Best Balls for the Hall(s)

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

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Glenn
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Best Balls for the Hall(s)

Post by Glenn »

First, let me say that I own too many bowling balls, but I haven't found a good way FOR ME to thin the herd. I have danced around addressing this problem in various ways over time. And, yes, I have been given good advise on how I might go about doing so. I took everything out of the garage, off the shelf, etc., and my arsenal is as follows:

Radical: Guru Mighty, Xeno, Ridiculous-ASYM, Score, Rave
Storm/Roto Grip: Marvel-S, Disturbed, Rising Star, Super Natural
Columbia: Nitrous, White Dot
Pyramid: Pathogen Plague

I am a stroker who throws about 15 MPH off the hand, A/T about 8.5 degrees, A/R about 50 degrees, and Revs about 250+. I play outside, up the track, and inside to about the 25-board.

I bowl at two different centers. Center1 is a high friction, high-walled, 24 mL, 40-foot THS. Center2 is a low friction, high-walled, 21 mL, 40-foot THS. The topography in center2 is more suspect than in Center1. In both centers, I bowl on mixed leagues whose players are all over the landscape in skill level and equipment. And, as a result, my scoring can be all over the place, and the same ball may match up well one week, and be a complete dud the next week due to seasonal variations and league team make up.

This exercise, if you choose to participate, is to create a 3-ball arsenal (a pair and the spare) for each center knowing that no arsenal is going to be great every week. For this exercise, I want to ignore layouts and assume OOB surfaces (as if we are buying new balls but actually using my current collection), and how to use the pairings for game 1, game 2, and game 3. If you must suggest a 4-ball arsenal, suggest surface changes, or include your thoughts on layouts – that's OK, too.

For myself, I have read the BTM reviews and narrowed my choices down to 5 balls that I rotate, but haven't settled on pairs for each center that I like consistently. But too much analysis paralysis is clouding my judgment, and you may come up with a recipe I hadn't considered.

Thanks in advance.
Bowling Is More Art Than Science
"Glenn is not an expert..."
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EricHartwell
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Joined: April 5th, 2011, 12:24 am
Positive Axis Point: 4-3/4" and 1/2"up
Speed: 16 off hand
Rev Rate: 330
Axis Tilt: 12
Axis Rotation: 45
Heavy Oil Ball: Radical Tremendous, EVO solid, Hammer Obsession
Medium Oil Ball: EVO pearl, True Motion, Columbia Command, DV8 Intimidator
Light Oil Ball: Blue Hammer
Location: Michigan

Re: Best Balls for the Hall(s)

Post by EricHartwell »

Score .................. 75-3-50 dull surface tuned between 2000 and 4000
Nitrous ................ 70-4.5-35 drill the thumb hole Very deep. Shiny 4000+ surface
White Dot pba plastic ball drilling no balance hole

Consider putting your release specs in your signature.
Eric Hartwell

Right Handed
PAP 4.75" up 1/2"
45* rotation
12* tilt
330 rev rate
16 mph off hand
Glenn
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Re: Best Balls for the Hall(s)

Post by Glenn »

Thanks, Eric.

I am not surprised at your selection, except for the surface change. This past week the Score got me a 215/215/164 bowling against a grip-and-rip guy using a Code Black to tear up the lanes.

The Nitrous is drilled close (at 70 x 4.75 x 40) to your suggestion and the thumb is currently drilled deep, and the surface is 500/1000+ReactaShine.

The Score is another story. It is currently drilled 55 x 4.75 x 40 (adjusted from the "Length with Max Hit" recommendation from the Radical drill sheet). Is your recommendation more of a control layout (less hook and big hit)?

I have tried various surface combinations on the Score that never quite seem to work, and always return to 500/2000+Step #2 for it. Is the surface change recommendation tied to your layout recommendation, or how you would generally keep the ball surface for these THS conditions?
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EricHartwell
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Posts: 4080
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 12:24 am
Positive Axis Point: 4-3/4" and 1/2"up
Speed: 16 off hand
Rev Rate: 330
Axis Tilt: 12
Axis Rotation: 45
Heavy Oil Ball: Radical Tremendous, EVO solid, Hammer Obsession
Medium Oil Ball: EVO pearl, True Motion, Columbia Command, DV8 Intimidator
Light Oil Ball: Blue Hammer
Location: Michigan

Re: Best Balls for the Hall(s)

Post by EricHartwell »

My recommendations, layouts and surfaces was for the THS condition.
Your method of 500 2000, 2000 is a good way to get a final surface 3000 to 4000, the range I suggested.
Glenn wrote:The Score is another story. It is currently drilled 55 x 4.75 x 40 (adjusted from the "Length with Max Hit" recommendation from the Radical drill sheet). Is your recommendation more of a control layout (less hook and big hit)?
My recommendation, 75-3-50, is a Control layout. I try to stay away from too descriptive terms.
Eric Hartwell

Right Handed
PAP 4.75" up 1/2"
45* rotation
12* tilt
330 rev rate
16 mph off hand
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