higher vs. lower end balls

[rv driver]

I think a lot of it depends on your house conditions and how you actually throw the ball.

But this is why they make entry level balls. My recommendations would be:

- Any of the balls in Storm's "Hot" line.
- Hammer's Arson or Amp balls.
- Brunswick Strike King series or the JP LT-48.
- Track 300A
- Columbia300 Eruption Pro
- DV8 Dude
- Pyramid Path Rising
- Motiv Ascent or Sigma Sting
- RotoGrip HP2 Line (Wrecker, Uproar, Rumble)

Any of the above are going to give you some decent high end technology and movement that you won't immediately outgrow...but none of them are going to react too abruptly or be unpredictable. The key is going to be having the ball driller watch you throw and drill the ball accordingly. Any of the above list could be perfect for you...or they could get drilled in a weird fashion that make them harder to use. The bowling balls don't matter much at this stage. They are all round, mostly symmetric cores, reactive coverstocks...and until you find your game again...the RGs and Diffs and all that aren't really going to matter much. I didn't include and 900Global or Ebonite because I think they make very good high end stuff...not too impressed with their entry/mid level stuff.

My only issue with the Tropical Breeze (besides it being a girl ball) is I think you'll outgrow it too quickly. Unless you're a high speed guy on wood lanes...I think you're going to want something stronger and then you gotta go out in 2-3 months and buy another ball. The "Hot" line and the line above it with the Hy Road series...you won't outgrow those balls very quickly and they are all very controllable. I only mentioned the "Hot" series because they're significantly cheaper...the Hy Roads are fairly popular and pricey...where as you can get any of those balls in the "Hot" line, get similar performance, and pay no more than $120 for the ball.

And if I had to choose a coverstock...again, kinda depends on your style and lanes...but a hybrid gives you something in the middle...which is a good place to start. So that being said...I'd go with the Rotogrip Wrecker over the Motiv Sigma Sting or the DV8 Dude. I think the DV8 Dude is the best of the bunch...but without seeing your game/conditions...not sure I'd recommend a solid coverstock. And the Wrecker is like $99 on bowlingball.com...less than the Dude, Sting, or Eruption Pro.

Mudpuppy Cliff Notes: Buy a Rotogrip Wrecker.

So... neither you nor Rob (or anyone else knowledgeable) think that these more "midrange" balls would be too uncontrollable for a first-time fingertip gripper?

[RobLV1]

OMG! The guy averaged 210 with a pre-reactive ball drilled non-fingertip. He already knows how to throw a bowling ball! All we are trying to do is to keep him from being totally overwhelmed by seeing a midrange ball hook like nothing he has ever imagined. Using all my fingers and toes, I couldn't count all the 250+ games I threw using a Tropical Breeze. Girl ball my A*s!

[rv driver]

OMG! The guy averaged 210 with a pre-reactive ball drilled non-fingertip. He already knows how to throw a bowling ball! All we are trying to do is to keep him from being totally overwhelmed by seeing a midrange ball hook like nothing he has ever imagined. Using all my fingers and toes, I couldn't count all the 250+ games I threw using a Tropical Breeze. Girl ball my A*s!

I just wanna be sure that slow ball speed and using a new grip isn't going to make the ball overreact. I don't think I need a jumpy ball until I learn to control it.
BTW, Rob, are you familiar with the Pyramid balls? If so, what's your opinion. I keep discounting them due to unfamiliarity and a couple of negative statements from the forum.

[Amyers]

I really felt this way too I wasn't bowling with plastic before but I was throwing a polished urethane that was 20 years old. Guess what it's 6 months latter and I wish I had something stronger on more days than not. If you keep into this you will eventually end up with a collection of balls so in the long run it won't matter in the short run I would suggest getting something middle of the road to start with. Also from what everyone says these newer balls don't have the life the older ones did I doubt we will see many people bowling with 20 year old storm syncs the way we do with the old hammers and stuff. Best advice I can give don't sweat it you can adjust the surface some if the ball is too much at first also

[rv driver]

I really felt this way too I wasn't bowling with plastic before but I was throwing a polished urethane that was 20 years old. Guess what it's 6 months latter and I wish I had something stronger on more days than not. If you keep into this you will eventually end up with a collection of balls so in the long run it won't matter in the short run I would suggest getting something middle of the road to start with. Also from what everyone says these newer balls don't have the life the older ones did I doubt we will see many people bowling with 20 year old storm syncs the way we do with the old hammers and stuff. Best advice I can give don't sweat it you can adjust the surface some if the ball is too much at first also

Right. I think middle of the road is probably more what I'm looking for rather than high-end.

[RobLV1]

Sorry, don't know anything about Pyramid balls.

[rv driver]

Sorry, don't know anything about Pyramid balls.

Yeah, doesn't seem to be much about them out there. I just keep coming back to the Breeze and the Freeze, no matter what else I look at. I just think these balls make more sense for me. I'd had a short love affair with the Up Roar, but I suspect that with a low ball speed, it would break too much.

[Amyers]

You might want to consider the hyroad by storm it has the hybrid cover discussed earlier and a little more umph than the breeze everyone I've talked to says its great and not crazy expensive

[Aslan]

So... neither you nor Rob (or anyone else knowledgeable) think that these more "midrange" balls would be too uncontrollable for a first-time fingertip gripper?

In a word….NO.

P.S. Thats from a first time fingertipper that started with a mid-range ball (Storm Frantic; formerly of the HOT series).

Using all my fingers and toes, I couldn't count all the 250+ games I threw using a Tropical Breeze. Girl ball my A*s!

Yeah…but thats slightly disingenuous. I mean, Mike W. (your hero) bowled a 300-game with a Storm Ice or Storm Mix. Does that mean a Storm Ice or Storm Mix would be the perfect ball for a new player?? Maybe as a spare ball…if the oil is heavier than a light dusting!

You and Mike have a higher level of skill and can use weaker bowling balls to attain a high score.

I still think…the guy goes midrange…symmetric…probably hybrid coverstock…and the ball serves him well for 9 months. He finds his game…then starts thinking about building an arsenal, etc…

Or…he gets a ball that smells like a birthday cake, all the other male bowlers tease him…2 weeks later he over-reacts and impulse buys a DV8 or Motiv with a manly monster name…then can't sell his 15lb Tropical Breeze because girls generally throw 10-14lbers….then he misses a credit card payment…pretty soon he's paying 29.99% and has a 490 credit score.

[Aslan]

You might want to consider the hyroad by storm it has the hybrid cover discussed earlier and a little more umph than the breeze everyone I've talked to says its great and not crazy expensive

I mentioned the Hy Road series. Excellent series with a proven track record. And I think very controllable. The "issue" is cost. Hy Roads aren't cheap. Not a lot of sales since it's so popular.