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Author Topic: What makes a ball great  (Read 11129 times)

newguy

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What makes a ball great
« on: March 19, 2012, 12:26:54 PM »
I pose this question, " What makes a ball great?"


Thinking back over the years many balls have come and gone but what made a great one. Specifically in recent years when balls are out of the line from most companies in 3 to 6 months. Why don't they stick around like they did years ago. Is technology changing so quickly that the ball launched in September has become obsolete? I have been looking throuh my files and been considering some of the great ones I had developed in the past and was wondering how would they do with todays covers on them on todays conditions.


What do you guys think?


 
Edited by newguy on 4/9/2012 at 11:46 AM
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qstick777

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #1 on: March 19, 2012, 01:02:17 PM »
I think you're asking two different questions:
 
1) what makes a ball great? 
 
2) why do manufacturers put out so many different balls so frequently?
 
"Specifically in recent years when balls are out of  the line from most companies in 3 to 6 months. Why don't they sick  around like they did years ago. Is technology changing so quickly that  the ball launched in September has become obsolete?"
 
I don't think that releasing a ball and discontinuing in 3-6 months is a matter of becoming obsolete, I think it's the necessary evil of what the "larger" bowling companies have become.
 
When you have a manufacturer that can pore a core every 12 seconds, all day long it's just a matter of business that they are going to put out as many balls as they can.   If they don't they are wasting money.  Why spend that much money on factory space and equipment if you are going to let it sit idle?
 
 
 
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dizzyfugu

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #2 on: March 19, 2012, 01:11:22 PM »
Only new balls sell. That's a spiral that will surely implode sooner or later, because every new ball generation is hyped to be more of anything. More hook, more control, more length, hadahada... It's blurring, and confusing. There's IMHO no customer orientation behind it, rather blind, product-focussed marketing which has to retrieve the advertising and production budgets with ever higher ROI and therefore quicker "ball lifetimes". This cannot go on for a long period. Company shake-out has begun, but I feel that the industry is just killing its customer base...

 

As a side note: this new ball hype also suggests that every "old" ball generation becomes totally outdated and obsolete with the next new thing on the agenda. It's so ridiculous. A ball from 15 years ago just works as good as then - and it will probably even last longer than today's thin-shelled, porous "expendable" orbs. A shame.


DizzyFugu - Reporting from Germany
2010/11 Benrather BC Club Champion
Confused by bowling? Check out BR.com's vault of wisdom: the unofficial FAQ section
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DizzyFugu ~ Reporting from Germany

Hoselrockets

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #3 on: March 19, 2012, 02:05:26 PM »
It must look good and make ME look good!

THB
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Cobalt Bomb

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #4 on: March 19, 2012, 02:33:39 PM »
I will attempt to answer the first part of newguy's question, what makes a ball great?

 

Probably the best definition I can think of is that the cover and core match up for a large number of bowlers on its intended condition. It's not usually just the cover or just the core (with the exception of technology leaps like urethane to resin). Using Storm, take the Virtual Gravity, with R2X solid and the Shape-Lock HD core. For a solid cover ball it retained energy very well and hit hard for almost any style bowler. Best selling Storm ball of all time. That core overwhelmed the R2X pearl in the Gravity Shift, which (in my opinion) was a much more condition specific ball. The same core is now used in the VG Nano, which is still a good ball, but the  Nano cover seems to be overwhelming the core. A similar, but opposite situation seems to be true with the Invasion/Anarchy core, where the pearl seems to be a much better match for that core, while with the solid R3X, it just seemed to roll too early and lose energy for a lot of bowlers.


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newguy

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #5 on: March 20, 2012, 01:40:27 PM »
The Question is " What makes a ball great?" the answers so far have been answering the question of "What makes a great ball?" We all know a great balls is one that the cover and core match and works on most contitions etc, but what is the defination of a What makes a ball great?


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WOWZERS

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #6 on: March 20, 2012, 03:19:28 PM »
A ball that was great was the Danger Zone. That ball changed the way Brunswick and other saw ball reaction, much like the Turbo X did when it was introduced. Did it work for everyone? Nope. However, we can look back and say that ball X was a turning point in technology and ball reaction. The original Danger Zone was one of those balls.


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djones

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #7 on: March 20, 2012, 04:07:50 PM »
Maybe what needs to be done is identify some of the balls that most would consider great, sticking to the reactive era; and then making a decision on what factors these balls brought to the table. Not all of them were great for everyone; but generally saying, they did stand out in their time. And don't think I won't miss some.

 

Brunswick-Teal RP, Danger Zone, Inferno

C300-Power Torq, Cuda C,

Ebonite-Turbo X, V2, Mission

Faball-3D Offset

Hammer-Black Widow

RG-Cell

Storm-Firestorm, El Nino, X-Factor, HyRoad, VG

Track-Heat

900G-Break (including Break Out/Eagle/Black Eagle)

 

I think the majority of these listed appealed to the masses because they brought the user a desirable reaction not otherwise seen to that point (Turbo-X, Danger Zone, Firestorm, Cuda-C, Cell, VG). Others brought a managable/consistant reaction (V2, Heat, HyRoad). Just my thoughts.

 


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LuckyLefty

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #8 on: March 20, 2012, 05:35:00 PM »
A great ball is one that is used by many bowlers with many different styles for many years and even after it's most useful period has passed is still in demand. 

 

Popularity because of effectiveness followed by popularity past it's prime.  That makes a great ball.

 

Examples

 

Rubber lt 48, Columbia Yellowdot, Danger Zone, Violet 3D offset, Ebonite One, Virtual Gravity.

 

Balls that were great balls, but were not balls that were great.

Demolition Zone, Crimson Red Sledgehammer, Hammer No Mercy Beatn, Columbia Full Swing.

 

The Demolition Zone I believe was the greatest of the balls that are great but not a great ball!

 

As my proshop operator said, "I can drill that ball just about any way for any style bowler and they will come back and brag about it in their league."  Was not a Danger Zone or Sapphire zone type of seller!

 

Regards,

 

Luckylefty

 

 

 

 

 

 


It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana
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It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

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strikezone_sanantonio

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #9 on: March 28, 2012, 05:02:23 PM »
Simple..."It's how marketable it is!"


Bo Littlefield
AMF / 900 Global Staff
Strike Zone, Inc. of San Antonio
-only pro shop in Texas with the largest selection and inventory
(210) 545-0303
email - strikezone3884@sbcglobal.net




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LuckyLefty

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #10 on: March 28, 2012, 08:13:10 PM »
Bo,

 

Well said!

 

Regards,

 

Luckylefty


It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana
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It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana

Bowl_Freak

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #11 on: April 08, 2012, 09:29:17 PM »
 I believe these days it's all about "Shelf Appeal" as most balls do the same things, hook the most.

ITS NEVER THE BALL OR THE LANES FAULT, ITS OPERATOR ERROR.

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LuckyLefty

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #12 on: April 09, 2012, 01:16:50 PM »
I would love to hear "newguys" opinions!

 

Regards,

 

Luckylefty


It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana
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It takes Courage to have Faith, and Faith to have Courage.

James M. McCurley, New Orleans, Louisiana

newguy

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #13 on: April 09, 2012, 01:45:53 PM »
In my opinion you must distinguish between a Great Ball and a Ball that is Great. Having said that a Ball that is Great has to fit several criteria. In no particular order

1) Looks, (and yes black looks good)

2) Not performance specific ( it can be tuned to cover a very wide range of conditions)

3) Driller friendly ( do need an a degree in Physics in order to understand and apply the drill patterns)

4) User friendly ( fits nearly all styles )

5) Marketability ( can grow sales legs and continue to be popular for a long time)

6) Performs as advertised ( just becausew the marketing says so doesn't always mean it actually does what they said)

 

A Great Ball  is one that performs on what it is designed to be used on, may look good but is Great at doing the job it was meant to do. A Great Ball is usually followed up quickly by another version using the same core with a differnet cover in order to Create another Great Ball with a different performance or good on a different pattern etc.

Just my opinion.

Any comments?


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Cobalt Bomb

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Re: What makes a ball great
« Reply #14 on: April 09, 2012, 01:50:33 PM »
In my opinion, it would be unusual for a great ball to be "great" with a pearl, hybrid and solid cover. If cover/core matchup is as critical as I believe, the best that can be hoped for is for it to be great with one cover, good with others. 
 



newguy wrote on 4/9/2012 11:45 AM:
In my opinion you must distinguish between a Great Ball and a Ball that is Great. Having said that a Ball that is Great has to fit several criteria. In no particular order


1) Looks, (and yes black looks good)


2) Not performance specific ( it can be tuned to cover a very wide range of conditions)


3) Driller friendly ( do need an a degree in Physics in order to understand and apply the drill patterns)


4) User friendly ( fits nearly all styles )


5) Marketability ( can grow sales legs and continue to be popular for a long time)


6) Performs as advertised ( just becausew the marketing says so doesn't always mean it actually does what they said)


 


A Great Ball  is one that performs on what it is designed to be used on, may look good but is Great at doing the job it was meant to do. A Great Ball is usually followed up quickly by another version using the same core with a differnet cover in order to Create another Great Ball with a different performance or good on a different pattern etc.


Just my opinion.


Any comments?




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