question about choosing a new ball

[boatman37]

So when I bowled in the 90's I used a Brunswick Cobalt Rhino. After a 15 year layoff I came back and bought a Hammer Black Widow Gold that rolled way different than anything I ever tried, but then again I had never even bowled on synthetic lanes until then. So a few months later I bought a Brunswick Kingpin and it rolled similar to my old Cobalt Rhino. We were practicing one day and one of our top bowlers commented on how that ball fit my style perfectly. The PSO also commented how maybe Brunswick is just a better ball for me (although he may have been joking).

So my typical line is right up the 5-7 board. I'm a low rev bowler so anything inside the 10 board will pretty much roll straight but I have got a few nice strikes with lots of drive when I hit it right but it is almost straight. I do typically throw about 17.0-17.5 MPH at the pins

So I'm not looking for a new ball anytime soon but a teammate just ordered a DV8 Pitbull and I had been considering Radical for my next ball. If I were looking for one what would I look for in specs? Why would one be a better choice than another? Or just order something and alter the cover to get it to what I want?

Considering I like the Kingpin better than the BWG I assume something with similar characteristics? The BWG rolls longer with a more aggressive turn down lane.

[RobLV1]

You can't just "order something and alter the cover to get what you want." Modern bowling balls have cores in them and, while surface does determine 75% of ball reaction, ignoring the other 25% is like trying to drive your car on three tires. Look at the core shape, the symmetry of the core (or the amount of asymmetry in the case of the BWG and the Kingpin), and the cover material. Most importantly, find a PSO that you trust... he probably wasn't kidding when he said that Brunswick is a better fit for your style. Different companies cover materials have different characteristics; they are not all the same.

[boatman37]

You can't just "order something and alter the cover to get what you want." Modern bowling balls have cores in them and, while surface does determine 75% of ball reaction, ignoring the other 25% is like trying to drive your car on three tires. Look at the core shape, the symmetry of the core (or the amount of asymmetry in the case of the BWG and the Kingpin), and the cover material. Most importantly, find a PSO that you trust... he probably wasn't kidding when he said that Brunswick is a better fit for your style. Different companies cover materials have different characteristics; they are not all the same.

Thanks Rob. My PSO seems to know his stuff but back in the 90's when I bought my last ball the PSO pretty much sold you what he had on the shelf. Back then I'm sure it didn't matter as much but without me knowing that much I have trouble trusting others when it comes to that. I'm the type of person that wants to knew the technicals and ins and outs of something before I trust somebody else...sort of my way of verifying I can trust them....lol. I probably should just trust him though. I guess my hangup is he never watched me throw my ball. I can see that with the first one I bought because he had nothing to go on but even the next two he never came out and watched me. He just asked if my first one felt good and drilled it up the same. The Kingpin I told him I liked the way the Storm Sync rolled that I got off another bowler so he took a picture of the pin location and MB and drilled the Kingpin in a similar layout with my hole measurements and span. I have no complaints on the way the Kingpin is and love it but it doesn't roll like the Sync I told him I liked...lol.

I just hate to go tell him I want a Radical ***** and then hate it because it doesn't do what I want it to.

[mc_runner]

If you haven't already, it's probably worth learning about RG/Diff and how they affect the (potential) shape of a ball - and how your personal stats come into play as well. Depending on what you want, you'll narrow the list way down when you start looking at those in addition to cover.

There are some guides/posts in here that would be a good starting spot.

[RobLV1]

boatman: If your PSO works out of the shop in the bowling center and he has never come out to watch you bowl, find a new PSO. That is inexcusable IMHO.

In terms of the Storm Sync was in many Storm affectionado's opinions, one of the worst balls that Storm ever produced. I never threw one, but I saw many roll and I am in total agreement with that opinion. The reason is that it had a very strong core paired with a very weak cover. Combinations like this rarely work, and the Sync was no exception.

[boatman37]

boatman: If your PSO works out of the shop in the bowling center and he has never come out to watch you bowl, find a new PSO. That is inexcusable IMHO.

In terms of the Storm Sync was in many Storm affectionado's opinions, one of the worst balls that Storm ever produced. I never threw one, but I saw many roll and I am in total agreement with that opinion. The reason is that it had a very strong core paired with a very weak cover. Combinations like this rarely work, and the Sync was no exception.

lol. This was the first 'new style' ball I used when I came back. Previous was the Cobalt Rhino. It wasn't drilled quite right for me and I always said I threw more of a straight ball with a slight hook at the end. Got this Sync off a fellow lefty and after the first roll said 'holy crap!, I can throw a real hook'...lol. My first game with it I rolled a 244 but then followed that up with a 124...lol. Anyway, put that ball in my office when I got my own and found it had cracked the whole way around while sitting here. The BWG has a similar shape but not quite as aggressive on the turn in. The Kingpin reads earlier and is a smoother arc.

And yes, my PSO has seen me bowl as we are in the same league and watched me throw 2 or 3 shots when I first picked up the BWG from him but that is the extent of it. Have never had my PAP checked or axis or anything. The only thing I could really tell you is my initial track is about 1" from my thumb and about 2.5" from my middle finger...lol. Thats the extent of it.

Here are mine.

[TTREX]

So when I bowled in the 90's I used a Brunswick Cobalt Rhino. After a 15 year layoff I came back and bought a Hammer Black Widow Gold that rolled way different than anything I ever tried, but then again I had never even bowled on synthetic lanes until then. So a few months later I bought a Brunswick Kingpin and it rolled similar to my old Cobalt Rhino. We were practicing one day and one of our top bowlers commented on how that ball fit my style perfectly. The PSO also commented how maybe Brunswick is just a better ball for me (although he may have been joking).

So my typical line is right up the 5-7 board. I'm a low rev bowler so anything inside the 10 board will pretty much roll straight but I have got a few nice strikes with lots of drive when I hit it right but it is almost straight. I do typically throw about 17.0-17.5 MPH at the pins

So I'm not looking for a new ball anytime soon but a teammate just ordered a DV8 Pitbull and I had been considering Radical for my next ball. If I were looking for one what would I look for in specs? Why would one be a better choice than another? Or just order something and alter the cover to get it to what I want?

Considering I like the Kingpin better than the BWG I assume something with similar characteristics? The BWG rolls longer with a more aggressive turn down lane.

Looks like you know your game well, and from reading what you said i already know that Brunswick will fit you the best. A lot of people describe Brunswick as being rolly meaning they are more roll than per say skid snap like the BWG..Now keep in mind that DV8 and Radical are made at the Brunswick facility, so to keep within a range of something that rolls the way you like as in the rhino or kingpin line....on the next ball be it dv8 or Radical compare the core shapes and RG numbers, that might help you get something close without getting a ball that is too skid snappy...etc Asymetric cores will be more skid snap then symetric cores for example.

[boatman37]

Looks like you know your game well, and from reading what you said i already know that Brunswick will fit you the best. A lot of people describe Brunswick as being rolly meaning they are more roll than per say skid snap like the BWG..Now keep in mind that DV8 and Radical are made at the Brunswick facility, so to keep within a range of something that rolls the way you like as in the rhino or kingpin line....on the next ball be it dv8 or Radical compare the core shapes and RG numbers, that might help you get something close without getting a ball that is too skid snappy...etc Asymetric cores will be more skid snap then symetric cores for example.

I guess that is kind of what I was wondering. Does one brand roll differently than another? If you removed all identifiers from a ball and had different brands drilled identical would you be able to tell which is which? Or do some have certain characteristics across the board that makes them unique across their lineup?

[RobLV1]

I guess that is kind of what I was wondering. Does one brand roll differently than another? If you removed all identifiers from a ball and had different brands drilled identical would you be able to tell which is which? Or do some have certain characteristics across the board that makes them unique across their lineup?

Yes, different brands roll differently. There are three characteristics of cover materials that are measured by the USBC: Coefficient of Friction (COF) in oil, COF on dry, and oil absorption. While these characteristics are tested when the balls are submitted to the USBC for approval, the results are not published for the consumer (bowler). Brunswick balls are usually described as being more "rolly" as a result of having a higher COF in oil than on dry. You can't have it both ways, so this results in less reactivity in friction.

Again, the wording of your question kind of concerns me in that you mention identical drilling, but not core characteristics. The one thing about a bowling that we as consumers are told everything is the core. It is well worth while to learn about core characteristics when shopping for new equipment.

[Albundy]

I was given a choice of 2 balls. He didn't even mention the other ones he had that I think we're similar. The idol he didn't even have he ordered it. I'm sure he doesn't know every ball..