How Much Does The PBA Influence Your Next Bowling Ball Purchase??

[truocco]

How much if any does the PBA influence your next bowling ball purchase?

What do you look for in a new ball and if the PBA does influence you what do you look for on the show?

If not, what does effect your purchase?

[Trex]

For me, it has no effect.

I beat all of them when I rolled a 900 series in 1998 in a Pro Am.

I do respect Roger Bowker for Bowling with me, and also the other Pro Bowlers who were nice enough to sign my shirt!!

Because of the crap I got over Bowling a 900 series, I Quit for 10 years!!

Then when I decided to return, I checked into a few new balls that had the PBA logo on them such as the PBA Shark bowling ball, and the others in the line.

I chose the Elite R-43 and The Shark Bowling ball, and both were Junk in my opinion as they would not react like my old equipment did. Instead they reacted much like a Plastic WD.

I then went on to buy another "98" Bowling balls over the next few years trying to find something decent.

My favorite was the Roto Grip Cell (Original) and The Storm (Tropical Storm).

what does effect your purchase?

For me Results!! As in Demo days!! ...when I can try out all the new balls in the line and see how each ball reacts!!!

Sadly in my area the Bowling centers put out a different oil pattern on demo day, than what they put out in league. It Makes it hard to figure out which ball to chose when they do that silly crap!!

Because of that, I then must study videos made by folks like you Tony, then study the specs and make my choice from there.

My Bowling style Requires a Low RG, med to high diff, matte surface bowling ball.

The layout that works best for my style as of late is the one made popular by Ric Hamlin, combined with a dull matte surface on Particle and pearl bowling balls.

[martin]

hmm for me not really.. what really influences me is suggestions form friends and fellow bowlers.. +reviews from websites from top quality bowlers..

[truocco]

hmm for me not really.. what really influences me is suggestions form friends and fellow bowlers.. +reviews from websites from top quality bowlers..

Martin - Do video reviews like the ones we shoot on bowlingball.com have more of an influence on your purchase? Are there any suggestions you ahve for us on our videos?

[truocco]

For me, it has no effect.

I beat all of them when I rolled a 900 series in 1998 in a Pro Am.

I do respect Roger Bowker for Bowling with me, and also the other Pro Bowlers who were nice enough to sign my shirt!!

Because of the crap I got over Bowling a 900 series, I Quit for 10 years!!

Then when I decided to return, I checked into a few new balls that had the PBA logo on them such as the PBA Shark bowling ball, and the others in the line.

I chose the Elite R-43 and The Shark Bowling ball, and both were Junk in my opinion as they would not react like my old equipment did. Instead they reacted much like a Plastic WD.

I then went on to buy another "98" Bowling balls over the next few years trying to find something decent.

My favorite was the Roto Grip Cell (Original) and The Storm (Tropical Storm).

what does effect your purchase?

For me Results!! As in Demo days!! ...when I can try out all the new balls in the line and see how each ball reacts!!!

Sadly in my area the Bowling centers put out a different oil pattern on demo day, than what they put out in league. It Makes it hard to figure out which ball to chose when they do that silly crap!!

Because of that, I then must study videos made by folks like you Tony, then study the specs and make my choice from there.

My Bowling style Requires a Low RG, med to high diff, matte surface bowling ball.

The layout that works best for my style as of late is the one made popular by Ric Hamlin, combined with a dull matte surface on Particle and pearl bowling balls.

Trex-

Congrats on the 900, was that one of the sanctioned ones?

Are you using the Rico layout on symmetric or asymmetrical balls currently?

[The Mayor]

Usually if a ball is popular with a large portion of guys on tour, especially the free agents with no affiliation, you have to take notice. These guys throw tons of bowling balls. If a bunch of them like the same thing, you've got a winner. Like the Hy-Road since its release, a staple on tour.

[Trex]

Trex-

Congrats on the 900, was that one of the sanctioned ones?

Are you using the Rico layout on symmetric or asymmetrical balls currently?

I have tried the Rico layout on both symmetric & asymmetrical.

The symmetric ball is a Columbia Chaos Black....Particle.

The asymmetrical ball is the Track Uprising.....Solid Reactive.

Both worked Great, but I sold the uprising to a friend who wanted it really bad.

The chaos I still use in league, and it really works great when everything else is not turning the corner! Meaning...when everything else goes straight and will not hook, the Rico drilled Chaos will hook the whole lane!!!

As far as the 900, nah...Wasn't sanctioned.

I got a lot of grief over it though! Made a lot of people angry, most kept saying that I just got lucky, and that It was a fluke!! I know I got lucky, but they acted as though I did not deserve not even a congrats!

To this day, one of the Pro shop owners still tells people that I'm just lucky, and that I am not really a good bowler. I try to ignore that, but it does get old.

Thanks for the Congrats

[StormGirl]

Wow Trex, congrats on a 900 series. First time I've heard of anyone accomplishing this. Don't listen to what anyone else says. They're just jealous they haven't been able to get anywhere close to your series. I think all sports require you to have some luck. Pure skill can only get you so far . Anyway, on topic. I don't think the PBA has any influence on a ball I would like to purchase. It would however make me look into the ball, and make the decision from there. Like Trex, I too enjoy going to the demo days so that I can roll the balls. Unfortunately the smallest span they have is a 4, and I'm like a 3 x/x. It still works out for me though. I went to the Ebonite/Columbia/Hammer/Track demo day not too long ago and really liked the 919c and the Ransom Demand . Wasn't too fond of the new Taboo like I thought I would be.

[kev3inp]

There's no way I can make a ball work like the pros, so it has no influence. And on most of the vids I don't throw it that well, either. Put out one featuring a lefty stroker and I'll pay more attention to it. Mostly I watch what other bowlers are throwing then find out as much as I can from reviews, etc.

[JerseyJim]

My pro shop guys have a much bigger influence on me than the pros on TV over the years.