For whatever the reasons, Lane #1 seems to be the target of the lion's share of ridicule when a ball doesn't provide desired results. Any of a number of factors play into this phenomenon. These reasons are numeric and not in order of importance.
1) The ball doesn't match up with a bowler's tendencies. In other words, an incorrect ball or drilling configuration has been chosen. I own and operate a very small pro shop and have, comparably, very few pieces of Lane #1 merchandise being thrown. Why? It's pretty tough for me to look a 155-180 average bowler in the face and extrude the money necessary to purchase some Lane #1 equipment. I can produce a desired result from another piece of game improving equipment for that particular bowler for a smaller fee and see just as big a smile on their face in the process. I'm probaly not going to turn that bowler from 155-180 to 220+ by spending $___ for ANY piece of equipment, let alone Lane #1.
2) You're simply not that good. Just because you witness a buddy bowling well or read about someone tossing 8-whatever on this site doesn't mean that you're gonna do it too! Don't take that the wrong way. There are plenty of bowlers in the area where I live that throw equipment that I've used and just hadn't liked that much. It doesn't mean the product sucks and I'm sure as hell not gonna go on a website and complain because my game didn't match up with that ball very well. Conversely, when I'm mowing down racks by the dozen and folks come up to me and ask what kind of ball that I'm throwing, I'm happy to tell them, provide a brief synopsys of the company, and inform them that I've been very happy with their performance. After that, the decision for them to buy the ball is theirs and I remind them that Dexter corporate reps aren't gonna be on the phone anytime soon wishing for you to display their product logo on your polo on Sunday afternoons.
3) Normal internet chatter. Like this is the first debate about ANYTHING that has gotten out of hand or childish on the internet. As long as accountability is kept to a minimum, and most of the people never bowl against someone that takes a large percentage of money from their wallet during a tournament or cleans house in a evening of pot games, they can sling mud as much as they wish. And that's fine. Doens't mean I'm gonna stop throwin' my SCB or my Blueberry, and it certainly doesn't mean you have to switch to Lane #1.
4) Bowlers, along with most people, are skeptical about spending money they don't have to. AKA, cheap. And that's fine, too. Like I stated previously, if I can produce a positive experience with a ball that costs $40-60 less, on average, then good for us. I must have 15 Swamp Monsters to my credit for customers looking for "hook-in-a-box" and four of those spent another $59 for a Target Zone for making corner pins because they couldn't keep the ball from hooking away from the pin if the lanes were tilted. However, if a bowler appraoches me about a Lane #1 product eager to try and, more importantly, PAY to satisfy their curiousity, more power to them. Then it's my job to put the right ball in their hands with the correct drilling specs.
That's my .02 worth.
peace.
--------------------
Not all great shots result in strikes and not all strikes are great shots.
