Starting over again for the second time

[Just_Steve]

So.... Bear with me here for the back story. I last posted here 5 years ago (see this thread) http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/22716-Starting-over-after-a-quarter-century. Well, I used that Ebonite Fuze Igniter mentioned in that thread for the last 5 years. To be honest, I didn't make a serious effort.... partly because of three job changes, and partly because of nagging injuries (finger, wrist, and elbow\forearm soreness and tendonitis) from my tendency to overdo it, and partly ball fit. Sometimes the thumb just plain of stuck, sometimes I had pain in the back of my fingers the next day. So, I would bowl a couple sessions and take a week to a month or more off.... NOT GOOD, I Never really developed anything consistent. I believe that it was in part because I was "trying to make the ball react" instead of letting it do it's thing. Also, I now believe that 16# ball was too heavy and contributed greatly to the tendonitis.....

So with the back story out of the way...... The Fuze Igniter is history.... good riddance! It cracked in the bag and I am now looking at a fresh slate to build on. Also going to a different PSO to do the drilling..... a close friend of coworker that has done their balls forever.

Where my mind is:
1- I am gonna need a new spare ball at some point cuz I was just rolling one ball or using a house ball - no idea here what i want, plan to basically throw a straight ball so cheap and plastic.
2- Ball for medium-heavy oil - Thinking Hammer blackwidow 3.0 or 2.0
3- Ball for medium-light oil - Thinking Raw Hammer black solid

At this point I'll probably start with the Raw Hammer and go from there..... Any critiques or suggestions?

Steve

[J Anderson]

So.... Bear with me here for the back story. I last posted here 5 years ago (see this thread) http://www.bowlingboards.com/threads/22716-Starting-over-after-a-quarter-century. Well, I used that Ebonite Fuze Igniter mentioned in that thread for the last 5 years. To be honest, I didn't make a serious effort.... partly because of three job changes, and partly because of nagging injuries (finger, wrist, and elbow\forearm soreness and tendonitis) from my tendency to overdo it, and partly ball fit. Sometimes the thumb just plain of stuck, sometimes I had pain in the back of my fingers the next day. So, I would bowl a couple sessions and take a week to a month or more off.... NOT GOOD, I Never really developed anything consistent. I believe that it was in part because I was "trying to make the ball react" instead of letting it do it's thing. Also, I now believe that 16# ball was too heavy and contributed greatly to the tendonitis.....

So with the back story out of the way...... The Fuze Igniter is history.... good riddance! It cracked in the bag and I am now looking at a fresh slate to build on. Also going to a different PSO to do the drilling..... a close friend of coworker that has done their balls forever.

Where my mind is:
1- I am gonna need a new spare ball at some point cuz I was just rolling one ball or using a house ball - no idea here what i want, plan to basically throw a straight ball so cheap and plastic.
2- Ball for medium-heavy oil - Thinking Hammer blackwidow 3.0 or 2.0
3- Ball for medium-light oil - Thinking Raw Hammer black solid

At this point I'll probably start with the Raw Hammer and go from there..... Any critiques or suggestions?

Steve

Sounds like a good plan. I dropped from 15 to 14 this year because of occasional pain in the hand and fingers. Pitches were changed and span was shortened due to a lack of flexibility as well. Given that your old ball is gone, your new ball fitter won’t be tempted to just tweak your old fit but will have to start from scratch

[Aslan]

It's hard to give a good ball recommendation without knowing more about how you throw the ball, average, etc...

If you're just starting out, and you're limiting yourself to 2 strike balls and a spare ball...AND you're limiting yourself to the Hammer brand...

...I'd probably recommend getting something from the Scorpion series or an Ocean VIBE...and pairing that up with a Hammer Effect. The "issue" I have with that advice is that I've thrown a Scorpion Sting and that ball cracked faster than any ball I've ever had drilled (last < 1 year)...so I have some quality concerns about that line. And if you go with the Ocean VIBE and Hammer Effect...the Ocean VIBE might not have enough 'pop' to help a new bowler carry.

You also probably are not bowling on the lane conditions you described. Everyone bowling leagues bowls on a THS unless their in a challenge/PBA league. That means..."heavy versus light" is less accurate than "narrow versus wide". And, for a new bowler....all houses are going to seem "slick" because your release isn't near optimal. A "wider" THS will seem "slick" because you don't have enough hand and are inside the oil line. A "narrow" THS is going to seem "slick" because you're using aggressive equipment on the dry and it's losing energy before it hits the pocket.

The Hammer 2.0/3.0 are good balls...I just think its too much ball for a new bowler. The Hammer Raw is a nice "dry lane ball"...but I really, really wouldn't recommend a ball with that high of an RG...unless you're an older player and have virtually no speed and a lot of hand. 2.554 RG is up there. I've thrown 2.55, 2.58, 2.586, and a 2.62...and the only one I'd recommend was the the 2.586 Slingshot...mainly for older/high rev, low speed bowlers...and because it was a nice ball for < $60. But you have to be rev dominant to make those balls work...and I'm speed dominant.

Good Luck!