Middle ground balls.

[BradM]

Does anyone else think that we go overboard on the new big hook balls? It seems like that's always the ball that most people want, which ever one says it's going to hook the most.

Nevermind the fact that it's not going to hook as much as a middle ground ball on most people's THS.

These balls are designed for heavy oil, most houses probably lay down medium oil for their leagues. The heavy oil ball is going to burn up before it gets down to the pins. Ends up hitting the pins like it's made out of cotton.

Doesn't it make sense that the balls designed for medium oil should be the ones that most people get in an uproar about? I guess that is true with the BWP though, it's gotten quite a reception and is probably going to be killer on most people's THS, especially with proper surface prep to get it dialed in.

I don't know just some random thought that pops in and out of my mind pretty often.

Does anyone else notice this?

Middle ground balls- the unsung hero of the bowling world.

[technik]

i have to agree with you. on a regular THS, hi-performance balls like NM, BW are overkill; they're hooking too much on a dry lane.

that's why im not going to buy BWP but im thinking of getting the Cherry or Blue Vibe instead.

[BigDog]

i have to agree with you. on a regular THS, hi-performance balls like NM, BW are overkill; they're hooking too much on a dry lane.

that's why im not going to buy BWP but im thinking of getting the Cherry or Blue Vibe instead.

This is going to be an interesting thread.

I've seen strokers use the No Mercy on our house shot just fine (it did go from Medium-heavy to Medium later in the season). I also know some crankers that wouldn't be able to throw a BWS because the put way too much hand in the ball.

I used a BW on our house shot until late, then I found myself going to my Doom in later games. The Doom is a good ball, but I really like the hitting power of the Widow series.

I get enough hand into the shot (Hard Tweener), that I don't think I'd ever need anything from the No Mercy series, unless I was throwing on Shark and Scorpion for a living.

I did buy a BWP, and so far, it lives up to (and surpasses) the hype. 3 of the 4 non-cosmic games were 200 or better (235, 188, 200, 225). The 188 was on a Sunday where I had to adjust the BWP to the heavier oil. I should have shot 200+, but missed a couple single-pin spares. The 200 and 225 were on what would have been a "second shift" shot. I also had a 178 average last season. I thought that I never had the correct match up for the shot.

It really comes down to a good Bowler/Ball/Lane match up, and being able to adapt as needed. Sometimes, I think it's a BWS, others a BWP, yet others my Purple Vibe.

[EIGHTBALL033]

This is going to be an interesting thread.

I've seen strokers use the No Mercy on our house shot just fine (it did go from Medium-heavy to Medium later in the season). I also know some crankers that wouldn't be able to throw a BWS because the put way too much hand in the ball.

I used a BW on our house shot until late, then I found myself going to my Doom in later games. The Doom is a good ball, but I really like the hitting power of the Widow series.

I get enough hand into the shot (Hard Tweener), that I don't think I'd ever need anything from the No Mercy series, unless I was throwing on Shark and Scorpion for a living.

I did buy a BWP, and so far, it lives up to (and surpasses) the hype. 3 of the 4 non-cosmic games were 200 or better (235, 188, 200, 225). The 188 was on a Sunday where I had to adjust the BWP to the heavier oil. I should have shot 200+, but missed a couple single-pin spares. The 200 and 225 were on what would have been a "second shift" shot. I also had a 178 average last season. I thought that I never had the correct match up for the shot.

It really comes down to a good Bowler/Ball/Lane match up, and being able to adapt as needed. Sometimes, I think it's a BWS, others a BWP, yet others my Purple Vibe.

WELL SAID:cool:

[can-ham]

Great post Brad!

My lane man couldn't figure out why I bought a Hawgzilla last year, with my revs and our medium lane conditions. I find the pearl ball does preform better.

But for the most part we are products of hammers marketing. "Get the latest and greatest most hook ball." There are a few people on this site that at any give time there arsinel will only consist of the last three or four hammer releases...

[BradM]

Bowlers, matching to balls, matching to lane conditions. Interesting. It's true that each ball is going to react differently with each bowler regardless of what lane condition. A No Mercy will be able to be played by a higher speed player on a dryer lane and a Vibe may work better for a slow speed med. rev player on an oilier condition than one might think.

Makes you wonder about who the lane type designations are geared to. What type of bowler are they using to determine what ball is classified as Heavy or Light oil. Hmm.

[ravenhammer]

I think it shows in the populariaty as well. The BW(medium to heavy oil) was way more popular than the No Mercy(heavy oil). Most People I talked to said the NM was too unpredictible.

[ravenhammer]

But for the most part we are products of hammers marketing. "Get the latest and greatest most hook ball."

I think it is for bowling in general. But a lot of companys use this marketing, look at motorcycles(street bikes).

[BradM]

I think it is for bowling in general. But a lot of companys use this marketing, look at motorcycles(street bikes).

True. It's all about getting someone to buy a ball. I can only imagine how sales jump for a ball that a pro bowls a 300 with on TV. People will get that ball even though they know nothing about it and have no idea if it will match up to their game.

[can-ham]

True. It's all about getting someone to buy a ball. I can only imagine how sales jump for a ball that a pro bowls a 300 with on TV. People will get that ball even though they know nothing about it and have no idea if it will match up to their game.

Well it didn't help the zilla out sell the widow when Tony rolled a 300 with it last year...

[BradM]

Well it didn't help the zilla out sell the widow when Tony rolled a 300 with it last year...

I bet sales spiked when it happened though.

[slap]

Great topic...
I can rant about people and their ball choices for days. I fully realize that I'm a bit of a bowling geek and not everyone is as hardcore as I am, but people's ignorance pisses me off. Buying a ball because "it was pretty" or because "it has a lot of backend." Everyone wants to throw the big hook...
Let's not even talk about the straight ballers throwing TNVs because TJ threw it well on television.



It really comes down to a good Bowler/Ball/Lane match up, and being able to adapt as needed. Sometimes, I think it's a BWS, others a BWP, yet others my Purple Vibe.

Matching up is the bottom line...right ball, right layout and right surface prep. Surface prep is so important but most bowlers ignore it. Heck, I used to be one of them but now I know better. OOB is just the beginning of a ball's potential.

We're pretty lucky to have a true expert pro shop owner. He does a good job matching "joe league bolwer's" equipment to our usual shot. I couldn't imagine if we had a clown in the pro shop. There would be a lot of unhappy bowlers.

[ravenhammer]

Let's not even talk about the straight ballers throwing TNVs because TJ threw it well on television.
I laughed out loud(really) when I saw a guy last year throwing the NM. He was rolling it straight at the pocket coming around the ball making it spin like a top. Didn't say anything as he helps keep the proshop in the black by buying so many balls.



I couldn't imagine if we had a clown in the pro shop. There would be a lot of unhappy bowlers.
Even with all the free baloon animals?:D

[slap]

Even with all the free baloon animals?:D


Actually, there was a clown at the alley last year. I guess some spoiled kid decided a bowling birthday party wasn't enough, they NEEDED a clown too.

[dw800seeker]

Do we go overboard? Of course we do. How far overboard are we? Perhaps not that much. How can we be true bowlingballaphiles without trying lots of balls? Since nobody is sponsoring us we have to buy them, for now, until we convice someone to start giving balls to us so that we can try them out and give our comments.

But, yeah. I cycle through balls so quickly that sometimes I feel that I am not scoring as high as I would if I just used the same one or two balls each time out in league.

I imagine that leagues are really our training grounds readying us for tournaments, sweepers, and roll-offs, right?

So, its cool to juggle around trying different balls, layouts and cover grits, but we should work on solidifying our arsenals when we go to bigger events.

[TenPinSniper]

Brad you really did bring up a valid point.

What was interesting was the BWS was a mid-high end ball, outsold the No Mercy. My personal belief is that Hammer has four lines of bowling balls.

Vibe-Low
Raw Hammer-Low Mid
BW Line-Mid High
No Mercy Line-High

Hammer has historically had some great balls in there mid range bowling balls... Blade Pearl, Sharp Blade, Sling Blade, Big Black Diesel, Power Diesel, High Rev and maybe the Diesel Reactive Pearl.

Most of the Blade where good... You have the Switch Blade which was basically a Vicious w/ a flip block.

I know that there where good balls left off, from the Ebonite Hammer line.

The Vibe's have probably been the best low end line since Ebonite took over.

[Street Racer]

I think i have just read some of the best posts i have seen posted on here...


you can have 20 balls... and still not have the best shot... its how u adjust to the lane conodition...

i think i also have to agree with slap(i think this will be a first), but they see tommy jones throw a big ball and yes he wins sometimes.... but take alook at some of the other pros and see if they are throwing a big ball, yes it hooks but most all the time not as much(yes it does look cool to bowl a huge ball, but does it get you the win?)..... i know i can hook a ball and i know i'm a high end cranker... but to tell the truth i seriously hate bowling a huge as ball... i use to think if i bowled a big hooking ball, i was to win... boy i was wrong... if you were to take a video on me on meduim lanes... where i can hook the ball the most... you would see me over on the left hand side of the lane, but i would be bowling a inside line... or something a little bit bigger.... if you dont get what i mean i will try and explain it more

i just found it amazing even on here, i'm not going to say any names... but i swear they buys new balls, just for the hell of it.... or they buy the balls because of they have some spare money and then they wonder if they are going to drill it up or not..... dont get me wrong yes i am buying a bwp.... but i am getting rid of 2 and maybe even 3 bowling balls.... to replace it... cause i dont need all these bowling balls to score high...
.


i know for a fact rocky uses her zilla on a house shot, but 99% of the time i see her using her black widow for league.... for me on the same pattern, i took my black widow and bowled on it for a month, and then i decided to leave it at home because i was end up putting it away after 1 game... and i end up getting a mid performance ball out example what i got, doom, sling blade and even the one.......

if you want my vote for the best THS ball i have seen for all styles it would have to be the doom... i have seen strokers to ppl who throw a bigger ball then i throw use them...

[slap]

i think i also have to agree with slap(i think this will be a first.)



it was bound to happen at some point...;)

NM vs BW

I think the NM was hurt by it's first impression. I read a lot of bad reviews when this ball was released. IMHO I think way too people went with the #1 drilling and the ball was too aggresive for less than heavy oil. Also I'm willing to bet a lot of the first NMs were improperly drilled. The HART concept was/is unique to this ball. We were just talking about PAPs and approximate layouts in another thread. It's fair to say the NM is a ball that requires an "attentive driller."

[Rowdy]

Whoa Brad!Really good post,lotsa room for thought on this one!I THINK it all comes down to a personality thing.Some guys just HAVE to have the newest,biggest,baddest ball in the bag.Wether they can score with it or not.If they don't score,it's the balls fault,not theirs.Other guys get just enough for what they need,one ball for say the first 5 or 6 frames,then as the oil changes they switch over to the other ball and keep on scoring.As the Marines say,"Improvise,Adapt,Overcome".I just don't see how in the world you can get the most out of your strike ball when you have too many to choose from.(5,6 or more)You would have to practice every day for hours on end to figure out how to get the most out of each ball!My theory here is that smaller is better.I'm going with both Widows and I'm gonna practice until I KNOW those balls like the back of my hand!That way when it comes down to the 10th and I gotts have strikes,I will KNOW which ball to use and how to use it.I'll be 100% comitted to that shot at that time.Which WILL lead to better scores and more games won!Which IS the idea,isn't it?

[TenPinSniper]

I'm going with both Widows and I'm gonna practice until I KNOW those balls like the back of my hand!That way when it comes down to the 10th and I gotts have strikes,I will KNOW which ball to use and how to use it.I'll be 100% comitted to that shot at that time.Which WILL lead to better scores and more games won!Which IS the idea,isn't it?

Have to agree, when I find a ball I like tend to keep it for years and keep using it.

Vicious, High Rev, Nail, Sledge Hammer, Hammer Claw, No Mercy (know it new but I have put a few games on it, on several lanes conditions.)

Some of these I dont really use anymore, but I still wont let go for some reason.

What do we call this Slap! :eek:

[slap]

Have to agree, when I find a ball I like tend to keep it for years and keep using it.

Vicious, High Rev, Nail, Sledge Hammer, Hammer Claw, No Mercy (know it new but I have put a few games on it, on several lanes conditions.)

Some of these I dont really use anymore, but I still wont let go for some reason.

What do we call this Slap! :eek:

Why that would be ball hog syndrome. ;)

[NeoWidow18]

Well my BW works well in heavy to medium oil. But I did get it sanded to go longer. But I think there should be more hype on med lane balls.

[BradM]

Brad you really did bring up a valid point.



Finally something that didn't say, "Great job man" "I love beer" or "Man, I'd really love to have that ball".:D



Maybe the results aren't as skewed as I think they are. The BW was a giant seller and it wasn't Hammer's biggest hooker. I guess what throws me off is the fact that we see so many posts saying "I need the biggest hook ever known to man." Then we ask what they bowl on and they say "THS".

I'm going to start telling people to try Vibes a lot more often.

[can-ham]

Brad you really did bring up a valid point.

What was interesting was the BWS was a mid-high end ball, outsold the No Mercy. My personal belief is that Hammer has four lines of bowling balls.

Vibe-Low
Raw Hammer-Low Mid
BW Line-Mid High
No Mercy Line-High

Hammer has historically had some great balls in there mid range bowling balls... Blade Pearl, Sharp Blade, Sling Blade, Big Black Diesel, Power Diesel, High Rev and maybe the Diesel Reactive Pearl.

Most of the Blade where good... You have the Switch Blade which was basically a Vicious w/ a flip block.

I know that there where good balls left off, from the Ebonite Hammer line.

The Vibe's have probably been the best low end line since Ebonite took over.


Tenpin you nailed it here. I was watching Canadian Ten pin bowling (that's right Canada has Ten pin on T.V., not as high profile bowlers heck some of you on here could probably clean up, but it's cool because it run after the PBA tour ends)

The guy who won this week was rolling a purple Vibe. Granted Canadians don't have the disposable income that our brothers to the south have. But we're talking Canada's elite bowlers and they are all using older equipment. This was shot about 4 months ago but there where no BW's or TNV's. Hammer (and Joe C.) rule because the vibe matched up and that is what was thrown...

[slap]

Finally something that didn't say, "Great job man" "I love beer" or "Man, I'd really love to have that ball".:D



Maybe the results aren't as skewed as I think they are. The BW was a giant seller and it wasn't Hammer's biggest hooker. I guess what throws me off is the fact that we see so many posts saying "I need the biggest hook ever known to man." Then we ask what they bowl on and they say "THS".

I'm going to start telling people to try Vibes a lot more often.

Yep my blue vibe is a really good ball.
I think the Raw hammer series is the best thing out there for "Joe League Bowler." Great performance at the mid price level.

[Rowdy]

Guys have you ever sat and watched a good pro shop for awhile?Joe Bowler walks in after his Cheese-Whiz League is over and he just went 115-110-125.He's pissed(mad,not drunk for our freinds north of the border:D )He wants HOOK,and he wants it NOW!!!Then he see's the price of the really high performance balls and KNOWS that if he brings one of them home he's gonna be sleeping in the car with the ball.:( But wait!All is not lost!Hammer to the rescue!:D Here's a ball that will hook with the best of them,has a really cool marketing campain,and look at the price!Yee-Ha!Drill me one of those bad boys up!Right now!And that's how the Black Widows outsold all those other balls.Why should Joe buy the big$$$ ball when for a lot less he gets the same performance?