bought a bunch of balls tonight

[boatman37]

Well after getting back into bowling a couple of weeks ago and having absolutely no equipment my wife found somebody selling a Hammer 4 ball roller bag along with 6 bowling balls. I wasn't really interested in the balls but did need a bag so made an offer on the bag and it was accepted. Went to pick up the bag tonight and threw out a number for everything and it was accepted so ended up with the following:

(2) Hammer Spikes (blue/orange)
(1) Hammer Bad A$$ (pin just below the right finger hole)
(1) Hammer Absolute Curve (pin above and slightly right of the right finger hole)
(1) Brunswick Ultra Zone
(1) Columbia Oath

Oh...and the bowling bag

They are all supposed to be 15# and all drilled for fingertip with inserts. The Zone is cracked and chipped near the finger holes so likely no good and I am not putting anything into it to try to fix it. They are supposed to be right handed but not sure about that. Smaller span with smaller fingers so I can't use any of them as is.

My plan is to give 2 of them to my youngest boys (28 and 24 so not that young...lol). They aren't really into bowling but do go occasionally and who knows, if they have better equipment maybe they will get into it. Might take one of them to have set up as a spare ball as my Storm Sync has way too much hook for spares. Probably sell whatever is left.

So they are 'supposed' to be drilled right handed but all of them the right side finger is further away than the left? Most are drilled with the pin just above the right finger hole. The guy was a pretty good bowler. Looked him up and saw articles of 800's online. Didn't meet him. Dealt with his wife but she said he is a righty and she should know...lol. I can use a right handed ball for spares, mainly just something with less hook on it. Might take one of those and get new inserts and have them redrill the thumb hole.

I plan to buy a brand new first ball before the start of next season but for now I will make do with what I have.

So of those balls which would likely be the straighter ball that I could set up for spares? The Columbia Oath?

P.S.-these balls are all used up pretty good so they aren't something I would want as my primary equipment at my level. The bag alone was worth what I paid for everything so the balls were pretty much free.

EDIT:
Well my son came home and took the Absolute Curve so that one is off the table. He bowled in youth leagues when he was younger but only till he was about 8 and threw a straight ball then.

[Amyers]

Not sure about the oath or ultra zone but of the others the spike would be the least aggressive

[chip82901]

Not sure about the oath or ultra zone but of the others the spike would be the least aggressive

Best option if none of those work, you can find a cheap plastic ball and have it drilled for usually less than $100.

[bowl1820]

(2) Hammer Spikes (blue/orange)
Pearl medium-medium dry lanes

(1) Hammer Bad A$$ (pin just below the right finger hole)
(1) Hammer Absolute Curve (pin above and slightly right of the right finger hole)
These balls have the same numbers. the Absolute is a hybrid and the Bad A is a solid (I have it , it's good ball.)


(1) Brunswick Ultra Zone
-It's old and cracked toss it.

(1) Columbia Oath
-Strongest of the bunch

The Oath (54 hook, 14 Length), Bad A$$ (52 hook, 15 Length) and the Spike (49 hook, 16Length), wouldn't be a bad 3 ball set. IMO Clean them up, give the Oath about 2000 surface, B.A. OOB and lite polish the spike see how they roll.

[fordman1]

Maybe only others with a lot of balls should answer boatman.

[boatman37]

Thanks guys. Talked to the PSO last night and his take was that these are too old of technology and not worth redrilling. He did say he would do it if thats what i wanted but brought up the point that is it really worth spending $60 on a redrill when i can buy a brand new ball drilled for about $180. I definitely see his point but what I'm wondering is i am currently using a ball that was drilled for another lefty. Fits me pretty good but still not set up for me. I'm thinking it might be smart to get one of these old balls drilled just for me and use it until I get my form back and use it as a template for the next ball. Meaning if the current ball isn't drilled for me maybe it doesn't quite roll like it would if it were and he drills the new one based off bad info? Or am i putting way too much thought into this? lol.

Of all the ball the Spike looks to be in the best condition but it has been plugged once already. Does that matter? The Bad A$$ hasn't been plugged yet but it definitely has some games on it. a nice cleaning wouldn't hurt it.

[JasonNJ]

I don't think the Hammer balls are that old and to me there really isn't any old technology, if the ball matches up well with your bowling style and lane conditions then it doesn't matter if the ball is 20 years old or not.

You can also think of it this way, if you spend $180 to plug all 3 balls then you have 3 balls instead of one.

If I were you, I would just plug one and ask the PSO guy if he could throw in a resurface and then use that one for a while. Once you get your form back and are throwing it consistently, you can then consider a new ball and have that one drilled to your bowling style.

[Blacksox1]

boatman37, all good responses here.

Pick one that has not been plugged before. Have it plugged, resurfaced, tell the pso you want it drilled with a 4 x 4 x 2 layout, with new finger grips installed, secure that 60$ price. This will give you a chance to asses the work of the pso. Good luck and please give updates.

[boatman37]

The PSO seems to know his stuff. His average is 227 and his whole team is over 200. I went to talk to him last night and he was at a lane with another bowler recording his release and measuring the ball afterwards, checking the track, etc. So looks like he is doing it right. On top of that I told him who drilled my last ball and he said 'so it wasn't done right'...lol.

All of the balls have been plugged at least once already. The Bad A$$ has not been plugged but does have a balance hole in it that would have to be plugged too cause I am a lefty.

[Phonetek]

On top of that I told him who drilled my last ball and he said 'so it wasn't done right'...lol.

I'm sure he was being sarcastic and kidding around but that's kind of an arrogant thing for him to say. Trash talking other PSO's is a little unprofessional. Now you on the other hand being the customer it's a different story. After all, I dedicated an entire post to the crappy PSO I went to.