Author Topic: whats the deal with people and particle balls? (Read 2042 times)

scruffy weasel · « **on:** May 11, 2003, 02:11:06 AM »

i usually dont start topics on here but i havnt seen this brought up, in one of my leagues which has a medium x-mas tree pattern put down about half of the guys throw heavy particle stuff, i bowled in a match the other night and the 4 on the other team were throwing a swamp monster, an aggression, an icon 300, and the other guy had an eliminator (not as bad in my opinion)....by the end of the 1st game the lanes were a mess, these balls sucked the oil off the right side of the lane and they kept throwing those balls even after the lanes were toasted, which was near the end of the 2nd game, in the 3rd game i broke out my soccer ball and played down and in, i couldnt even get any length with my polished eraser...so now im gonna have to go out and buy some type of mild reactive or urethane for conditions like this, is it me or does this suck? i plan on buying a low load particle sometime in the future but i dont undertstand the popularity of the particles when the conditions most people see dont have enough oil to use them, so, whats the deal? iv run into a few rare occasions that i wish i had an icon 300 in my bag but not on medium league shots, is this just a case of guys with money to burn??
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100% pure unadulterated weasel...except no substitutes

Bjaardker · « **Reply #1 on:** May 11, 2003, 06:08:13 PM »

Nope, this is a case of the bowling manufacturers doing a great job of marketing.

For years the manufacturers have been marketing these high load particles as "game in a box", "obliterate everything in your path", "nothing can stop these balls".

Show me when a manufacturer in recent history (other than lane#1 with the SCB) has stated that their hook in a box ball shouldn't be used on anything less than heavy conditions.

I finally showed the way to my teammates, but it took a LOT of convincing! 2 of the guys were throwing Track Freaks 1 of thems with avg. revs & 1 with cranker revs. After many weeks of me trying to explain why they were leaving so many weak splits & 10 pins when the conditions got dry, they finally went to their pro shop guy who helped them find less aggressive balls.

Bottom line, people dont know any better. And why should the manufacturers change anything since they're the one reaping the benefits from all the suckers buying them.

Bruce · « **Reply #2 on:** May 11, 2003, 06:31:55 PM »

Bjaardker hit the nail right on the head.

I see people in my league that has a typical house shot...christmas tree medium oil pattern throwing all the latest game in a box balls all the time. They are throwing Wows, Diesel and Vicious particles, Freaks and all the other popular offering. While they are doing this I am playing a much easier down and in shot with my old Coral Triton. I don't even try explaining anything to these people anymore. I have tried before and they just look at me like I'm nuts.

So I say let them throw their high load particles. I will stay with my coral triton and pearl cherry and happily keep taking their money.

Bruce

Bujo · « **Reply #3 on:** May 11, 2003, 06:53:13 PM »

I guess im lucky if i say im the only one in my sat. morning who has a high load particle, but i dont use it there. The closest the come after that is a few Particle Pearls (Angle Evo and Trauma response). Then again, my travel leave was filled with Aggresions and such (A guy on one of our teams has an Old Purple Monster, but he throws with forward roll, so it moves like a urethane and hits hard).
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"Isn't Bowling supposed to be scored like Golf?"

HamPster · « **Reply #4 on:** May 11, 2003, 07:13:42 PM »

I don't see why people actually liked the Aggression anyway, the ball sucks. I have trouble getting a dead Purple Fuze down the lane at one of my houses. All the better bowlers use low or medium hooking stuff for the most part, Scream/R's, Wickeds, X-Factors, a couple old 3D Offsets, and X-Zones. Then you have the bowlers that just want hook, then there are Icon 300's, Particle Vicious's, and Swamp Monsters that are the most popular. One of the better bowlers has an Eliminator, but it's highly polished. Completely unnecessary to have big hooking balls on medium conditions.
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I know Kung Fu!

I am the one, the one that will bring balance. All the pins shall be destroyed!

10 In The Pit · « **Reply #5 on:** May 11, 2003, 11:57:22 PM »

If more bowlers who use heavy load particle balls (and reactives too for that matter) used Doc's Elixer, then you would see far less drying of the lane conditioner taking place. The Elixer seals the ball from absorbing the oil, so the only oil lost would be the lesser amount that the ball still picks up on the track, which is going to happen with even plastic balls. Not only would the Elixer protect the balls from excessive oil absorption, it would also help keep the lanes from drying out so quick. I use the Elixer, and I find that I rarely have to move for drying lane conditions, although I must admit that my house puts out a ton of oil to start with.

NevadaBowl · « **Reply #6 on:** May 12, 2003, 08:15:03 AM »

I have 2 particle balls, a Track Silencer and a Track Money.

The Silencer I only use for practice but it can be rolled out for competition if really needed.

The Money is essentially my tournament ball. On most of the conditions on which I bowl tournaments, often it is a clear reverse block. Although I can play a third arrow shot and get to the pocket in the drier middle with a reactive, it is still my 'D' shot. Rolling down the boards from the outside, in the oil, with the Money, is my 'B' shot so that's what I try first.

Still, 90% of my competitive bowling is not in tournaments...it is in league bowling on house conditions. In those cases the particle stuff stays home.

I think the posts above are correct...people are lured into big hooking balls, making it look impressive and heroic. And if the shot is there, I guess it works fine for them.

But, although I completely admire his accomplishments, would you describe Walter Ray's game as 'impressive and heroic', crossing boards and crushing pins? No. He probably doesn't either, and I'm sure he will be thinking about that as he heads to the cashier with yet another check while holding yet another trophy.

Steven · « **Reply #7 on:** May 12, 2003, 09:01:04 AM »

The responses in this thread are interesting. I know that we all bowl on different conditions, and some houses tend to be on the dry side or break down quickly even with fresh oil. However, their are a good percentage of houses that lay down extreme wet/dry 10-10 blocks, and in these situations, a heavy particle (if played properly) can actually provide an advantage.

Here, anyone who can stay inside the oil line and avoid having to 'bounce' off the dry will be in good shape through the night. The problem is that reactives generally don't cut it on this part of the lane -- they skid too far to get an effective breakpoint.

My scratch partner recently purchased a Lane#1 SCB to be better able to play tighter in the middle. Even though our league is second shift, he has had really good success with the SCB. He just shot an 813 with the monster the other night

I believe that many league bowlers who try to use heavy particles in league could be effective if they played the balls properly. Unfortunately, most just try to go straight up the 10 board like they do with all their other equipment, and the results are usually ugly.

Jeffrevs · « **Reply #8 on:** May 12, 2003, 09:10:15 AM »

Medium load particle.....Fuel

Depending on the night, my mens league shot can handle the Fuel for the first game with a little swing. If it's heavier in front, AND, you want a smoother read, a particle ball can give you this. Also, this league has screaming backends, so the particle ball using energy down the lane helps reduce it.

My mixed league pattern in really heavy in the heads, 18 feet synthetic lanes, the rest OLD wood, 42 ft. down.....it gets really sloppy fast and the Fuel makes this shot as consistent as possible....

Like Steven said, if used properly, can be a big advantage.....

Just my .02
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JEFF

Author Topic: whats the deal with people and particle balls? (Read 2042 times)

scruffy weasel

whats the deal with people and particle balls?

Bjaardker

Re: whats the deal with people and particle balls?

Bruce

Re: whats the deal with people and particle balls?

Bujo

Re: whats the deal with people and particle balls?

HamPster

Re: whats the deal with people and particle balls?

10 In The Pit

Re: whats the deal with people and particle balls?

NevadaBowl

Re: whats the deal with people and particle balls?

Steven

Re: whats the deal with people and particle balls?

Jeffrevs

Re: whats the deal with people and particle balls?