Hello everyone! 😊
any opinions or suggestions for a benchmark ball?
any brand will do, discontinued balls will do.

A reply would be deeply appreciated.
Thanks so much

Venom shock; IQ Tour would be my two suggestions. Both smooth and predictable, middle of pack for hook.

My suggestions would be:

Motiv Venom Shock
Storm Torrent
Roto Grip Dare Devil Trick

Hyroad, IQ Tour, Venom Shock, Vintage Danger Zone, Vintage Inferno to name a few.

Thank you all so much for the replies, i really appreciate it.
keep sending them suggestions and opinions.
looks like the IQ tour and the Venom shock are the odds on favorite as a benchmark ball 😊

Thank you all so much for the replies, i really appreciate it.
keep sending them suggestions and opinions.
looks like the IQ tour and the Venom shock are the odds on favorite as a benchmark ball 😊

Just an FYI the Hy-Road generally hits harder than the IQ Tour.  If you only bowl on typical house shot or lighter oil I would go with the Hy-Road.  If you bowl on heavier oil or sports patterns than the IQ Tour is probably better (depending on your style and how you drill ball, surface, etc etc).  In my opinion you can set them up to complement each other well (pin up Hy-Road less surface, polish and pin down IQ Tour more surface) but some might say they are too close together.  Also have heard from some on here that differences between the IQ Tour and Venom Shock are negligible at least on the lane.

Okay, quick question or two for the experts.  Shouldn't a bowlers style play a part in the discussion of a benchmark ball? 

I thought the definition of a benchmark ball was one that would fit in the middle of a bowler's arsenal or range of usable balls.  If so, wouldn't the benchmark for a slow speed senior bowler be different than that of a high rev, high speed bowler?  That being asked, how can suggestions for a benchmark ball be thrown out with no info on the bowler asking for one? 


Edited:   I should have probably used a low speed high rev bowler vs a high speed low rev bowler as comparisons.  They would probably view much different types of balls as benchmark.

Okay, quick question or two for the experts.  Shouldn't a bowlers style play a part in the discussion of a benchmark ball? 

I thought the definition of a benchmark ball was one that would fit in the middle of a bowler's arsenal or range of usable balls.  If so, wouldn't the benchmark for a slow speed senior bowler be different than that of a high rev, high speed bowler?  That being asked, how can suggestions for a benchmark ball be thrown out with no info on the bowler asking for one? 


Edited:   I should have probably used a low speed high rev bowler vs a high speed low rev bowler as comparisons.  They would probably view much different types of balls as benchmark.

Yes bowler matters for sure.  That said in general the IQ Tour, Hy-Road, and Venom Shock tend to be the most popular benchmarks for the widest number of bowlers.  But yeah some of the senior bowlers might even consider the old Blue Hammer as their benchmark if on old beat to crap wood lanes with their lower ball speed.