Do you own more than 6 balls?

[Jessiewoodard57]

I finally got rid of all but 3 that I carry for a THS league, no reason for others.

Carry a primal rage, yeti uncaged, and mix spare - if you're bowling at a single house on THS and carry more than "strong, medium, spare" it is my opinion that you're kidding yourself....

That being said, I battle myself not to buy a new ball every week...it's like red necks and sparkle finish speed boats...I just want em'.....

Bowling ball idise I call I have the same problem with Storm and Roto Grip balls. Do I need another ball?? Like I need another hole in the head but I find myself wanting the Roto Grip Hectic

[J Anderson]

Have 2 drilled for my left hand, although I usually just use the storm HyRoad for everything lefty.
Have 7 drilled for my right hand, two are definitely retired, one may back a brief return to action on the Cheetah pattern.
Generally, I only bring four balls to the alley.
I've had good luck with used balls, buying two from the local pro shop before they decided there wasn't enough profit in stocking them, and two that I'm still using from a friend.

[Ptnomore]

I have accumulated 9 in 6 or so years. One has been in use for 30 years. A couple are very condition specific, and were just "fun" pieces to play with.

I typically take 4 with me to my to weekly league nights, including a dedicated spare ball. I feel like I NEED to bring all 9 with me just because from night to night, the lanes are so different at this house. It's pretty frustrating some nights.

But initially started (when I came back to bowling about 6 years ago) with a medium ball (Columbia 300 Freeze) which was my first finger tip ball also, and my old Columbia 300 White Dot I got when I was just 15 years old and that combo worked great for me for a couple of years while I was learning, getting pro coaching, getting my form and release under control.

Then the house started flooding the lanes making that Freeze pretty dang useless. So I purchased the Brunswick Wicked Siege, and did well with those two for a couple of years, then the lanes dried up and I couldn't keep those two on the lanes, so I got a Storm Natural.

I was set. had my 3 ball set up. Then I got bored. Started picking up a ball here and there just to try different ball motions (Hammer Taboo Jet Black, Hammer Arson Hybrid, Hammer Nail Smoke and Fire).

Then I experienced ball death, or so I thought, with the Wicked Siege. So I replaced that 2 years ago with the Motiv Cruel Intent. But then this year out of frustration with the league patterns this season, I pulled the Wicked Siege back out of retirement, and tried something different with the surface, and it worked great, even threw a 700 series (rare for me) with it. It worked, for a couple of weeks. And I did hear comments about "that old purple ball". Wierd. But then the pattern changed again.

My current league average is 197. Summer league I carried a solid 207 average the entire season.

I'm a skeptic. I never believed the hype of the ball advertisements, the video's or even league mates comments on the latest and greatest. I go into everything with my eyes wide open. When I buy a ball, I have a specific purpose in mind, not just cuz I'm hoping for better. My Dad is in his 70's and hasn't purchased a ball in almost 20 years. He still averages over 200, and still throws a solid 300 from time to time.

if I throw a bad game now, I know it's 100% my fault. Not the lane, not the ball, not the oil or the machine. It's me. I have the equipment and enough know how to over come whatever the lanes throw at me. For some conditions though, I know, I'm just not good enough. And I'm ok with it. But, I know from just dealing with my teammates, that that type of thinking is much too rare at league night.

Psychology goes a LONG way in this sport. When you lose confidence in your equipment, NOTHING will change it, short of time with a professional coach to prove you wrong ( and I have used that method a couple of times). But a new ball seems to cure so much, that logic just can't compete with. I see it way too much. And it's one of the VERY few things that frustrates me at league night with my team mates.

[scottymoney]

I currently own 6

Motiv: Forza, Shock, Primal Rage, Tribal, Tag

Track 100P Spare Ball

At First it was buying because it was what I wanted, now I buy for what fits in my arsenal and what my needs are. I am looking at a Motiv Jackal or Maybe a Revolt Havoc next. But those are balls I am looking for to fill the need of something a bit more aggressive for longer/heavier oil patterns that I may face as I start bowling tournaments.

I currently average 199. After starting the year in a slump I have rebounded nicely and have not bowled under 600 for over 6 weeks now in this league.

I have learned enough about my game with taking a BowlU class over the summer. Part of the reason I had an early season slump was thinking too much, but after talking with Brad Angelo and working out what I was doing, I have been bowling very well. Well enough to catch the eye of some good bowlers and finding myself now bowling on a more competitive league. It is nice at times to have a few guys who you can talk to and discuss what is going on. 2 of the guys that happen to also work at the bowling alley as well as bowl with me now, have really given me a good support system to discuss and figure things out.

Knowing my equipment and the purpose of each ball as well as the differences between each allow me to make decent ball changes. Having multiple balls will get you nowhere especially when they all match or are built for the same purpose. I see so many guys with balls that all have the same surface, same RG cores and they wonder why ball changes do not work. I am one of those guys who shows up with 5 balls every night and hears the guys trying to joke how I have too many. But the scores don't lie, it works if you know what you are doing.

I have really only used NIB balls now as in most cases the used balls I want are not cheap enough to bother with, especially if you have to get them plugged and redrilled.

[larry mc]

i have 17 and use them in different leagues ,, i just like trying new stuff and it doesnt hurt that my pso is a friend who gives me stuff and lets me pay it of in small increments ,

[Lefty651]

I own 1. I'm far too poor to justify buying myself more although I would really like a spare ball sometime in the future. The ball i own now (Motiv Venom Panic) is not great for my style

[TonyInPortland]

I own 7, but only actively use 4 at this time.

The 3 retired are: Columbia: The Beast & Black Chaos and Mor-Rich Minotaeur.

The 4 I take to league are: Radical Reax-2 & Reax Gusto, Storm Red Hot & Columbia Blue Dot spare ball.

I bought both Radical balls in the last 2 years and I am tempted to keep buying more new balls, but, for the conditions I am currently bowling on, it does not seem to be necessary. Both my leagues this year are in the same house, although one is a late league, the shots so far this year have not been that different. I have had success mostly using the Reax-2. The Gusto is still nearly brand new. The Red Hot I have not used this season. I only bring it in case the lanes end up being very dry, which I thought may happen in a late shift league, but so far, this has not been the case.

I have not bought any because of people on TV or other high average bowlers.

Current average is 204 in early league and 208 in late league.

[Tony]

I have 9, of which 3 are still in their dusty boxes awaiting drilling. I just got two Hammerflage 3-ball totes so I can take my 6 drilled balls to league now. All are 16 pounders and all OOB surfaces.
Black Widow Legend, Brunswick Melee Cross and Platinum Pearl Ringer, DV8 Marauder Mutiny, Thug

I can't imagine waiting more than a few days before getting a newly acquired ball drilled and taking it out for a test drive!

[vdubtx]

I can't imagine waiting more than a few days before getting a newly acquired ball drilled and taking it out for a test drive!

Go ask Aslan how many he has sitting in his closet waiting for a good time to introduce them to his arsenal.

[Jessiewoodard57]

Go ask Aslan how many he has sitting in his closet waiting for a good time to introduce them to his arsenal.

From what I keep hearing about Aslan's bowling balls I think he could build a wall for a good size house with them.