Do new balls or OOB finish balls need games on them to work right?

[Hammer]

When I bought my ball new I found that I had to put about 6 to 8 games on it before it would work well with my style or technique. When I gave it an out of box finish it seemed to need the same thing. I don't know if it is just me or if this is the case for most folks. It seems like putting a few games on a new or OOB finish ball does something to the surface to maybe make it hook better. Maybe it has to do with they way your ball tracks and that track has to get some wear on it to function correctly for you. I compare it to racing tires on a race car. They have to get some use on them to get some wear on them before they grip better for faster speeds around corners. Anyone else here find this to be the case for a new ball or an OOB finish ball you have used? :cool:

[cibolodave]

It takes me a few more games to get the ball acting like it should. About 20 games or so

[dnhoffman]

Are you polishing the ball?

[bowlerRob2]

My Storm ROP has not acted very well. Hits the pocket like a pillow. I assumed it is because I am not using it under the conditions it was designed for (longer oil pattern). So I put it away for a future day when I go join a sport league. However I doubt if I even have 15 games on it, so maybe you are on to something here.

[Hammer]

Are you polishing the ball?

When I had the surface on my Blue Hammer changed from 4000 Abralon to 2000 Abralon I had the pro shop give it 2000 with dull finish instead of 2000 with the polished finish. Just experimenting to see what a different surface change will do to this ball. I guess that I can hit it with some polish later if I feel I want to try that. For now the dull 2000 will be getting used.

[Hammer]

My Storm ROP has not acted very well. Hits the pocket like a pillow. I assumed it is because I am not using it under the conditions it was designed for (longer oil pattern). So I put it away for a future day when I go join a sport league. However I doubt if I even have 15 games on it, so maybe you are on to something here.

What condition lanes do you bowl on? According to bowlingball.com the Storm Reign of Power is for medium to oily lane condition. You can get it to work on dry-medium dry lane condition with ball speed, less surface or with layout to maybe the weaker side of layout.

[bowlerRob2]

What condition lanes do you bowl on? According to bowlingball.com the Storm Reign of Power is for medium to oily lane condition. You can get it to work on dry-medium dry lane condition with ball speed, less surface or with layout to maybe the weaker side of layout.

Mostly medium dry and it doesn't seem to hit no matter what ball speed I use and I can't adjust that too much. Someone suggested changing the surface from its OOB 1000 to a 3000 and applying some polish. I am considering doing that.

[Hammer]

If you change your surface from OOB 1000 to 3000 and apply polish this will make the ball go further down the lane before it breaks to the pocket and I think you said it isn't hitting the pocket hard now with the OOB finish. Maybe the real problem is your release. Maybe you are not staying behind the ball long enough before you rotate your fingers one or two inches after your thumb comes out first. Plus at the release your wrist should be straight or a little cupped when you are releasing the ball. If you are muscling the ball on the forward
swing and your wrist is breaking backward when it gets to the release area you will not have good revs to hit the pocket hard. With the surface the ball has which is OOB 1000 it should have enough to get it to the pocket good. If you are using this ball on a THS dry lane then the ball will lose energy from too much friction on the lane and it will hit light. So maybe the 3000 surface will help, you there so it stores some energy to hit the pocket better.