particles will generally have more hooking power, but cover less boards than a resin.

Generally I've found that the people who are most disappointed when they buy a particle ball are the ones who've grown up in the sport of bowling with resin equipment. They've come to expect the booming backends & have learned to play the game accordingly. When they get the particle, they haven't ever used a ball like that reacts similar to it & call them crap. This is partly because they don't know how to adjust them into their game, and also partly because the ball companies keep saying these are "hook monsters" but they dont see the balls covering more boards. "Older" bowlers who used or grew up with urethane/poly/rubber balls have generally welcomed these particle balls. They are familiar with the arcing hook, and many strokers can consistantly arc the ball nicely in the oil with them.

So I'll try to sum this up. I feel that pro-shops & manufacturers really need to do a better job of getting info out there about what a particle ball is & what it will do when it hits the lane. And remember, just because it isn't booming across 20 boards to the pocket doesn't mean it's not working right, or it's not hooking as hard.

I look forward to what you all have to say on the subject.

--JOE FALCO:BJAARDKER .. I have one comment .. YOU ARE GOOD!

--Bjaardker:

quote:

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I feel as thought it is the consumer's fault. I think it is their responsibility to make a wise decision and learn more about the game. It's evident that they don't understand equipment and what it will do.

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I do agree that the consumer really doesn't know why the latest Dynoultra-uberhook(TM) ball isn't necessarily the right ball for them. However I've seen very little info available to the consumer about how high loads "burn up" and how more boards covered doesn't translate directly to more hook. Maybe if we saw more of "the basics of hook & ball roll" on manufacturer's sites, then people would see that a lesser hooking ball might actually work better for them.

--The Dragon:BJ,

Nice post.
Here's the thing, the ball manufacturers refer to heavy, medium-heavy, medium etc.etc., for the ball selections. Problem is, bowlers who are not knowledgable and don't bowl in other houses, think their house has heavy oil, when in fact it is really medium oil. Therefore, particle balls burn up, hit weak, and "the ball sucks" comments come out.

--Bob Hanson:There are really 2 types of bowler buying the high end equipment. One type is relatively knowledgeable and reads through the promotional hype looking for relevant specs like rg, differential, amount of load, etc. The other type jut wants something that will score, and they have been tought that hook monster means big hitter. Most of them bowl on a wall as stated, and use the hook monsters to get inside the oil line and create some hit when they pull the ball.

A bit of an oversimplification, but generally correct.

quote:

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People don't quit bowling because they score too high, they quit because their opponent scores too high.

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--9andawiggle:I've know for years it's not me or the ball, but the stupid lanes! I tell ya, the lane man is out to get me!

Seriously, though, you have brought up some good points. From what I see, the average Joe Bowler does not know enough about the equipment he uses. I consider myself somewhat informed, but am by no means an expert. That's why I talk to my pro-shop guy and discuss what I currently have, and what I'd like to have. Then I listen to what he thinks would fit my game for what I want it to do. After that, I bring up any product I have thought about, and how different drills would affect whichever ball(s) I narrow the choice down to. I think any decent bowler would do the same. Therefore, I feel it is 90% the bowlers responsibility - if they do not care enough to ask for more info and buy solely based on what the manufacturers marketing dept. put out for the advertisement, then it's all on them.

As for the pro shop guys, some are better than others. Some care about their bowlers and some care about the bowlers money. I suspect the good ones are already informing their clients, and the bad ones, well who knows.

Now for the manufacturers. If you were the manufacturer, would you have your marketing dept print what people want to hear and sell more product, or give them honest information that may send their $$ elsewhere?

--Leftyhi-traklease do not educate, as most are clueless and choose to be. Many of the statements are very true but please do not educate as it takes away a good used ball business. LOL I have idiots who look to trade high-end stuff alot. Then they ask a recommendation for the house they bowl at and usually its a mid-priced ball of the polished resin variety. The one that baffles me is the number of tourney shooters who although they cash, don't understand surface friction better, they would probably win a lot more. I have two teammates who did this for a long time. I'm just now getting them to own a particle,dull reactive,shiny reactive and another of their choice. Both throw very hard so corners and one pins can be covered by dead strike balls. Don't get frustrated with these people just bask in the idea of taking their money when multiple shots are put out at a tourney and they are ill equipped.

--Bjaardker:

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This topic is very informative, thank you.

I have a question...
I understand that a light load particle ball has less "particles". Does that mean that it's going to skid more then a heavy load particle?
I read that the freak is a light load particle ball. Is this true and if so is that why it has more of a backend reaction?

Thanks for the input I'm still learning the game.

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You're pretty much dead on. Fewer particles = less friction. That means it will skid more before it begins to grab.

I wouldn't consider the Freak to be a light load really. I see it as more of a medium load. It used to be a high load before the latest round of super oil balls. I think the big swing many people get from the Freak is more of the power of the awesome core in that ball. The Freak Out on the other hand it a lighter load & also a pearl shell, so it will skid much more than the Freak.

Edited on 1/29/2003 11:50 AM

--10 in the pit:Bjaardker, I must say that you nailed the post on the head! I don't ever recall anyone putting out a post like this one, and I must say that I fully agree with your summations. Comparing reactive resin balls to particle balls is comparing apples to oranges.....they are about the same size, are both edible, but they taste completely different.

Having grown up preferring the urethane balls, I found myself hard pressed to endure the reactive resin era.....I had to switch to reactives to keep from giving away sticks, but I never liked the way that the reactive balls moved on the lanes. For me, reactives were too subject to underreaction. When I bought my first Chaos ball, it didn't take me but a game or so and I realized that I had come across something good. The particle balls gave me the reaction dependability of the urethanes, but with the hitting power of reactives.

I also agree that a particle ball is not necessarily a good choice for a cranker. I've seen so many crankers try to shoehorn a particle ball into their equipment lineup, but they never find a way to make the particle ball work well for them.

Particle balls aren't for everybody, but neither are reactives.

--10 in the pit:Yep, I still recall the uproar when the reactive resin balls first hit the market. The Tour bowlers who were killing the lanes with urethane balls suddenly fell by the wayside, as these urethane bowlers just didn't seem to match up well with the reactives. I can think of several on the PBA and PWBA that went into a major slump for several years when they tried to convert over to reactives.....for example, Aleta Sill and Lisa Wagner both found the transition extremely difficult, where they had just recently been on top of the world with urethane balls. However, those who successfully made the transition to reactive resin balls suddenly had a full 10 pin advantage over the urethane players, so the urethane players were forced to attempt the switch (even if it didn't work well).

Today, the advent of the particle balls plays into the hands of the urethane style lovers. With particle balls, you get the line of urethane, with the pin crushing power of reactives. I don't see particle balls going away any time soon. The particle balls have somewhat leveled the playing field back out again.

--PolishHammer:

quote:

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Today, the advent of the particle balls plays into the hands of the urethane style lovers. With particle balls, you get the line of urethane, with the pin crushing power of reactives. I don't see particle balls going away any time soon. The particle balls have somewhat leveled the playing field back out again.

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You nailed it for me. I loved urethane and hated the new resin. Sure I improved 10 pins or so but everyone else went twenty. The light load particles in particular have been great for me on the fresh oil. More control and still the carry. Everyone keeps asking why my ball doesn't have that big skid/flip reaction anymore, as they hook, skid, hook, skid...and I pummell the pocket

--Bjaardker:I wanted to thank everyone for their input & kind words about my post. I was just trying to put into words something that has been in the back of my mind for some time now. It's good to see that I'm not alone in my thoughts on the subject.

Here's something that I want to bring up along these lines.

On the whole it's rare to see much particle equipment on "the show". Also, since the particle stuff came out I thought we would have seen more of the old school urethane players make a bit of a resurgence. From what I've seen this hasn't happened. I wish I could offer up some theories on this one, but I really dont have any idea why that may be so.

On another note, this is my first year back to bowling after a 9 year hiatus. When I left the game resins were almost never seen on the alleys around here. Coming back to the game I've had a lot to learn, but to me it seems that these concepts are not really tough when you take a little bit of time to learn them.

Now days, it seems everyone is spending hundreds of dollars on equipment & not even realizing what it's made to do. I find it humorous when I have MUCH higher average bowlers in my league coming to me to ask if they should be looking at a ball change, and if so what should they be looking at. It blows my mind to have a person there with a 4 ball bag, and no clue what he should be using. Then sometimes a ball change isn't even needed, & it's just a matter of moving a few boards. I'm enjoy helping people like that, and it's usually well recieved. I just make sure to only give advice when asked for it. Then again, I've always been a better coach than a performer.  But that's a completely different topic.

--Bob Hanson:10 in the Pit:

Your analysis on what happened to tour players when resin came out is accurate. Let me just add something however. When urethane hit the market 10 years earlier the same thing happened in reverse. The heavy handed guys who were starting to dominate already really took off with urethane, while the old strokers who had been hanging on by a thread with yellow dots all went by the wayside.

The 10 pin per game advantage you mention may be a little on the high side, but whatever amount it was, it really only restored what the strokers and straighter players had lost when urethane replaced plastic as the ball of choice.

--Scratch:Great topic BJ!

I just want to remind you not to forget about all the uneducated bowlers who go out and buy particle balls and they do enjoy the reaction they get. But they have no idea that because particle balls are more pores and have more surface area, THEY ABSORB MORE OIL then reactive resin balls, thus they need to be cleaned MORE requently and with different(better) cleaners. These are the the same bowlers who claim particle balls are "crap balls", because they "die" after 30-50 games. When the reallity is they dont know how to take care of their equipment.

I just thought I'd mention that because I think ball maintenance is a very underrated part of bowling. I know bowlers who never clean their ball, and some who clean them every few months....and these are league bowlers I'm talking about. I bet more then half the bowlers at your local alley dont even know that bowling balls absorb oil. What do you think?

--10 in the pit:Yep Bob, I see your point about the invention of the urethane ball. And, I would also think that a similar event took place when the first plastic balls came on the scene during the old rubber ball days.

As for less people running particle balls down, maybe the individuals who don't really "need" particle balls are finally figuring out that they are designed for a specific niche of the ball market (urethane lovers). At first, all of the crankers thought that the particle ball was something that they would want to use, but they soon found themselves running to the Lustre Kleen machine just to be able to keep 'em on the lane. There was a learning curve in the first couple of years of the particle balls....maybe now, Pro Shop operators are doing a better job of helping specific bowlers make purchase decisions. Earlier, everybody just wanted to try out the latest technology, even if it wasn't intended for their specific game. Maybe this is the reason for the drop in bowlers opposing particle balls....they just don't work for everyone.

--Siniak:I'm new to all this ball tech stuff, so I've been reading this with great interest.
One thing I'm wondering though is, what signs can I expect if my particle ball is burning up to quickly? Pocket hits that just don't seem to "work" or balls that don't reach the pocket?
I've recently purchased a diesel particle and I really like the extra hook and pin reaction that I get from it. I'm just wondering if a ball with less friction would increase carry even more.

--Bjaardker:It's kind of difficult to describe exactly when a ball is burning up or "rolling out". Usually the way I can tell is 2 fold. First, the ball is not finishing. This means that instead of continuing the nice even arc all the way into the pocket, it stops hooking goes straight at the pins. Usually hitting very light in the pocket, or missing the pocket light all together. Second, if the ball does finally make it back to the pocket through some line adjustments it doesn't carry at all. You'll find yourself leaving lots of 10's & pocket hit splits.

I always have trouble taking my own advice.  2 tuesdays ago after I left a SOLID pocket hit with a 7-10, I decided a ball change was in order. Strung 5 in a row after that. I realized I was burning up for at least 3 frames before that. But that's me, always able to help others with their game but blind to my own.

--Siniak:Hmm thx for the explanation. Actually that might explain what I was experiencing today. Most hits that looked like pocket hits left me a lot of 4's and 4-9's. I figured it was just a matter of adjustment, but that didn't really seem to cure the problem (Ended up throwing a near straight shot with my old timberwolf pearl, for 220 something compared to 150).

So if my analysis is correct  I would be better of throwing a resin ball for the same hook and better carry?

--Bjaardker:On that condition, quite possibly. You might have tried moving your shot to the middle of the lane & tried playing the oil with the particle, but even that's not a guarantee that it wouldn't burn up. However on a heavier oil pattern your particle will be a better choice if you're looking for a smooth arc to the pocket.

--Siniak:Yeah I usually end up playing around the third or fourth arrow the last couple of games (2 out of 4) during our "league" sessions (Also my preferred shot). Since I'm going to the proshop soon to have my older balls refitted, I'll remember to ask what if the owner has any good ideas for ball selection. I'd rather have a ball I know will carry good then hope my particle doesn't burn out on me.

One thing, would high amounts of axis tilt and rotation, thus making the track smaller and increasing skid (I think), help remedy some of the burnout? I'm asking because before I got my finger span refitted I would usually have a high axis tilt (and occasionally top the ball). The proshop guy was aware of the this but couldn't know I would stop this when I got the new ball

Right, end rant  

--Bjaardker:Not really, Although the ball track is smaller, the ball is rotating more so the amount of friction will be just as great. The one thing about a lower track is that the ball might not flare quite as much & that would save a bit (albeit a small bit) of energy for the pins.

--Siniak:Okay, thx for clearing that up for me. I guess I'll save for a new ball and see if I can find a good medium oil ball with the same amount of hook and a similar style

--Bjaardker:
A couple of other options to try & save you from spending more money:

1) You could try polishing the ball. This will reduce friction a bit & help to delay the roll.

2) I the ball is rolling really early you could go back to your proshop & have them try redrilling for a later roll & less flare.

Always go with option 1 first though because redrilling costs more & it's a lot tougher to go back if you dont like the results .

--Siniak:
I guess it would be best to see how it rolls in the other houses I play in before making a final descision. If polishing the ball can solve the problem then that would surely be the easiest choice .

All the other houses I play in are usually lighter oiled then my "home" house, so I'm wondering if it would be enough to polish it up to cover these houses as well. We usually only visit the houses once (maybe twice) a year so I haven't had the chance to try out my diesel on the conditions yet.

--10 in the pit:VortexII, I agree that this post is one that shouldn't be lost in the shuffle. It needs some publicity, and it might provide the critical information that bowlers need before dropping some major dollars into a particle ball. The main thing is that the bowler needs to realize whether a particle ball will match up with their game before jumping in on one. I love the particle balls (that's about all I use any more), but I merely grudgingly endured the reactive resin era (before particles).

Basically, if you like plastic, you will probably like reactives. If you like urethane, then the particle balls is your next step up option of choice

--Siniak:10 in the pit, what is it about the different types that makes you group some of them together? Do the have similar hook potential, similar hook style or something else I'm not seeing?

--Bob Hanson:Resin has a lot more hook potential than plastic, but the type of release that worked well for plastic works well with resin. Basically resin and plastic work well for the old type of stroker who hits up a little on the ball rather than use a wristy release to rev it at the bottom of the swing. Particle equipment is a little too strong for lots of power players, but the reaction is more arcy like urethane instead of hook snappy like resin so the bowlers with the so called urethane release like particles just as they like urethane.

AS an example I never bowled a lot better with urethane than I did yellow dots, but some guys added a bunch to their average with urethane. However when resin came out it did the same thing for me that urethane did for the earlier generation. I also like particle equipment, but I have modified my game some which allows me to get more benefit from particle than I did from urethane.

--300Roller:Bjaardker, thanks for the reply to my post on the track forum and the link to this post. I bought a new Freak last summer that is
too much ball for the med to light oil shot I bowl on. I think the Freakout would have been better for my style and the shot I bowl
on. I just picked up a used Scream/r that should work great for me since its a med to light oil ball that has mostly positive reviews
and I have practiced with the ball at my house and it seemed to work great on a similar shot to what I bowl league. I bowl wednesday
night so I'll soon find out. Thanks for your help.

--Bjaardker:Glad to be of some help. I know that this was a subject that confused the heck out of me at first too.

With high revs the Freak was probably burning up before it ever got to the pins.
The Monster should be a pretty good fit for you on medium oil.

Remember though, the monster will have a much more angular breakpoint than the freak does, so you may have to adjust the angle you're attacking the lanes at.

Best of luck to you!

--Steven:Bjaardker: Good message, and there is a lot of truth to your topic. In fact, when the first crop of high load particles came out several years ago, your message would have been close to 100% correct. However, the equipment world has recently evolved a bit, and without trying to take away from your overall message, I'd like to offer a few caveats. I'll reference Ebonite/Storm equipment just because that's what I'm most familiar with.


quote:
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Particle & reactive resin balls are 2 COMPLETELY different beasts. To try & compare how much one hooks versus the other is like trying to compare how a person hits a ball with a 1 wood VS. a 5 iron.
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With the evolution of hybrid particle/resin covers, and new pure aggressive resin formations, the lines become blurred. Add the dynamics introduced by strong asymmetrical cores, and the situation can become even more confusing. For instance, my particle Apex Intensity has as much skid/snap as any of my resins on medium league conditions. My Savage Solid resin, taken down to 600 grit, moves and carries at least as well as my Vortex 2 particle on what most folks consider to be heavy oil. My El Nino Gold (resin, 400 grit, stacked leverage) was unusable outside of soup.

The short of it is that you can't just point to the particles in the cover to make a final conclusion. Core/drill dynamics and the impact of newer aggressive resin coverstocks have to be factored into the equation.

Again, I'm not trying to take away from the main focus of your premise. Your analysis of the high-load particles is accurate. But more often than not, new particle and resin releases are falling into that middle area where a number of other factors have to be taken into account. It still comes down to doing your homework before making a purchase.

--10 in the pit:I most definitely agree that particle balls and reactive resin balls cannot be compared head to head against each other. These two different animals are intended to work two completely different ways, although both serve the same function of knocking down pins. Where reactive resin balls gave the old plastic ball lovers some dynamite to play with, particle balls gave the old urethane ball lovers some dynamite to play with.

What you quite often find is that an individual bowler likes one style of ball much better than the other style of ball (particle versus reactives), and only the most versatile bowlers can get the optimum performance out of both types of equipment.

--Channer surfer:Bjaardker there are a few things you are forgetting.

Midlane Movement/Arc and Skid/Flip

Both particles and resins have both these reactions.

Every particle ball ive seen outhooks resins, even on dry and wet.

Not all particles grab the lane as soon as it hits the lane. Icon 2 for example or the Game, they have a skid/snap reaction, and there particles.

Not all resins will skid/flip, good example of this is the Hyde. There are some resins that grab the lane as soon as its realeased.

--Bjaardkeridn't forget them, just wasn't part of the topic. The title was particles 101, meaning very basic info everyone needs to know. I wasn't going to get that deep into it.

Over the past few months we've seen great improvements in particle pearl technology. However, I don't know where that fits into a discussion on high load particles & what they are meant for.

Outhooks how? If you're referring to the fact it's beginning its hook almost when it hits the lane, sure. However if you're trying to imply that a particle is going to cover more boards, I would beg to differ & would venture to say you've not seen a particle roll out. I know you have more experience than that though, so I'm very intrested in what you mean.


We are talking very generally here. Will a lower load particle pearl & a resin move similarly? Sure they will. However I will restate, that was never the intent of the original post.

To respond though, I ran into many times where my game pearl would move as soon as it hit the lane, whereas my Voodoo held fast until the breakpoint. In general, my Voodoo moves earlier than my friend's Eraser Particle Pearl. Then again it's buffed down to 800 grit & drilled much more aggressively.

By adjusting surface textures, drillings, and polishes, you can get many different reactions out of bowling balls, some that dont exactly follow the norms. People just need to realize that, in general, your "hook monster" balls are not necessarily the best choice on drier conditions & if your resin is covering more boards & hitting harder than the particle, it's time to put the particle away.

--Channel Surfer:whats up with the big letters..

--Centers:I think the partical stuff hits like marshmellows!

--Bjaardker:
With a name like young strapper I would expect you to have quite a bit of hand & because of that you wouldn't be able to use a higher load particle

Comments like yours are the very reason I decided to write this article in the first place.

I'm sorry, I'm not usually this rude, but for a trolling comment like yours I just have to say.... Get a clue.

--MI 2 AZ:Bjaardker,

I think I owe you an apology for bringing this topic back to the top. I didnt think you would have to keep defending what you had posted earlier, I found it to contain useful information and thought others might benefit from seeing it if they hadnt already. So, I am sorry that you have to go through all of this.

--Don B:Been around the game many years but always willing to learn.
Personally, I found the post very helpful, and I thank you.
I purchased a variety of balls this past year including some particles and living in a rural area getting this kind of information has been tough to find.

--Bjaardker:No need to apologize at all. As you see by the recent replies, it's very topical & I just hope that people continue to get something out of it.

--laner7pin:I could not agree more. When talking in general with people who dont "know" as much about bowling, I try to explain to them this same thing. If they come into the shop, looking for a ball that hooks a ton, I tell them that unless they have a ton of rev's, no ball will hook 30 boards unless they throw it 10mph. If you bowl in soup, yes a higher load particle ball will help the hook, but it wont boomerang into the pocket like they are picturing. Particles roll early and arc, reactive resin reacts off the dry and is much more angular. For me, I have resin and particle equipment and for the most part play the same part of the lane. With my Colossus Pearl, ball has more skid/flip to it, where as my Eraser Pearl Particle gives me the backend due to the drilling, but still rolls earlier than the Colossus Pearl due to the particles. I can throw both between 1-2 arrow out to 5 and they both come back and hit equally as hard.

--kinkaid:Bjaardker I am going to print this out and give it to a kid i coach. She has a three ball bag and a double she brings to the Sat. league. All she has is particle equipment. Icon 300, freak out, freak, colossus, swamp monster, and a spare ball. I told her she should buy something other than particle. " all balls a particle aren't they?" I about died! I gave her a list of balls that would fit her game that were resin. Her father told me that I didn't know any thing about bowling. I told him that particle balls will not carry well on a house shot. Our shot being drier than most. I brought my wifes inferno in and she tossed it for all three games and had a 721. I looked ate her father and said "Point taken?"

--Mongo:I'll be the first to admit that I was a bit slow when it came to "getting" particles, but after drilling more than my share of equipment, I now do.

With the exception of having an absolute pond up front, you're simply not going to see particles do all that much the last 15 feet. Particles aren't designed for that. Particles are excellent tools for controlling the entire lane. They pick up the lane much sooner than resin and because of this, don't have as much down the lane.

For me, particles are a dream come true on tougher shots and extreme wet/dry. I know where my ball is going much earlier and don't have to cover the entire lane to get to my breakpoint. The bad thing about partilces in this environment is paying attention to the reaction. A strong particle normally won't stay in your hand for much more than a game or so simply because there is no oil out there that can hold up to that much friction for very long.

I got a little particle happy in the past, but I'm starting to realize that, for me, I really only need a couple of particles, maybe 3. For bigger handed bowlers, resin is still a prime component of a good arsenal.

--AdrianS:I 'get' particles now. When i was trying to hook a stack leverage Jade Quantum out of the house a few yrs ago i was confused. When i see one of my friends try and bounce his Imperial Quantum off the 1 i'm sure he's still confused too as it crashes into the 3 pin. It really helps when you read things like this and stuff like BTM for info, believing those big glossy ball ads and people who shouldn't have been within 50 miles of a drill press a few yrs ago cost me quite a few pins. I'm sure this is still happening to bowlers all over the place, especially the young'uns. It's just experience though, eventually you realise you have to change how you do things.
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--NoNeed4Revs:I think that the ball companies have really failed the bowling public. When they rate balls like the Icon 300 as a "55" hook rating and balls like the Ti Messenger a "39" hook rating, the impression is obviously being given that far more boards should be covered by the particle ball. It's of no advantage to them for people to be this lost... if anything they are hurting themselves by creating and then failing bowlers' expectation. Why can't companies just give balls three different ratings for what they would do on dry, medium, and oily conditions? It still wouldn't be perfect, but it'd give people some idea what's going on.

--01Kay:The problem is that people have been given the inpression that the particle ball will hook more, a good example of this is the bowling ball company's web sites with the graphs that show the balls path, you know the ones where the ball goes to the one borad and in the last foot of lane does a right angle to the pocket... (Brunswick comes to mind)

Anyway the point is that people don't know enough about bowling to understand the differents between reactives and particles, and even if they do they get the wrong impression about something, like they start thinking that hook is the key to bowling well but the smarter bowlers relise that a small controled arc is just if not more effective, eg;

Whats easier to control? a Mouse or a Dinosaur?

Well what do you think the small, timid mouse or the huge, aggressive dinosaur?
Just remember hook isn't the key a repeatable consistent shot is...



Edited on 12/11/2004 11:07 PM

Edited on 12/11/2004 11:09 PM

Edited on 12/11/2004 11:30 PM