How Much Does The PBA Influence Your Next Bowling Ball Purchase??

[truocco]

How much if any does the PBA influence your next bowling ball purchase?

What do you look for in a new ball and if the PBA does influence you what do you look for on the show?

If not, what does effect your purchase?

[Trex]

For me, it has no effect. :)

I beat all of them when I rolled a 900 series in 1998 in a Pro Am.

I do respect Roger Bowker for Bowling with me, and also the other Pro Bowlers who were nice enough to sign my shirt!!

Because of the crap I got over Bowling a 900 series, I Quit for 10 years!!

Then when I decided to return, I checked into a few new balls that had the PBA logo on them such as the PBA Shark bowling ball, and the others in the line.

I chose the Elite R-43 and The Shark Bowling ball, and both were Junk in my opinion as they would not react like my old equipment did. Instead they reacted much like a Plastic WD.

I then went on to buy another "98" Bowling balls over the next few years trying to find something decent.

My favorite was the Roto Grip Cell (Original) and The Storm (Tropical Storm).

what does effect your purchase?

For me Results!! As in Demo days!! ...when I can try out all the new balls in the line and see how each ball reacts!!!

Sadly in my area the Bowling centers put out a different oil pattern on demo day, than what they put out in league. It Makes it hard to figure out which ball to chose when they do that silly crap!!

Because of that, I then must study videos made by folks like you Tony, then study the specs and make my choice from there.

My Bowling style Requires a Low RG, med to high diff, matte surface bowling ball.

The layout that works best for my style as of late is the one made popular by Ric Hamlin, combined with a dull matte surface on Particle and pearl bowling balls.

[martin]

hmm for me not really.. what really influences me is suggestions form friends and fellow bowlers.. +reviews from websites from top quality bowlers..

[truocco]

hmm for me not really.. what really influences me is suggestions form friends and fellow bowlers.. +reviews from websites from top quality bowlers..

Martin - Do video reviews like the ones we shoot on bowlingball.com have more of an influence on your purchase? Are there any suggestions you ahve for us on our videos?

[truocco]

For me, it has no effect. :)

I beat all of them when I rolled a 900 series in 1998 in a Pro Am.

I do respect Roger Bowker for Bowling with me, and also the other Pro Bowlers who were nice enough to sign my shirt!!

Because of the crap I got over Bowling a 900 series, I Quit for 10 years!!

Then when I decided to return, I checked into a few new balls that had the PBA logo on them such as the PBA Shark bowling ball, and the others in the line.

I chose the Elite R-43 and The Shark Bowling ball, and both were Junk in my opinion as they would not react like my old equipment did. Instead they reacted much like a Plastic WD.

I then went on to buy another "98" Bowling balls over the next few years trying to find something decent.

My favorite was the Roto Grip Cell (Original) and The Storm (Tropical Storm).

what does effect your purchase?

For me Results!! As in Demo days!! ...when I can try out all the new balls in the line and see how each ball reacts!!!

Sadly in my area the Bowling centers put out a different oil pattern on demo day, than what they put out in league. It Makes it hard to figure out which ball to chose when they do that silly crap!!

Because of that, I then must study videos made by folks like you Tony, then study the specs and make my choice from there.

My Bowling style Requires a Low RG, med to high diff, matte surface bowling ball.

The layout that works best for my style as of late is the one made popular by Ric Hamlin, combined with a dull matte surface on Particle and pearl bowling balls.

Trex-

Congrats on the 900, was that one of the sanctioned ones?

Are you using the Rico layout on symmetric or asymmetrical balls currently?

[The Mayor]

Usually if a ball is popular with a large portion of guys on tour, especially the free agents with no affiliation, you have to take notice. These guys throw tons of bowling balls. If a bunch of them like the same thing, you've got a winner. Like the Hy-Road since its release, a staple on tour.

[Trex]

Trex-

Congrats on the 900, was that one of the sanctioned ones?

Are you using the Rico layout on symmetric or asymmetrical balls currently?

I have tried the Rico layout on both symmetric & asymmetrical.

The symmetric ball is a Columbia Chaos Black....Particle.

The asymmetrical ball is the Track Uprising.....Solid Reactive.

Both worked Great, but I sold the uprising to a friend who wanted it really bad.

The chaos I still use in league, and it really works great when everything else is not turning the corner! Meaning...when everything else goes straight and will not hook, the Rico drilled Chaos will hook the whole lane!!! :)

As far as the 900, nah...Wasn't sanctioned. :(

I got a lot of grief over it though! Made a lot of people angry, most kept saying that I just got lucky, and that It was a fluke!! I know I got lucky, but they acted as though I did not deserve not even a congrats!

To this day, one of the Pro shop owners still tells people that I'm just lucky, and that I am not really a good bowler. I try to ignore that, but it does get old.

Thanks for the Congrats :)

[StormGirl]

Wow Trex, congrats on a 900 series. First time I've heard of anyone accomplishing this. Don't listen to what anyone else says. They're just jealous they haven't been able to get anywhere close to your series. I think all sports require you to have some luck. Pure skill can only get you so far :). Anyway, on topic. I don't think the PBA has any influence on a ball I would like to purchase. It would however make me look into the ball, and make the decision from there. Like Trex, I too enjoy going to the demo days so that I can roll the balls. Unfortunately the smallest span they have is a 4, and I'm like a 3 x/x. It still works out for me though. I went to the Ebonite/Columbia/Hammer/Track demo day not too long ago and really liked the 919c and the Ransom Demand :p. Wasn't too fond of the new Taboo like I thought I would be.

[kev3inp]

There's no way I can make a ball work like the pros, so it has no influence. And on most of the vids I don't throw it that well, either. :) Put out one featuring a lefty stroker and I'll pay more attention to it. Mostly I watch what other bowlers are throwing then find out as much as I can from reviews, etc.

[JerseyJim]

My pro shop guys have a much bigger influence on me than the pros on TV over the years.

[truocco]

My pro shop guys have a much bigger influence on me than the pros on TV over the years.

JerseyJim-

That is great to hear. I am always glad to hear that pro shop operators still some influence out there. That was where I started out and I still think that the good shop operators can be the biggest influence on our sport.

[bowl1820]

What influences me most is research.
First determining why I think I need a new ball. Am I replacing a old ball? Or looking to play a different condition? Etc.
Then look at what balls are out there that fit why I want it. "Bowling This Month" magazine helps more than watching the Pro's and seeing what they are using.
Once I get a idea I look online, see how they are reviewed by other users. Maybe watch a video. Though watching the videos doesnt mean much.
Watching someone throw strike after strike, doesnt show you anything. Throw a couple of strikes at first, to show the strikeline. Then throw the same shot, but miss your mark a board or two to the right. So we can see how it recovers.
Then show me missing to the left an how it holds up the middle. That would tell you more, than watching three minutes of strikes.
Then once I have a idea on a couple of balls I think Might work, I go to the pro shop and talk to him. Talking to the pro shop is still the best place for info. (my pro is pretty good, keeps up to date,go to the seminars and such. He Just got a new helper too, pretty smart young guy too. Helped me decide on the new ball I just got.)
Now if I see a pro who bowls similar to me, sure I watch him. See what hes using, will I buy something just because hes using no.

(Now when I watch the pros, like on tv. Im watching how they bowl more than what they are using.)

[BallBuster]

I would have to say if you have a pro bowler that you admire and that has a similar shot and release as you do then and only then can you attempt to purchase the same equipment.

-Keep it rollin'

[TCDale]

Martin - Do video reviews like the ones we shoot on bowlingball.com have more of an influence on your purchase? Are there any suggestions you ahve for us on our videos?
I use bowlingballdotcom for a lot of my videos to check out possible balls I might want to get. I watch people who bowl similarly how I do, and then try to see what they are using. The network people aren't doing a good job letting folks know what is in the arsenal, until last year. I would definitely want feedback from guys at bowlingballdotcom, local bowlers, regional bowlers, and more than one pro shop, as locally we really have bad coaches, and ball drillers are way below normal standards. Sometimes the ball manufacturers are hard to nail down on what is available for my kind of bowling, and what they want to sell.

If you could get a stroker bowler on there, it would really be good. Not all of us play all the left and throw it right. :)

[Trex]

I use bowlingballdotcom for a lot of my videos to check out possible balls I might want to get. I watch people who bowl similarly how I do, and then try to see what they are using. The network people aren't doing a good job letting folks know what is in the arsenal, until last year. I would definitely want feedback from guys at bowlingballdotcom, local bowlers, regional bowlers, and more than one pro shop, as locally we really have bad coaches, and ball drillers are way below normal standards. Sometimes the ball manufacturers are hard to nail down on what is available for my kind of bowling, and what they want to sell.

If you could get a stroker bowler on there, it would really be good. Not all of us play all the left and throw it right. :)

I understand what you are saying Dale, but in today's bowling game you simply cannot throw down & in all the time!

You must learn how to play angles due to the High Tech oil patterns being put out now days....due to High Tech bowling balls!!

High Tech Bowling Balls designed to combat High Tech oil patterns have changed Bowling so much that it is hard to be serious about bowling without learning how to play all the angles!!

If you need a New Bowling Ball that has a smooth arc reaction, take a look at the new Hammer re-release of the urethane Blue Hammer. you can find it on some sites on the internet such as below:

http://www.buddiesproshop.com/p-3064-hammer-blue-hammer-bowling-ball.aspx

Watch the video of this ball thrown by different style bowlers including strokers!! :)

If this ball hooks too much for you, then your only option is Plastic.

[TCDale]

You know Trex, I played Plastic for a long time, and I would rather be using what I have now (HyRoad), but, since I havent been able to put a lot of games on it yet, I sometimes get lost when bowling on house patterns that are dry in one place, and wet in another in my hometown I travel to Indy to bowl at Woodland when I can and I get a lot better action/reaction with the ball there. But, bowling locally is really a crapshoot.

I will look at the Blue Hammer, but, I would really like to understand this new ball and fingering before I go and buy another ball. (from plastic conventional grip to HyRoad fingertip) I bowled with a urethane fingertip I got at a garage sale, but, this new ball is drilled for me, and I believe it will fit my game, I just need some lines with it to get used to it.

Wish leagues were not so expensive, that would help my game out as well. My high game is 233 (in league) and series was under 500 as I couldnt break 150 the other two games. That was with plastic ball couple of decades now. I would love to find a beginner or senior citizen (50 and older ) around here I could enjoy. Travelling an hour to bowl league is not financially possible for me. :)

[HunterRunsIt]

Online Reviews and My Proshop Influence my opinion rather than the pro's on the television. Considering ill never throw on the patterns they throw on for the time being, Ill stick to my methods!