Hi everyone!

Im recently getting back into bowling after a lay off for some years. I'm getting back in to bowling, and am in need of a benchmark ball. I was originally considering a black widow but upon further review believe a hyroad would be best.

Im right handed and throw around 16mph with an estimated rev rate in the 300s. I like to bowl straighter I normally throw from the outside around the 2nd arrow. So I was originally going to go with a hyroad pearl I've seen a few reaction videos and it seems like i could line up well on a house shot with it.

But I wanted to get some feedback from those who know better than me. It will most likely be my only ball for the immediate future and hopefully serves me well come league time.

I cant remember exactly what balls I used to have but I know my benchmark was an ebonite solid and I also had an ebonite pearl that was a bit cheaper. Was able to stay outside with the solid rather than moving in with the pearl which suits my game naturally.

Thanks for the help!

TL;DR if you tend to see more friction go pearl if you see more fresh oil go with the original.  X is too condition specific for only ball.

(edit: reply to post below - OG Hy-Road is my go to ball on THS of the many dozen I own (only ball have 2nd NIB squirreled away).  My Hy-Road Pearl recently cracked and I wasn't even really sad about it (16# and didn't match up with it).  Does seem like a lot of people love one a lot more than the other.)

Depends on how much friction you see.  OG can handle more oil so might be more versatile if going with a single ball for league as you can use it on the fresh a little easier (but pearl would probably be better for wood, 2nd shift, lot of early transition, etc).  X from what I hear is too condition specific for what you want.

Yeah actually I have two bowling alleys close by and one of them has wooden lanes so should be good for me there. May still end up getting an original Hy road, I think they both would be good fits for me.