I am in a unique position on this ball and on bowling in general.
I have been bowling since the 1960s and have 300 games and was averaging about 220 at the end of the 2013-2014 season.
Right-handed.
At that point I had to quit do to a a torn Labrum and torn rotator cuff in my right shoulder (injury, bowling related)
So in since June 2014 I have been bowling Left-Handed. It's been a long road but over the last few months a got more consistent and now I have my average for this season above 170. Last three months it's more like 180.
That said, I am NOT ACCURATE. I know what accuracy is. I used to be accurate. Simularly, my release is inconsistent. Both those things are getting better, but on an absolute scale compared to where I was, I am moderately bad. But getting better.
For the last year or so I have been using a Rocket. And it's fine. But there were two characteristics I wanted to address in a new ball. One is that when I miss left with the rocket, it crosses over. And when I missed right the Rocket did not carry since it skid all the way to the pocket. Again, this is not a complaint about the Rocket. This is ME using a Rocket. I wanted something that was at once more powerful but a little less reactive to dry. Something smoother and more forgiving that would give me more area. I was not looking for a boomerang.
So now I have a Phaze. And it took me a while to figure it out, but this is where I am: I am standing 25-ish and throwing the ball at the 4-7 and watching it hook back into the pocket. I typically cross 12-15 at the arrows. The ball goes out to about 3-4 then charges back, with good carry and good power (remember, I am BAD).
THE BEST THING about it is the MARGIN I have. Especially left. I can miss 5 boards left and it will still find the pocket. I can miss 3-4 right and still carry through the oil. It's very smooth and forgiving. And it's forgiving of inconsistent releases (remember, I am Bad).
With the Rocket if I threw that line it might make it back to the head pin, but it would be tired when it gets there. I could move five boards left and strike, but not have nearly the room for error. If I missed left, it's picking up right now when it hits the dry and crossing over. So the rocket on my best day had about a 3-4 board area (did I mention that the left side of the lane seems a lot tighter?). This would have been great right handed, but it's tough for me to be that consistent left handed.
So that's a report from a late 50s guy who's been bowling all his life, knows what he's looking at and trying to re-learn the game from the left side.
To those of you who are having trouble with your Phaze, I would say suggest trying something different. I thought I would be able to play it straight. So did my coach. I couldn't. Maybe it just doesn't like that. Try moving inside. For me, that was the key to generating area with it. I just said "what the hell" and moved further and further right. And the more right I went, the more area I had. For me it always seems to find its way home from there. Down and in? That was frustration.
Two videos helped me with it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hWgfPj5dzNUThis shows middle-out from the right with a Phaze compared to "real" pearl balls. This video helped me figure the ball out more than any other video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgYQGIghSEoThe second shows something like what I am seeing from the left side, shots all over the place that manage to find home. What I would call the "forgiving" nature of the ball. Also made by a "converted" lefty.
As to the surface, it reminds me of the "epoxy" ball from a few years ago: EPT-X1? I have not changed mine.
After 20-one games with it, the last few I am averaging close to 195. So it's forgiving nature is helping me a lot and giving me options I did not have before.
Hope this helps someone.
