Too much loyalty?

[bowlingdaddy]

Over my years of bowling I have thrown a ball from just about every manufacturer. For my first few years I tried so hard to find "my company", the manufacturer that I could bowl with for the next 20 years. It soon became very apparent that different companies focused on different ball reactions. For instance, Brunswick is known for having a very heavy rolling reaction which helps on heavy oil. Storm is known for retaining energy until the ball gets down lane and then it has a sharp breakpoint.

Basically my advice for "newer" bowlers that are in the process of building that PERFECT arsenal of bowling balls is to not be afraid of using different manufacturer's bowling balls for the specific lane conditions.

Has anyone else ever tried this strategy?

[owlish]

I didn't know there was a big difference between the companies. I mean obviously ball composition between them all is different but have never thought about this subject. Being a new bowler of three to four months I enjoy using one company for now. It's easier for me to compare balls and pick something that will suit the condition.

[Graaille]

Sometimes a certain company matches well with a certain bowler - either their equipment gives the bowler the 'look' that they like to see (heavy rolling Brunswick, skid/snap Storm, etc...) or the equipment matches well to the lane oil that their particular center/house puts out. There has been some commentary in times past when the PBA was using certain lane oils for the events that "favored" one ball manufacturer over another, either due to viscosity or how the oil broke down over time. I think those debates are over since they now use more neutral lane oil manufacturers (Kegel if memory serves, feel free to correct me if I'm out of date).

But all in all, it's good to try multiple manufacturers until you find one or two that match up well with your game.

[Taku]

After you have been bowling for awhile, you realize that other balls from other companies look so interesting, so you want to try it out. I tried staying loyal to hammer, it didn't work out so well. I needed to try the invasion.. and I loved it.. as well as my Mars <33

[Jord_84]

Over the years, I've had so much success with Ebonite and Storm balls that I'm pretty loyal to their products. It's not that I'm stubborn and wont try new things.....I'm just pretty sure that when I drop a large amount of money on a ball from either of those companies I'm going to be satisfied with it.

[Stormed1]

For years i was primarily Storm?Roto as i matched up well with them I do like throwing stuff that everyone else isn't so last year i switched to 900 Global/AMF and have matched up very well with them. The only balls i have not matched up well with have been the Mega Recovery and Bounty Hunter Pearl as their covers are too stron for my slower ball speed and they burn up even on heavy oil shots. I am looking forward to the new Bank & Profit as the use coverstocks that i have matched up well with in the past S73 (Break Point) & S70 pearl (break Pearl)

[Strike Domination]

Being loyal to company or two shouldn't just be about loyalty, it should be what's best for you. Some companies do tend to have some roll characteristics in their balls, but I think most companies are making stuff with a variety in reactions, even Storm and Brunswick. From an arsenal and line-up standpoint, it's much easier to stick with one, two, maybe even three companies to read up on and throw. There will be a lot less guess work in what to expect out of your next ball, and it's easier to keep up with just a few companies as far as what they have out and what everything does.

That said, I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to throw at least one ball from just about every major brand, and even some of the smaller ones. So I don't blame anyone for wanting to try something different at least once in a while.

[mrbill]

I would stay with one ball maker if it was not so cheap to find use balls of all sorts on craigs list and have them redrilled.
Got my Quntum for big back end hook, Then got my Heat2 for med to heavy oil.
Then I got my MoRev for med oil.
Then my jigsaw with polish for dry fronts.
Then my trusty plastic WWF Raw is War Spare ball.
After Wash and redrill I est about $150.00 total except for the new jigsaw that cost about the same as all the above used ones.
$20 here $30 there and I will open my own shop lol

[JAnderson]

Most companies' equipment does seem to have a trend, but there are usually exceptions for each manufacturer. As previously stated, Brunswick stuff seems to want to roll early. Storm generally creates more back end motion. Ebonite stuff is usually clean through the heads. 900 Global stuff all rolls on the back. Hammer always seems to hook more than expected.

Big differences? Not really. Just tendencies.

Absolutely, the ball needs to match the bowler. A good friend and I put that to the test one night in about as controlled an environment as it gets. Using the same ball (in this case the original No Mercy) with a "demo days" rig so that we could both throw the same ball, on the same lane, same condition. Two different bowlers, playing the same line, two completely different ball reactions. The bowler is still the #1 factor in ball reaction.

The point? Just because Kelly Kulick won a Major with a Ebonite Mission doesn't mean you'll dominate your ______ league with it on your home conditions. But it doesn't mean you won't either.

Over the last 10 years I've tried 76 (I keep a database of stats per ball) different pieces of equipment. The only thing I can tell you with complete accuracy is this: you don't know what the ball is going to do for you until you throw it.

[kev3inp]

I couldn't have said it better myself. I'm not really particular to any one brand, but each mfr seemed to have something that I could learn how it wanted to be thrown for the best results for me. I don't buy a whole lot of equipment, but over the years I've been lucky in winning some. I wish they still made the Absolute Inferno. I loved that ball, but now I need it in 14 lbs, I can't throw 16 any longer. Now I'm in a get-a-ball league for the Brunswick Slingshot to be my light/dry oil ball.