Benchmark Ball

Bowling ball related topics including new products, arsenals and comparisons.

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JGordonSanders
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Joined: October 25th, 2018, 5:58 pm
Heavy Oil Ball: Hammer Scandal/s
Medium Oil Ball: Pyramid Blood Moon
Light Oil Ball: Hammer Purple Urethane
Preferred Company: Brunswick and Ebonite
Location: Beaumont, TX

Benchmark Ball

Post by JGordonSanders »

I wanted to ask what a good benchmark ball would be. I prefer Brunswick and Ebonite and their affiliated brands. I have not bowled for a few years and am getting back to it on Monday night league. My favorite ball of all time is a Brunswick Zone (I was a YABA bowler when it came out). I recently purchased a Hammer Scandal/s, which is probably a little bit too much for our THS. I'm a tweener rev/speed matched bowler. I'm looking for the missing piece in my arsenal:

Pyramid Blood Moon, ____________, Hammer Scandal/s

Any help would be greatly appreciated!!

~Justin
TonyPR
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Re: Benchmark Ball

Post by TonyPR »

Ok, before you buy any ball buy some pads, (abralon, siaair etc...) 500, 1000, 2000 and 4000 is a good pad arsenal. Experiment with surfaces wet sanding or dry sanding, higher grit will make the ball go longer, lower grit will make it earlier. Taking it up gradually (first 500 then 800, then 1000 finally 2000) will make it smoother. Skipping will cause a different reaction, for example 500, 2000 and then polish will make it go long and snap. Of course it all depends on the ball design but you can change the reaction a lot by adjusting surface.

Now to your original question:
Ebonite Game Breaker 2
Hammer Diesel

Both make good smooth benchmarks

For house shots I prefer something like a Hammer Rebel but I am rev dominant
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JGordonSanders
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Posts: 3
Joined: October 25th, 2018, 5:58 pm
Heavy Oil Ball: Hammer Scandal/s
Medium Oil Ball: Pyramid Blood Moon
Light Oil Ball: Hammer Purple Urethane
Preferred Company: Brunswick and Ebonite
Location: Beaumont, TX

Re: Benchmark Ball

Post by JGordonSanders »

Thanks Tony! Do you think the Ebi GB3 would also be a good option? I'm sold on the Game Breaker specs and love the motion, but my only hesitation is that I've heard a few people that have said something about issues with the coverstock. Have you heard anything like that?
TonyPR
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Re: Benchmark Ball

Post by TonyPR »

Don’t know about the GB3 but I’ve had 2 GB2 and they are strong and smooth balls and right in the middle of the spectrum, the cover on the GB2 is very versatile and takes surface adjustments very well.
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krava
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Re: Benchmark Ball

Post by krava »

benchmark ball would be like a storm hy-road, I have a game breaker 3 but really haven't used it but in ebonite I think the gb3 would be the benchmark ball. I personally think it is a little bit strong.

brunskwick: vintage inferno, I just pulled the real inferno out of my old house.

anything with a smooth arcing motion to me is a benchmark ball especially if it is for medium oil.

I don't know where you play, if you are thinking about using the gb3, i wouldnl't do it on the 2nd arrow, it needs to be more left. That is what I picked it up for.

Went to the bowling alley today wanted to practice and also show you the difference between the GB3 and a smooth rolling ball.

[youtube][/youtube] I don't know how to throw the ball correctly yet so don't pay attention to how the ball is thrown just the reaction.
1st ball was a storm rocketship, stood at 21 aimed at 2nd arrow. All the other balls were the game breaker 3. I had to move to 23 and hit 10 for it. I tried 25 and 12 but couldn 't hit 12 and it wouldnt' come back all the way. So bascially the GB 3 is about 2 boards left of a smooth rocketship. Note the ball wasn't thrown very good but you can see the ball motion. Ball wasn't thrown correctly, fingers not under the ball and too much on the top right corner.

[youtube][/youtube] for someone that throws it correctly but that is very hard to do.


I had miss room to the right and to the left. I didn't miss left on the boards, i did miss left with my launch angle and it still held. I missed 2 boards right maybe even 3 once, a few times and i few times it did come back and strike. I made 1 move half a board left when the ball hit high. My shoulder and hips were hurting pretty bad so I left after I did this. I wasn't thinking when I was throwing the ball and see all kinds of mistakes, but the important thing is the ball motion. I am not used to that ball, that ball I haven't thrown 1 complete game with execept for that game. That ball is drilled for a control reaction just like the rocketship.
JGordonSanders
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Posts: 3
Joined: October 25th, 2018, 5:58 pm
Heavy Oil Ball: Hammer Scandal/s
Medium Oil Ball: Pyramid Blood Moon
Light Oil Ball: Hammer Purple Urethane
Preferred Company: Brunswick and Ebonite
Location: Beaumont, TX

Re: Benchmark Ball

Post by JGordonSanders »

Thank you so much, krava! I genuinely appreciate you going out of your way to help me!
krava
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Re: Benchmark Ball

Post by krava »

ok no problem sorry I couldn't do any better, shoulder is severaly hurt and could only throw that 1 game. couldn't even practice after that. but that is the ball to get for ebonite for benchmark ball or a slight ball up from the benchmark ball.
44boyd
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Re: Benchmark Ball

Post by 44boyd »

Krava, I want you to watch your videos and just look at your body language. If not one thing ever changes in your game, I’d at least consider learning to control your emotions.
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mrbean
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Re: Benchmark Ball

Post by mrbean »

44boyd wrote:consider learning to control your emotions.
i should bring this up to a guy on my friday league. i bowled with him on saturday once cause i walked in and he was looking for someone to bowl with so he payed for me. well in the 2nd game he missed a 7 pin (lefty) and he smashed a pair of headphones on the floor and went off like an angry sailor. last week he shot 239 3rd game and was pissed because he missed a tenth frame spare, i know its bad and he could have gotten a higher game but do you really need to yell the f-bomb so loud that the people 3 lanes down can hear you, especially when there are a lot of bowlers that would be very happy with breaking 200 (including me).
If I had 6 hours to chop down a tree I would spend the first 4 sharpening the axe.

-Honest Abe
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