Need input on ball

[Phonetek]

My son wants a Zen Master. I asked him why and he's insisting it's a great ball. I found out it's because of one of his co-workers at the pro shop thinks it is. His co-worker is a high back swing, high rev modern release cranker. My son is none of those.

Everyone I talk to says the regular Zen is better. Because one guy said so who has basically the opposite type of style from his is NOT a good enough reason to buy it.

Now he loves his Venom shock but it's on its last legs. His first one is dead already. I wanted to get him a Pride to replace it. He also has a VIP, purple Hammer and a Hammer Gauntlet and spare ball.

I don't want to get him something that is the same as what he has or something that isn't made for his throwing style. I don't need to spend the money for something that's just going to end up sitting on a ball cup until it cracks.

[djp1080]

Like I've posted here before I've had two balls from Storm that have cracked. The first one was around 8 or 9 years old and the other was 6 or 7 years old. I've got over 20 balls left to go now.
Not that familiar with the Zen or Zen Master, but from what I've seen of them on-line they both look pretty nice.
Most of my gear is Storm brands, but do have a Hammer Dark Legend (nice) and a Venom Shock solid (nice).
The Pride looks good to me but it looks much like the Venom Shock. I don't understand how the Venom Shock could go dead. I wipe my ball after each shot with a shammy and use my ball cleaner after each session. When it was new, it hooked off the lane. I took it home and took a 4000 grit pad to it. That settled it down nicely and I could like up just like I could with my IQ Tour Solid. Pretty similar reaction actually, but the Shock continued through the pins a bit better. All I've ever done with it is to take a 3000 grit pad to it every now and then to take the shine off and it should last for nearly an eternity I'd think just like the IQ Tour Solid should.
Take care. Get him the Pride...

[Phonetek]

The venom has a couple thousand games on it easy. This kid bowls a minimum of 15 games a day 6 days a week sometimes 7. He makes a point of doing so. Rain or shine he's either where we work, Bowlero or another center where he happens to be for a meet. My wife cannot pick him up until he bowls 15 games! He absolutely demands it. Sometimes more. Minus a few weeks when he hurt his knee.

All of it with the VS. That ball has made several trips through my ball oven and he's done all kinds of surface changes at the pro shop where he works. I mean it still works but it has lost some of its pop. It's beat to death. Regardless of the surface changes, it wears off very quickly. I could maybe do a complete resurface to get more life out of it but even his boss tells him it's about dead. It's even cracking around the thumbhole.

I'd rather get him the pride as a replacement to the VS because it's a small minor change, nothing drastic. From what I've been told the Zen Master would be a much more dramatic change. He's bowling extremely well right now. I don't want him to get something drastic that's going to mess him up right in the thick of things of his season. If it ain't broke.... Off season I don't care but to do that now would be awful timing.

He IS getting the pride, it's not a question of one over the other. He wants the ZM in addition. I'm just not sure that's such a great idea. I wish I could figure out how to post videos on here from my phone. A computer I can but I don't have one at my disposal anymore to do so. I tried doing what the link says Bowl posted on here but I never get it to work. You guys seeing videos of how he throws would help see if that Zen would be right for him.

[RobLV1]

I think you son needs to look further. It's not a matter of the Zen or the Zen Master; they both have the same core. As long as you don't mind changing the surfaces, they are basically the same ball. Storm products tend to go longer than most brands. Motiv started out by making the cores for the early-rolling Brunswick balls before they moved to Mexico. Motiv balls tend to be a little bit earlier rolling than Storm products. It's not a good thing or a bad thing, it's just a thing. If your son has had success with a Motiv product, I would suggest he stay with that line regardless of what the guy in the pro shop says. Global staffer?

[Phonetek]

I think you son needs to look further. It's not a matter of the Zen or the Zen Master; they both have the same core. As long as you don't mind changing the surfaces, they are basically the same ball. Storm products tend to go longer than most brands. Motiv started out by making the cores for the early-rolling Brunswick balls before they moved to Mexico. Motiv balls tend to be a little bit earlier rolling than Storm products. It's not a good thing or a bad thing, it's just a thing. If your son has had success with a Motiv product, I would suggest he stay with that line regardless of what the guy in the pro shop says. Global staffer?

Oddly enough he's a Hammer staffer. Another thing he isn't is a coach. Now that I said that, his coaches are who I should be asking.

I tried getting video of him to upload at his meet but there must be something wrong with the chairs at that bowling center. Not one kid sat down the entire time. Plus the opposing coach stood like a statue in the same spot for the whole meet which was right in the way.

I'll see what I can get tonight when he comes to practice. I'm sure he will