Why is a entry level ball called (entry level)

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krava
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Why is a entry level ball called (entry level)

Post by krava »

I am not sure what to call the topic. Here is what I am trying to understand. I paid probably $235 for my timeless drilled. I paid around $149 or so for my Storm Match solid. The storm Match solid is real close to an entry level ball. Some people like me consider an entry level ball to be a ball that is cheap that can't do very much of nothing or they consider is a cheap ball that maybe that is all someone can afford to buy. Entry level=don't expect much from it. Just like an entry level car or entry level position in a job.

So keeping this in mind, The past few weeks i have struggled with leaving corner pins, 10 pins especially. I even shot a 529 just a few weeks ago leaving so many (8-10 10 pins) and not carrying nothing and that was with the timeless ball. The timeless is the most expensive high performance ball out there for whatever reason. This week I threw a shot with the timeless in practice struck, I also threw a shot with the swerve FX and struck (different shape), and then threw the storm match and I liked what I saw. A long story short, I used that ball and I was not accurate very much at all. I missed 2 boards left sometimes and threw the ball harder and it held, and I missed right 2 boards and sometimes it came back but usually left me with something. I shot 735 or so with it and that is with missing a 10 pin (missed it less then 1/4" to the left). If I would have been on target with that thing and + - 1 board and had a little better speed control, I could have shot 900 with that thing. I threw the ball missed left and then hit the pocket with very bad angle with deflection and still got the 10 pin with it. That series is the highest series I ever shot using the same ball. I also had another series with that ball just about that high or maybe 740 or so. So how can they call that an entry level ball when the ball is that good and can score that high? Entry level is sometimes called low performance or entry performance on some websites. I think they need to leave some of those words off or what else would you call it?
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Re: Why is a entry level ball called (entry level)

Post by snick »

The term "entry level" is often a misnomer.
The ideal ball match up to bowler and lane condition varies greatly.
Personally, I get phenomenal ball motion from deep inside lines with the Storm Tropical (retail ~$120 drilled) on house shots; stronger in some cases than other bowlers throwing top-shelf balls like the Timeless straight up the 10 board.

The Timeless and Quantum are top-shelf expensive at retail because the price is relatively high at wholesale. It has nothing whatsoever to do with the ball motion potential.
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Re: Why is a entry level ball called (entry level)

Post by mrbean »

my first ball was a DV8 misfit pearl, an "entry level ball". once i learned how to throw it right i could throw the same shot as with a phaze i had even though the phaze was a stronger ball. although part of that could have been due to the fact that the misfit was only 13 lbs.
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Re: Why is a entry level ball called (entry level)

Post by RobMautner »

I think they're called entry level because so many league bowlers would be offended if they were called "Blackjack Balls." LOL
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Re: Why is a entry level ball called (entry level)

Post by TonyPR »

On a house shot you can throw almost any ball out from the oil, granted your specs are not extreme, and it will come back from the friction. Entry level I believe is more related to the price because new bowlers don't want to spend too much money on their first ball. On sport patterns is where you are going to see the difference when looking at ball reaction front to back instead of side to side like you do on a house shot. These entry level balls can come in handy late in tournament blocks when the lane has transitioned to the point that you have to move inside and need length, entry level coverstocks will help you with that. Examples are: Nitrous, Cyclone, Boost, Rack Attack Pearl, Strike King, etc. All very usable balls in a sport arsenal.
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Re: Why is a entry level ball called (entry level)

Post by krava »

Thanks for the response, it might be the sport patterns. I have almost no experience with them. I have no where to go to bowl in a sport league or anything. The closest one would be in dallas 250 Miles or so one way. I don't know why people are scared to bowl in a league like that here. I can't get any experience or anything.
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Re: Why is a entry level ball called (entry level)

Post by TonyPR »

Many people are scared to bowl on sport leagues because mistakes will have more consequences and averages will suffer. Take a short pattern like Stockholm for example, on a house shot a miss inside will most likely hold the pocket a miss way inside might go brooklyn. On Stockholm a miss 2 boards inside might hit the nose, 5 boards brooklyn, more than that and the ball might hit the 4-7. Sport shots teach consistency, not only in targeting but also in speed and release. Get to know the lane man, buy him lunch or have a beer with him every now and then, practice on sport patterns.
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