BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: The Bowling Pariah on November 23, 2013, 11:23:43 AM
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I was once considered to be quite a good bowler, but that was a long time ago, and things have changed a lot since then. This was back in the polyester/urethane days. I was great with yellow dots, U-dots, and Hammers, but flaring weightblocks and reactive technology has never liked me.
Things have gotten so bad between me and reactives that, for the first time in a long time, I have shot multiple 400 series, and was averaging about 175-180. I can't seem to throw the ball NEARLY hard enough to take advantage of what its strengths are. It has been over 20 years, and I still just don't "get" reactives.
Enter frustration and surrender.
So, out of being so frustrated, I took all my "good" stuff out of my bag, and started carrying only a black urethane TURBO and a polyester BOOGIE to league, figuring if I was going to average a buck seventy, I could do that with them and have an excuse as to why. At least I would know where they were going when I let go of them.
What happens? I shoot back to back 650's with the TURBO. Since then, the lowest set I've shot with it has been 610, and this is over a month in two different leagues.
Then, last Thursday, I bowled with the polyester ball, and shot a 687! My average is now climbing, and after several weeks of this, I am at a 195 average.
Make no mistake. I have NO illusion that I would EVER shoot any honor scores with either of them. I do not believe either of them to be the "magic" ball, or the answer to my bowling problems, but they have ended my struggle to consistently hit the pocket and have predictable, ball reaction.
So, I guess my question is this: Would you give up all chances you might have to ever shoot an honor score in order to have predictable, reliable, repeatable scores by using equipment most people initially laugh at, or would you continue to use the new stuff, hoping to be like the blind pig that occasionally finds an acorn, and struggling the rest of the time?
(P.S. They usually stop laughing and pointing after it becomes apparent that I am serious about it, and more than capable of shooting between 200 and 225 on a regular basis with them.)
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I would go with what scores, who cares about the name?
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My father in law gets his "balls Busted" all the time about his two 20yr old Teal Rhino pros. He doesn't care and still averages 215-220 with them. I have owned 6 balls since I first got the Versa Max two years ago. I still throw it more then anything, nothing else has compared to it. Most of us will never be Pro Bowlers or have staff contracts. Throw what ever makes you comfortable, and happy with your bowling.
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Throw whatever works. Lol that's about as simple as you can make it.
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My father in law gets his "balls Busted" all the time about his two 20yr old Teal Rhino pros. He doesn't care and still averages 215-220 with them. I have owned 6 balls since I first got the Versa Max two years ago. I still throw it more then anything, nothing else has compared to it. Most of us will never be Pro Bowlers or have staff contracts. Throw what ever makes you comfortable, and happy with your bowling.
Agreed - go with what you feel most confident throwing. Who cares what the label says.
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I was much better before reactive resin. The last year I've studied drilling patterns,learned my real stats, also realizied what ball characteristics were best for me. Since then I have become more consistent again. I drill things totally different than before and have much more control. Finding out that I was higher tilt and understanding why the balls jumped all the time helped my game. For me it was just learning the technical aspect. Really made a huge difference and I am using all new technology and not seeing the issues I had before. My advice is find a GOOD pro shop and get them to get all your stats for you. Speed, tilt, rotation and revs. Again for me learning about tilt really was an eye opener.
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Disagree with the OP's implication.
I think it IS possible to throw an honor score with old stuff, especially on a lighter oil THS. It can be done with 12 solid shots.
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Gentlemen,
Thank you for your thoughtful and insightful replies. Believe me when I tell you that they are NOT taken lightly.
To good times good times:
You are correct I suppose. I just never really expect to be able to throw 12 consecutive shots that good, although I have shot a 278 game during this run, so maybe anything is possible?
To vkowalski1970 I say this.
There IS a drilled ball out there somewhere that worked for me, but when I changed weights and sold it, I was never able to duplicate it, not even when drilling the same identical model of ball with the same drilling. It just never acted the same, and nothing else has either. If I thought the next ball I drilled would do what that one did, I would drill a new one TODAY.
And to mainzer.
It really isn't about the name on the ball, per se, than it is about the reactions I have been getting from some of the other bowlers I have been bowling against. Things like: "I guess you're going to F*** up everybody else's shot with that piece of crap" and "Why do you old farts always screw up the shot with that crap, when you KNOW you ain't good enough to beat me otherwise". This kind of stuff really bothers me.
Thanks again for your replies. They really are appreciated. All others are also still welcome.
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The higher your average, the more strikes you throw, the more games you bowl, the better your odds of shooting 300 ect. Its a numbers game not a matter of equipment game.
You can buy several newer urethane options to try as well. I know a leftie who has been throwing an Ebi blue Crush since release and averaged anywhere from 230 to 250 with a lot of honor scores. It gives him the best look when playing the gutter and he can make it work.
I would stick with what you are doing and only consider maybe adding a plastic ball with an actual core to try and improve carry a little better along with trying a newer urethane option as well. Should allow you to have the same look and line with the hope of adding a little more hitting power for better carry.
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Throw what you score with. I'm sure you are playing right of the reactive bowlers and you are not hurting their shot, they are simply giving sour grapes.
We had a guy we drilled for who was bowler of the year in town 2 years a row at the time and all he used were Columbia Beast. Many other bowlers kept telling him how good he could be if he would throw top of the line stuff. He would just smile as he beat their brains in.
I'm still able to throw had enough to use reactive stuff but just barely and more ball speed would be an advantage. But by using weak reactive equipment and control drills I'm able to keep using them.
The balls today are so strong that ball speed is a big asset. But if you don't have it you have to make other changes to compensate.
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To good times good times:
You are correct I suppose. I just never really expect to be able to throw 12 consecutive shots that good, although I have shot a 278 game during this run, so maybe anything is possible?
Nothing but defeat and surrender are possible with a negative outlook. Confidence is key. These old gems make you feel more confident in your game, but you also must embrace you game and be confident with it, not just with the ball.
There should be a ball or two out there you CAN control, if drilled to your game. Or is the a coach or a friend you might be able to have watch you and find a slight change in your game that could help you control the new stuff?
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I bowled against a guy last week who was using an old Manhattan butterscotch, urethane, 3 piece pancake weight block ball. He shot 6 something and is averaging 190. It is whatever works for you.
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Piece of crap? Black Turbo is the bomb!
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Don't worry about what others say, You gotta do what you have to do to score if that is using Urethane then so be it. I would say to them "if you are as good as you think you are adjust to it."
Btw I have a Urethane Sting Ray /C if you want it 30+ shipping second drill
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@ Bowling Pariah: Give'em the Blues....with what you USE!!!
All comments above are positive and good for your game! You bowl with what's comfortable for you. I also get laughed at a lot by what I bring to houses these days, but I'm smart enough to not EVEN care! That's part of the reason I started that "Old Ball" thread. I am finding that I have to recirculate a lot of this equipment back into a regular rotation. It is what it is.
Stay hungry my friend, and keep on rolling!
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The guys giving you sh*t about throwing plastic or urethane claiming that you are pushing oil into their line are retarded. you are not going to be able to push that much oil around to make that much of a difference.
I think they are feeling like you are making them look bad. They are lugging in 4-6 of the latest most expensive hook monsters into the house and getting beat by some dude throwing yesteryear's technology. You are like Happy Gilmore bringing a hockey stick to putt with and beating the club pro! THey HATE when that happens.
I got smoked by a guy throwing a yellow AMF Angle last year. I felt like a tool bringing in 4 of my modern era balls. But the Angle beat me. I didn't get mad. I learned from it. I asked myself why he could beat me and what was it about the Angle that made him successful that night.
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I still throw an Ebonite Turbo X and I've been using it alot more lately with how fast today's lane conditions turn into what would of been a 1990's lane condition. Many times today's modern lane condition gets so beat up that it's a struggle to get the modern aggressive reactive down the lane. When you have excessive friction from the lane and try to use excessive friction from the bowling ball combined with clean back ends it can become a rather difficult scoring night unless you have modern physical game skills (even then it can be a struggle). Nothing wrong with urethane and older reactive resin bowling balls. I bowled a tournament over the weekend and it was on a short pattern with friction. There were quite a few vintage urethane balls on the racks and in players bags. Most better bowlers have good technique and solid releases. The typical house lane condition can hurt them at times more than it helps their skill set because at your league level friction is a scoring tool and a way to create happy bowlers.
Not everyone can throw the ball 20 mph at the scoring cameras so do whatever you have to do to be creative and score your best.
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The lanes I have bowled on used to be get so dry that I would throw my plastic spare ball and actually shoot decent scores. I see no problems with it. You play what works to you. Since then i have been able to increase my speed with my reactive stuff and have had better results. So thats works for me, but will not work for everyone. It reminds of people who rag on other peoples style of bowling while we are bowling at a house. Hell their averages might be higher than the person ragging on them. I always tell these people, hey if it works for them then why change?
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Its a funny game. I had the opposite problem. I was very tough in the polyester days, but never did much during the urethane decade of the 80's. However it probably had more to do with the short oil as it did the balls. In any event, my game peaked when I was in my late 40s with the resin equipment. Ironically, for as much as resin helped my game, and for as bad as I bowled with urethane, I have found urethane to be an indispensable addition to my bag over the last 3 seasons. Even more interesting is that urethane seems to benefit straighter players as much or more than the power players.
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There is a left hander in my area that throws mostly urethane and shoots honor scores regularly and is one of the higher average bowlers in the area.
You have to match the equipment to your style.
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Gentlemen,
You have all been kind, gracious, and quite insightful. As a result, I took the good advice you gave me, and shot the first 700 series I've had in quite a while!
Took the black Turbo out Sunday night and shot games of 223, 247, 234 for a 704!
OK, so I am not setting any records, but bowling is starting to be really fun again, and I don't have to guess where the ball is going every time I let go of it.
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I actually need to get a Urethane myself, although I will probably go with one of the newer ones like the Blue Hammer or the Storm Super Natural.
As others have said I say to throw what works, I've thrown plastic before and did fairly well and no one said a word. I think its an ego problem from the other bowlers.
I actually enjoy seeing, people use old equipment, the old stuff and the history of the game fascinates me.
BTW gratz on your scores, would of loved to have had one of your Urethanes tonight, couldn't keep my Arson Low Flare right all night long =/
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Took the black Turbo out Sunday night and shot games of 223, 247, 234 for a 704! OK, so I am not setting any records, but bowling is starting to be really fun again, and I don't have to guess where the ball is going every time I let go of it.
Very nice and congrats on a nice series. Best part was your statement that "bowling is starting to be really fun again" - that is the way it should be.
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I say throw what ever suits your game. Others may not like the fact that you use the old oil suckers, but its not their rules. Its USBC rules. It dont matter what ball you use, as long as its USBC/ ABC sanctioned. I personally shoot all the new 900 Global balls, but I would love to have my old Black Rhino Pro resin ball again. If anyone has a 15lb. Ball in great shape and willing to let it go, please, let me know.