What Works for One...

[The German Shepherd]

I enjoy reading bowling equipment reviews. They have led me to some good acquisitions as I have come back to bowling after a long lay-off. HOWEVER, there is one thing I have learned in researching, and that is, don't place complete trust in reviews. This includes things like ball reaction videos, written reviews and the like. I have learned that, what does not work well for one may still work very well for someone else. Also, what works well for someone else may not work well for me!

For instance, I love the Defiant Soul but not the Storm IQ Pearl (Gold Nugget, Butterscotch Krimpet, whatever you wanna call it). I have read some real love/hate reviews of the Defiant Soul, but find that (for me) the ball rolls well with great projection and recovery. On the other hand, I have found TONS of gold Storm balls all over my leagues! I cannot throw that gold ball without it straightening out/stopping before it hits the pocket! I have tried it in various drillings and on various patterns and. for me. it hits like a stale pancake. I watch other bowlers stringing strikes with it. ICEMAN loves his!

So, the point of this post is this - don't just place your trust in someone else's opinion. Try things for yourself and form your own...what works for one may not work for another and what doesn't work for others may very well work for you.

Jay

[vdubtx]

Amen to that Jay. If actually read reviews on balls out there, you will see many of the reviews are from staff members from the companies that are paid to hype it up.

One thing I like to do is read reviews but I take it with grain of salt. I then find a center where I can actually try it out. Lots of places do this, just have to find the one that has the ball you are looking for.

[Zaxmazr]

Amen to that Jay. If actually read reviews on balls out there, you will see many of the reviews are from staff members from the companies that are paid to hype it up.

One thing I like to do is read reviews but I take it with grain of salt. I then find a center where I can actually try it out. Lots of places do this, just have to find the one that has the ball you are looking for.

This 100%. I don't buy a ball unless I go to this pro shop about 2 hours from me. Guys there are amazingly talented and their knowledge for bowling is incredible.

[Aslan]

I'm starting to think the ball doesn't matter as much as people make it seem. I mean, yeah, a reactive resin is going to outperform a urethane or plastic in terms of angle of entry and pin carry...but does it really, really matter if it's a BYTE or a SYNC?? A DV8 or a Brunswick? I see all these ball reaction videos and they make it look like if you buy THEIR ball you'll get 16 straight strikes. So what? If Norm Duke used an IQ he'd bowl a 152 but if he uses a Marvel S he'll roll a 900 series?? Come on...really?

Ya know what would be a fun event to watch? Get a pro to use each brand of ball...the lowest ball in their line. The Storm guy throwing a Tropical Breeze...Brunswick throwing a Strike King...etc... I bet, they'd average 210. All the manufacturers...Hammer, DV8, Lane #1, Columbia...all of them. All entry level balls. I don't think it would matter. Now, if you make them throw plastic house balls...then it matters. But all this "X makes the best bowling balls"...they're all the same. Reactive resin. Use a large rock as the core...use a softball as the core....use a tiny replica of the statue of Liberty....doesn't matter. At least thats my "hypothesis". And hopefully sometime in March, when I have a new ball to try...I'll get to test that hypothesis.

[Hampe]

but does it really, really matter if it's a BYTE or a SYNC?? A DV8 or a Brunswick? While I agree with you that the ball company doesn't matter (Brunswick or Storm), a different ball surface (solid or pearl i.e. byte or sync) will make a difference somewhat. Each ball is optimal for different conditions, and even though it's possible a great player could play high scores using a sub-optimal ball for that condition, an average player will see higher scores for one ball on a certain condition than for another ball.

But I agree....ball reviews today by proshops are almost worthless. Every time you read one its like a Mad-Lib of bowling jargon. "The ball came clean off my hand with a good roll, cleared the heads and mid lane, and got down to the friction where it destroyed the pins." Sums up almost every review I've read over the last 5 years.

[Zaxmazr]

While I agree with you that the ball company doesn't matter (Brunswick or Storm), a different ball surface (solid or pearl i.e. byte or sync) will make a difference somewhat. Each ball is optimal for different conditions, and even though it's possible a great player could play high scores using a sub-optimal ball for that condition, an average player will see higher scores for one ball on a certain condition than for another ball.

But I agree....ball reviews today by proshops are almost worthless. Every time you read one its like a Mad-Lib of bowling jargon. "The ball came clean off my hand with a good roll, cleared the heads and mid lane, and got down to the friction where it destroyed the pins." Sums up almost every review I've read over the last 5 years.

To be honest other than testing the ball out yourself, I like how most of the online places have videos about the balls. Then you really know if it's good or not.

[The German Shepherd]

<snip> But I agree....ball reviews today by proshops are almost worthless. Every time you read one its like a Mad-Lib of bowling jargon. "The ball came clean off my hand with a good roll, cleared the heads and mid lane, and got down to the friction where it destroyed the pins." Sums up almost every review I've read over the last 5 years.

How true this is. If you went by the manufacturers' and pro-shop reviews, you would think that every new ball is the best ever....I am blessed to have a pro who is very honest with his opinions about bowling equipment. There have been times I have gone to see him about a ball, and he has discouraged me from buying it because it would not be a good fit for my game, my bowling house, etc....


Jay

[Zaxmazr]

How true this is. If you went by the manufacturers' and pro-shop reviews, you would think that every new ball is the best ever....I am blessed to have a pro who is very honest with his opinions about bowling equipment. There have been times I have gone to see him about a ball, and he has discouraged me from buying it because it would not be a good fit for my game, my bowling house, etc....


Jay

When my friend and I went to pick out and test our new balls, the shop owner explained to us literally everything about multiple balls which would be essential to our play styles.
Then he singled out an expensive ball vs. a none expensive ball. And sure enough he recommended the non-expensive ball for my friend!
Goes to show you that not all shop owners are in it for the money, but for the love of the game.