Ever go on a bowling ball buying frenzy?

[bowl1820]

Yes but that begs the question how often do you need a new one?

Judge by this

Not counting the balls I won recently, I have four balls I took to league.

A White Dot I don't even remember when I got it.
A Storm Pyro I got it in 2007
A Nomad Solid I got it in 2009
A Nomad Dagger I got it in 2011, this is the last one I bought.

They all still look and work great for league or tournament and don't need to be replaced yet.

[Aslan]

Yes but that begs the question how often do you need a new one?

I once heard that the average active bowler goes through a ball per year.

An active bowler is a bowler that bowls a minimum of two leagues, which is 6 games per week for 50 weeks. Thats 300 games on a ball.

Now, there's also varying levels of practice…to account for. But, to counter that, once you have more than one ball…you're going to use Ball #1 less…like how ya get a multi-car discount in auto insurance. Can't throw 2 balls at the same time right?

So, for my Frantic, I waited 300 games before ADDING another ball. I then waited another 300 games before adding the next ball(s). I will now wait another 400 games before REPLACING Ball #1. At that point it will have a total of 1000 games on it.

I then plan on waiting another 600 games before doing a wholesale arsenal replacement and going with 15lb equipment. At that point:
- Ball #2 will have roughly 1300 games on it.
- Balls #3 & #4 will have roughly 1000 games on them.

So, to sum it up, if I'm ADDING a ball to a 3-4 ball arsenal (not counting the spare ball), I would do it every 300-400 games. But I wouldn't REPLACE a ball until it had 1000-1300 games bowled. Now, most of those games will be using OTHER balls…but over the course of 1000-1300 games…you "probably" put 300-400 games on that particular ball.

Now, if you have an app and it tells you exactly how many games you have with each ball…then you can just wait for that 300-400. But I have the PinPal app…and it works great…but sometimes you forget to specify what ball or you change balls and forget to change it in the app…so it's not totally reliable.

Data: (according to PinPal, although not super accurate):
Since 1/22/14:

Frantic: 112 games (+300-400 games pre-app)
Rhythm: 292 games (+100-200 games pre-app)
Slingshot (not counting spare shots): 46 games (I don't use it much as a strike ball)
Encounter (N): 46 games (just purchased a month ago)
Encounter (A): 29 games (just purchased a month ago)

So the next ball to be replaced is the Frantic at 1400 games (total) and I'm currently at 1140. However, I use the Frantic approximately 6 games per month…yet I bowl on average 72 games per month. That means I'll hit 1400 in 5 months, yet will probably only have another 30 games on the Frantic by that point.

Everything I do has a system…and most things have an Excel spreadsheet involved.

[Amyers]

I once heard that the average active bowler goes through a ball per year.

An active bowler is a bowler that bowls a minimum of two leagues, which is 6 games per week for 50 weeks. Thats 300 games on a ball.

Now, there's also varying levels of practice…to account for. But, to counter that, once you have more than one ball…you're going to use Ball #1 less…like how ya get a multi-car discount in auto insurance. Can't throw 2 balls at the same time right?

So, for my Frantic, I waited 300 games before ADDING another ball. I then waited another 300 games before adding the next ball(s). I will now wait another 400 games before REPLACING Ball #1. At that point it will have a total of 1000 games on it.

I then plan on waiting another 600 games before doing a wholesale arsenal replacement and going with 15lb equipment. At that point:
- Ball #2 will have roughly 1300 games on it.
- Balls #3 & #4 will have roughly 1000 games on them.

So, to sum it up, if I'm ADDING a ball to a 3-4 ball arsenal (not counting the spare ball), I would do it every 300-400 games. But I wouldn't REPLACE a ball until it had 1000-1300 games bowled. Now, most of those games will be using OTHER balls…but over the course of 1000-1300 games…you "probably" put 300-400 games on that particular ball.

Now, if you have an app and it tells you exactly how many games you have with each ball…then you can just wait for that 300-400. But I have the PinPal app…and it works great…but sometimes you forget to specify what ball or you change balls and forget to change it in the app…so it's not totally reliable.

Data: (according to PinPal, although not super accurate):
Since 1/22/14:

Frantic: 112 games (+300-400 games pre-app)
Rhythm: 292 games (+100-200 games pre-app)
Slingshot (not counting spare shots): 46 games (I don't use it much as a strike ball)
Encounter (N): 46 games (just purchased a month ago)
Encounter (A): 29 games (just purchased a month ago)

So the next ball to be replaced is the Frantic at 1400 games (total) and I'm currently at 1140. However, I use the Frantic approximately 6 games per month…yet I bowl on average 72 games per month. That means I'll hit 1400 in 5 months, yet will probably only have another 30 games on the Frantic by that point.

Everything I do has a system…and most things have an Excel spreadsheet involved.

I'm not sure if I should be happy for you or feel bad for you. Other than work I'm pretty sure I've never used and excel spreadsheet for anything.

[Aslan]

I'm not sure if I should be happy for you or feel bad for you. Other than work I'm pretty sure I've never used and excel spreadsheet for anything.

I've used it for just about everything.

I have spreadsheets for fantasy baseball, fantasy football, bowling, bills, car selection, apartment selection, golf…I even one for rating strip clubs.

A VERY useful piece of programming! I may be a nerd…BUT…since I'm still too dumb to figure out how to fully utilize MS Access…I'm still okay.

[rv driver]

I once heard that the average active bowler goes through a ball per year.

An active bowler is a bowler that bowls a minimum of two leagues, which is 6 games per week for 50 weeks. Thats 300 games on a ball.

Now, there's also varying levels of practice…to account for. But, to counter that, once you have more than one ball…you're going to use Ball #1 less…like how ya get a multi-car discount in auto insurance. Can't throw 2 balls at the same time right?

So, for my Frantic, I waited 300 games before ADDING another ball. I then waited another 300 games before adding the next ball(s). I will now wait another 400 games before REPLACING Ball #1. At that point it will have a total of 1000 games on it.

I then plan on waiting another 600 games before doing a wholesale arsenal replacement and going with 15lb equipment. At that point:
- Ball #2 will have roughly 1300 games on it.
- Balls #3 & #4 will have roughly 1000 games on them.

So, to sum it up, if I'm ADDING a ball to a 3-4 ball arsenal (not counting the spare ball), I would do it every 300-400 games. But I wouldn't REPLACE a ball until it had 1000-1300 games bowled. Now, most of those games will be using OTHER balls…but over the course of 1000-1300 games…you "probably" put 300-400 games on that particular ball.

Now, if you have an app and it tells you exactly how many games you have with each ball…then you can just wait for that 300-400. But I have the PinPal app…and it works great…but sometimes you forget to specify what ball or you change balls and forget to change it in the app…so it's not totally reliable.

Data: (according to PinPal, although not super accurate):
Since 1/22/14:

Frantic: 112 games (+300-400 games pre-app)
Rhythm: 292 games (+100-200 games pre-app)
Slingshot (not counting spare shots): 46 games (I don't use it much as a strike ball)
Encounter (N): 46 games (just purchased a month ago)
Encounter (A): 29 games (just purchased a month ago)

So the next ball to be replaced is the Frantic at 1400 games (total) and I'm currently at 1140. However, I use the Frantic approximately 6 games per month…yet I bowl on average 72 games per month. That means I'll hit 1400 in 5 months, yet will probably only have another 30 games on the Frantic by that point.

Everything I do has a system…and most things have an Excel spreadsheet involved.

(Hint: I'm petty sure dating and women don't benefit from a spreadsheet... Just sayin'.)

[Aslan]

(Hint: I'm petty sure dating and women don't benefit from a spreadsheet... Just sayin'.)

Well, I don't have one for that. BUT...if you've ever been on eharmony...they use an algorithm which could rudimentally be done using a spreadhsheet. So it IS possible. And, likely more accurate than the alternative method of getting drunk, seeing a girl in a short skirt, and following her around.

[Amyers]

Well, I don't have one for that. BUT...if you've ever been on eharmony...they use an algorithm which could rudimentally be done using a spreadhsheet. So it IS possible. And, likely more accurate than the alternative method of getting drunk, seeing a girl in a short skirt, and following her around.

And now no one wonders why Aslan is single

(Not that they really ever did)

[Aslan]

And now no one wonders why Aslan is single

(Not that they really ever did)

Well…with that epic psychological assessment…we truly MUST hear the story of how Amyers and the better half met, fell in love, and are now wonderfully happy together.

..sits back with popcorn and kleenex (for the tears of joy)...

[Amyers]

Well…with that epic psychological assessment…we truly MUST hear the story of how Amyers and the better half met, fell in love, and are now wonderfully happy together.

..sits back with popcorn and kleenex (for the tears of joy)...

No great mystery there. I was lucky enough to marry her when she was still young and stupid somehow just managed to hang on these years. We celebrated our 20th anniversary in June.

[rv driver]

Well, I don't have one for that. BUT...if you've ever been on eharmony...they use an algorithm which could rudimentally be done using a spreadhsheet. So it IS possible. And, likely more accurate than the alternative method of getting drunk, seeing a girl in a short skirt, and following her around.

I've never tried the "beer google method." I wad always too savvy for the "10 &2 Rule": at 2 am she looks like a 10; at 10 am she looks like a 2.