Expert: Susie Minshew - 9/12/2009

Question
Hi Susie.  I am in the market for a new ball. (The last one I bought was an ebonite NVS) I don't have a specific manufacturer that I am loyal to, but in the past I have gone with ebonite exclusively.  It seems that with ebonite it was a waste of time to buy a new ball, because all of their high performance balls seemed to act completely the same.  Right now I am researching about the Roto Grip Nomad and the Hammer Black Widow Sting.  I want to let you know a little about my bowling profile first.
1. I throw around 10-13 mph (I consider myself a tweener)
2. I can throw alot faster if I wanted, I find I am more accurate and I seem to cover more boards when I throw slower
3. I have no idea what my rev rate is, but the track i usually follow is somewhat like Patrick Allen (I am a lefty), except not as far left.

So my question is, which of those two balls would be better for that purpose.  The lanes I bowl on are generally mild or very wet.  
Thanks
-Jonathan

Answer
Hi, Jonathan!

You are right to want a difference in ball reaction. All high performance balls do tend to act similarly. You don't want a ball that hooks two more boards than another ball. The difference in ball reaction has to be in feet. You want one that hooks four feet later than the other one. It makes sense that a manufacturer would not produce the same ball reaction with just a different cover or core. However, that is not necessarily the case.

Proper research is seldom done on a manufacturer's website. They are supposed to say great things about their product. An independent magazine like Bowling This Month or Bowlers Journal International (they both have websites you can check out) will give you a more comprehensive result of their testing ball vs ball, as well as an honest appraisal of a ball's performance characteristics. www.buildanarsenal.com is a great online way to make sure you make the right ball choice.

10 - 13 mph is not the definition of a tweener. The word describes a bowling style rather than speed. That speed is very very low. It would be difficult to produce much pin action with that speed. If you are getting that number from the monitor at your center, keep in mind that reading is taken in front of the pins. You lose about 2 - 2.5 mph off your hand. Also, you have no idea when it was calibrated. Looking for accuracy is not a good idea with these machines. Looking for consistency is. On the Pro Tour, the average speed is around 19.5  mph.

The slower you throw, the easier it is to hook the ball. That's why little kids shots 'hook' off the lane - no speed. Your speed and rev rate have to match to get the best results. If you have lots of speed and a low rev rate, you tend to throw the ball through the break point. If you have a lot of revs and not much speed, you perception is that lanes hook a lot.

As for a ball choice, I wouldn't have any idea. Way too many factors go into making that decision: your style, speed, rev rate, the surface on which you bowl, the typical pattern on that surface, what part of the country you're in, etc. The local IBPSIA Pro Shop operator in your area is the best way to know what type of equipment is working in your part of the world.

Good luck to you!

Susie