Help Me Decide My Next Ball

[RoccoRock]

I've been debating this all day, so I want to see what to get some opinions here. I have 3 balls in mind. The Brutal Nightmare the Marauder Madness, or the Diva. I want something stronger than my Marauder. I think the Brutal may be to strong. Really I'm going back and fourth between the Diva and the Madness. I'm bowling mostly on house shots. Doing really know my stats, but my rev rate is around 400, and I throw around 17 mph, and i have a lot of side roll. Any feedback on these balls would help. Please don't suggest something other than these 3, I'm not really interested in anything else.

[J Anderson]

I think the guys from my local pro shop have both been throwing Divas at least some of the time in the sport league. I have no idea if they've done well with the Diva or not. I'm usually too preoccupied trying to figure out my line to notice if another bowler has changed balls.

[striker12]

ok if you say your have a 400 rev rate and 17mph then dont get the brutal nightmare you will barly be able to control it but the madness would be a great ball the diva might be abit more skid/flip then the madness so the madness would have a stronger grab then the diva.

but if your willing to use a different brand then the brunswick meanstreak brawler is a great ball hits the pocket hard and makes those pins clean the pin deck

[billf]

Diva. The Madness is a dull, asymmetrical core so it can be a bit jumpy. Not exactly what you need going back to one-handed. The Diva is symmetrical and polished. It goes clean through the heads with a good mid-lane read. I enjoyed using the Diva while it lasted (it was for my sister but I used it before getting the thumb plugged and drilled for her.)

Another way to view it: Machuga and Russell could use any Brunswick/DV8 ball yet they both chose the Diva this past season.

The Brutal Nightmare, in my opinion, is too much ball for a THS given your speed and rev rate. Our numbers are close and I have to take off almost all side roll and revs just to keep it on the lane. Constantly lofting the gutter gets tiring.

[RoccoRock]

Thanks Bill, I was leaning toward the Diva anyway. I think it's a nice step up from the Marauder. Real men can throw pink and be confident in it! I did see Russel and Machuga throwing the Diva a lot, but I also saw Chugs throw the Madness in one of the team tourneys. I also saw Cimmanelli throwing the Brutal Nightmare most of the season, with mixed results. So far I like my Marauder, I just want something a stronger, and the Diva may be the way go.

[billf]

Cimmanelli, being a sterotypical lefty, can throw an agressive ball nice and easy down ten and crush the pocket. When he missed my more than an inch that ball would just take off on him.

The Madness is a good ball but given how jumpy asymmetrical core balls can be, I wouldn't jump at it yet when you get so frustrated with your one-handed bowling.

[RoccoRock]

Well as usual in my life, once I made up my mind, things changed. I was going to get the Diva, until I talked to a friend. He said he has connections with Columbia 300, and he can get me really good deals on all Ebonite brands. So, it looks like I will be buying a 811c/t. Fine with me, I have a 607a which I love, and my last hot streak was with a 508a.

[RoccoRock]

Well as usual in my life, once I made up my mind, things changed...

...and they change again. As much as I would like to deal with the pro shop my friend recommended, I think I will stick with my pro shop. The guy I just started using quoted me a great price on the Diva, do I'm going to do that. I just wish I started going to this pro shop sooner.

[RoccoRock]

The Madness is a dull, asymmetrical core

Hey Bill, i just looked it up and both the Marauder and the Marauder Madness both have symmetrical cores. I'm still going Diva, just found it interesting when I looked up symmetrical core balls on Bowlingball.com

[billf]

You're right. Wow, all this time I thought it had an asymmetrical core. Guess I'm dumber than I knew.

[RoccoRock]

You're right. Wow, all this time I thought it had an asymmetrical core. Guess I'm dumber than I knew.

Nah, just a simple mistake. I wish I was as smart as you when it comes to balls, and layouts.. I was depressed all night last night after trying to read about ball layouts. I'm trying to learn these things to help me understand what my ball will do, and it just doesn't compute. I don't think I'll ever understand. If I do buy the Diva, I want is setup right, using my stats, and a good layout. I just can't figure out what that would be.

[billf]

Even once you understand them, it takes some practice (trial and error) to correctly match them all. Mo Pinel's info on layouts seems to explain it best and can be found on the www.morichbowling.com website under the education tab and more at www.bowlingchat.net under the wiki section.

[RoccoRock]

Even once you understand them, it takes some practice (trial and error) to correctly match them all. Mo Pinel's info on layouts seems to explain it best and can be found on the www.morichbowling.com website under the education tab and more at www.bowlingchat.net under the wiki section.

That's the one I read last night that almost made my head explode. I just got done reading it again, with an old ball sitting next to me. Having a 3D visual guide helped. Between that, and letting my brain settle overnight I got a better understanding. Like you said, it takes practice even after you understand a little, but I don't feel as hopeless as last night. Now the issue comes up that I have two styles, so if I layout a ball for one hand, then try that ball two handed it changes the layout. Especially because my track with two hands is very close to the finger holes. The separation between the two styles is becoming bigger and bigger equipment wise. I've also gone to much larger grips two handed, to eliminate the issues I was having with my fingers. If I keep up two styles, I need two different sets of equipment.

[RoccoRock]

Diva on the way. Picking it up next week. Both my driller, and my coach told me not to stress about learning dual angle layouts. They'll help me along the way, and make sure my equipment is right, and I know when to use it. They'll teach me as we go. I trust them, especially my coach, I've know for 12 years.

[Perrin]

great news.

One of the better bowlers in my area has no idea about Drilling. The same guy has been drilling all his equipment for 20+ years.

if he needs something he just goes to his driller and says I want a ball to have X reaction on Y oil Pattern and the Driller picks the ball, surface, drilling etc.

Basically what I am saying is that if it works for you go with it :)

[Bendial]

I personally am kind of over the DV8 brand, my next ball is going to be a Storm I think.

[RoccoRock]

I personally am kind of over the DV8 brand, my next ball is going to be a Storm I think.

To each their own. I can't stand Storm's fruity pebbles smelling balls. I would never buy one again unless they stop the smelly balls. If I were to try another brand aside from DV8, it would be Motiv. I know a few guys who use Motiv stuff and they love them. Either that or go back to Track/Hammer.

I was reading today about PSA layouts. That's what my guys use. Between what I read, and what they've told me already I think I have a good staring point. I can't wait for my Diva, I wish I could go get it tonight.

[Jaescrub]

I liked both my Dv8 balls but kinda wish I would have got a three set of roto grips, but some of the storm balls smell great. I would rule them out just cuz the smell. But the diva is a good ball from what I have seen.

[RoccoRock]

I just feel that there is so much great stuff out there, that if something turns you off about a ball, or brand then why use it? I hate fruity smelling balls, I can find plenty of ball that are the equivalent, or even better that don't smell. I've used Roto Grip balls before, and I liked them. I thought about buying a Defiant Soul, but for now I would rather just stay with one brand.

[RoccoRock]

Bought the Diva last night, bowled a few games with it. I think in 6 games with it, I threw it well a total of 5 times. But hey, those 5 were strikes, so I think I like it. The lanes were really dry too, so is hard to tell. I will say this, it's a good looking ball.

[RoccoRock]

... and my crap luck continues. The brand new Diva, six games old, has a crack in it. UN F'n Believable. There's a hairline crack from the finger to the pin. I'm so pissed. I can't catch a figgin break. We'll, I guess I did catch a break,a break in my bowling ball.

[I suck at bowling]

... and my crap luck continues. The brand new Diva, six games old, has a crack in it. UN F'n Believable. There's a hairline crack from the finger to the pin. I'm so pissed. I can't catch a figgin break. We'll, I guess I did catch a break,a break in my bowling ball.

The warranty might cover that though!

I was kinda in the same situation, my Sync cracked around the fingers after it was a month old, and warranty doesn't cover that so I was SOL.

[RoccoRock]

The warranty might cover that though!

I was kinda in the same situation, my Sync cracked around the fingers after it was a month old, and warranty doesn't cover that so I was SOL.

Even if they cover it, and replace the ball I will still have to pay for it to get drilled again. Just sucks. I may use it for a few months, then see about getting it replaced. If that's the case, I will drill it different than this one. I had it drilled pin down. That's fine for my one handed style, which is the main reason I bought the ball. However, because I have one again changed my mind, and decided to do both, the pin down drilling is not the best choice. Everything I read about two handed layouts say the same thing, everything should be pin up. Something about the very high track of two handers. You should also have the thumb kicked right, either in line or even right of the ring finger. I can't do that it I want to use a ball for both styles. I am having one ball, my Marauder, getting plugged and kicked. I haven't had a ball with the thumb kicked in a while, and the Marauder was a good candidate because it needed to be plugged anyway. The span was shorter than the other 3 balls I use now, and it had a Turbo Switch Grip in it, and I don't use them anymore. So if they replace the Diva, and I have to pay to get it drilled, I'll have it drilled pin up. It will cost the same as having this Diva plugged and re drilled, but it would be a new ball, no plugs. We'll see, I'm sure I'll change my mind in a few hours anyway. After all, I am the Bi Polar bowler.

[I suck at bowling]

Even if they cover it, and replace the ball I will still have to pay for it to get drilled again. Just sucks. I may use it for a few months, then see about getting it replaced. If that's the case, I will drill it different than this one. I had it drilled pin down. That's fine for my one handed style, which is the main reason I bought the ball. However, because I have one again changed my mind, and decided to do both, the pin down drilling is not the best choice. Everything I read about two handed layouts say the same thing, everything should be pin up. Something about the very high track of two handers. You should also have the thumb kicked right, either in line or even right of the ring finger. I can't do that it I want to use a ball for both styles. I am having one ball, my Marauder, getting plugged and kicked. I haven't had a ball with the thumb kicked in a while, and the Marauder was a good candidate because it needed to be plugged anyway. The span was shorter than the other 3 balls I use now, and it had a Turbo Switch Grip in it, and I don't use them anymore. So if they replace the Diva, and I have to pay to get it drilled, I'll have it drilled pin up. It will cost the same as having this Diva plugged and re drilled, but it would be a new ball, no plugs. We'll see, I'm sure I'll change my mind in a few hours anyway. After all, I am the Bi Polar bowler.


It is smart to get the thumb kicked out You might be able to bowl one handed with it if you kick the thumb out a 1/2 inch.

Thats what I do anyway.

[RoccoRock]

I haven't had a ball with a thumbhole kicked since my 607A. I loved that ball, and I was one of only 3 people on the planet who likes that ball. I am looking forward to picking up mu Marauder with the thumb kicked. If it works out, the Diva, if it gets replaced, mat end up drilled the same as my Marauder.