judd82,
There really is no "easy" way to approach this, other than to tell you that bowling balls have become somewhat specialized in what they are designed to do.
Even with years of experience, it is very easy to end up making the wrong assumptions about a ball, especially given that there are so many choices out there.
First, let's look at what info you've given us:
1. You're new to the "skilled" level.
2. You "try" to go straighter, but would like to learn to hook it eventually.
3. You're looking to get into you're first "serious" ball, but don't want total junk either.
My first thing to ask is, do you know what weight of ball you want/need? Not that it makes any difference, as they come in many different weights, but you need to choose a weight that is comfortable for you. Many men still use 16lb stuff, while I prefer to use 14lb stuff, but have friends who use even lighter stuff with good results.
Once you know what weight you want, and since you try to play straighter while learning to hook it, I reccommend staying away from both the high end AND the low end of the spectrum of balls out there. Usually, when you go to either end of that spectrum, you end up with something either too strong to start with, or something too weak to tell when you're doing things right.
Now, given all that, my reccommendation is this: Let's look at balls that are a KNOWN factor for being controllable, affordable, and reliable.
First one that comes to mind is the Storm HyRoad. In this modern bowling environment, balls can come and go in only months, but this ball has been around for YEARS because it has been just that good, and that irreplaceable in Storms lineup. It is NOT entry level, but it may well be the best ball they've ever made. It comes in both a hybrid (part solid/part pearl), and a total pearlized version.
Second is the Ebonite Cyclone. This ball IS considered entry level, but it is much more than it first appears to be. The core in it is very decent, and the coverstock on it was Ebonite's premium coverstock only a few years ago. I have seen it win tournaments on the professional level, and is another good choice. Lots of performance capabilities built into this one, but is one that gets overlooked by many.
Next would be the Ebonite Gamebreaker2. The concept behind this ball has been around since about 2000, and is still going strong today. They created a ball back then that just, simply put, worked. The USBC rules changed since then, so they altered the ball slightly, but the concept is still there, and the ball is still one that gives great results. It is the same coverstock as on the Cyclone, but is not pearlized like they are, and has a much better core inside that makes it a perennial favorite for many bowlers looking for control, reliability, and performance.
Along the same lines as the Gamebreaker2, is the Storm IQ Tour. The only reason I mention it behind the Gamebreaker2 is value. Storm usually commands a premium price, and the IQ Tour is more expensive, but fills virtually the same spot.
All this is just food for thought. There are a myriad of choices out there, and each one has its own merits. There really are MANY good balls out there, these were just a few that come to mind because they keep popping up in conversations about how good they are, how much people like them, and how well they perform.
