why?

I always wondered why the next release out hooks the other release that is just a little over a year old - or less. but I wasn't so sure about what I had assumed till I had a chat with a BR legend and someone who was involved in the industry. And I was somewhat right.

Not much has changed when it comes with playing conditions, especially at the house I bowl. and I'm pretty sure hundreds of houses across the country haven't changed much too. It takes years for some houses to change surface and/or machines, or conditions/pattern/oil.

But, every new release in the HP level always seem to hook more - or does it really? are bowlers being suckered into buying another NIB?

It's been a couple of years that I figured out that I don't need to fill my bags with more NIB's. Or buy an HP ball. I own 6 or seven balls (two NIB) and I only use 3 at the most. The others are "just to try" balls.

But this country always wants more and more, go bigger and bigger, and so I guess it's a good thing for bowling companies and small shops. At the same time, isn't their a peak to bowling ball technology?? if conditions don't change much, what else can bowling ball engineers do?

Every center in my county jacked up their house shot.  60 dollar hollers are the new thang.

Let them have their hook monsters, at the end of the night I'll have their money. 

Be nice to the customers.    

From the view of the generic house bowler (not me, who throws tropical breezes).

I want to hook a ball like Tommy Jones (or another pro they see that hooks the lane).

So I buy new ball X.  I throw it and (because I don't put near the revs or proper release) it doesn't hook like Tommy Jones.

Ball company Z now comes out with ball Y which has marketing material that say it hooks more than ball X. 

Bowler now buys ball Y trying to hook it like Tommy Jones.

Repeat with next ball release.

And since Fire & Ice oils have come out, I have seen numerous houses switch to that oil and the shot at those houses has changed quite a bit.

Give me my Night Hawk and then give me your money!

I heard Ronnie Russell mention that guys out on the national and regional circuit have gone more towards symmetrics on most of the patterns they encounter.

I've been in conversation with others who say, depending on the sport-compliant/flat pattern, they're also balling down to a symmetric piece as early as game two out of an eight-game set. And they rarely use a high end asymmetric piece on a THS. If anything, it's only during a practice session in order to get a feel for the piece.

It's also called "Keeping up with the Jones's".

 I used to say stuff like:

 "The ball companies have artificially inflated the market WAY passed the saturation point by preying on the uninformed. Using human nature against the very consumers they were targeting, they have created an artificial "need" by convincing people that you can replace skill with equipment, telling them they can buy the "power and hook of the professional bowler" in a box".

 I no longer say that, merely because I got my behind handed to me by all the internet Einstein's who told me I was just a loud mouthed, opinionated idiot that didn't know what I was talking about.

 But, I do still think it. Just not out loud.