Best Low Hook Balls for Lanes with Little Oil????

[bomber_comfort]

Hi Everyone,

I think I have a problem that a lot of you would have so I am after some advise. Especially if you are a two handed bowler or a bowler who puts a lot of revs on the ball.

I have rebuilt my shot over the past year and a half so that now I am getting almost 3 times the amount of revs that I used to. I did this because I want to have these revs for tournaments so that I have an advantage on the oil.

Problem I have now is, whenever I practise or sub for a league as with most centres they don't put down very much oil for there THS at all and once its beat up well it just turns its bum off. Getting your ball the push down the lane is almost impossible and the only way to get a nice shot is to back off.

Well thats all fine and well I can do that no worries, I can shot down the outside and strike all day long, but I do not want to! I am not there for that I am there to build my A game. The game I will use in a tournament (well try to). The line and shot with revs I would use with a high end ball in a condition with a lot of oil.

I now find ONLY way to practise my A game shot get the look I am after with a plastic visi ball (I have a Melbourne Storm and Essendon Bombers) Visi plastic balls that I use. Problem with Visi balls is I am giving up a lot of my advantage of revs. That’s because I am using them for something they are not meant for.

So what balls are out there that I can use instead? Or what could I try?

 

[becka_girl]

I would see if you can get into a sports league or get your centre to put down a pattern that isnt bone dry and that you can practice on to get your shot better.

In terms of equipment, ill let the other experts answer that

 

[John_Velo]

Maybe going softer drilling layouts would help. Layouts that don't react to the friction as fast, should make the house shot a little more sports like.

I use a pair of old Columbia Throttles for league, makes it harder to shoot big scores with out being spot on.

Check some of the proshop guys around they will have access to cheaper old stock.

 

[CT]

Try some of the balls with Urethane or polyester covers but the modern cores inside. Avalanche Urethane comes to mind, but i'm sure the pro shops guys out there can push you in the right direction.

 

[cruzin]

Motiv Recon (Silver)

 

[Ryan_E]

Storm Natural, Storm Natural Pearl, Storm Tropical Breeze (amazing), new Storm Ice series, RotoGrip Grenade

These are simply my preference but after bowling or seeing these balls be bowled; they are awesome for the dry

 

[Casual Observer]

RotoGrip Grenade - best choice by far.

 

[BigDaz]

Like what has been already stated, your gunna be looking at entry level or Urethane balls to get what you want.

If you knew somebody near you knowledgable they could get your stats and drill something up without much hassle's i reckon.

 

[twenban]

I would really advise the new Blue Hammer ... it will give you the down the lane movement with the backend reaction you need, it's also controllable and will improve your game.

 

[Toon]

Roto Grip Grenade or Storm Natural pearl for sure!

I used to throw alot of revs but those days are over. But when i did, for anything dry to dry-medium the Urethane was a killer ball.

Also, if you can find one the Brunswick Avalanche line are quite good urethanes too from what I have heard.

 

[androooo]

In my observations, it all depends if you have any head oil.

When the heads blow up, urethane has completely sucked for me, as it will grab way to early, even highly polished.

I've had more success using a weak shelled polished pearl reactive, drilled weakly. Reactives will still skid further than straight urethane from what I have seen. Drill it up with the pin near your PAP, and I can throw it straight up the boards in the dirt. Ball will still skid through the heads, then be very smooth down lane.

Find a good ball driller to see you throw the ball, and pick the correct ball for you

 

[Ash]

I agree with Androooo, I did that with an old Storm Spit Fire, and it really smooths out the mid lane reaction, with a nice "urethane" like motion on the back end.

Great if you throw with a lot of revs on drier lane conditions.

 

[davybaby]

Have been studying this for some time. One high rev player I know uses Cyclone. I do not like any urethane balls.
I have just ordered a Lane 1 S.O.S buzz saw. Another great ball is Track 300C. Third choice is Roto Grip Rising Star.
Look at the ball reaction chart on Roto Grip website, or the latest Bowlers Journal, which lists all balls and compares hook, length, and breakpoint shape.
Cheers,
David.

 

[davybaby]

Sorry, should read Shooting Star. Not Rising Star.
Cheers,
David

 

[Ryan_E]

Recently purchased a shooting star and they do NOT act like a low end ball; lol... They hook HARD; and unless you polish them (maybe even double polish) they dont get though the heads cleanly at all (on a broken pattern).

Unfortunately for RotoGrip; most of their balls move way more than expected; they dont really make a nice low end reactive.

If you wanted to stay reactive over urethane; I would personally go a Columbia Freeze or Storm Tropical Breeze.

 

[androooo]

Any reactive with the pin up too high, will become too much ball.

With the pin closer to the axis, it takes the weightblock out of the equation... Using the cover to create skid through the heads, then having the block "lay down" on the backend to create smoothness. Pin placements of 1 - 1.5" from your PAP aren't used too much these days, as people want length and HOOOK! But in the right cases, can create very desirable reactions, particularly on shorter, flatter patterns, where you don't want a big/sharp change of direction.

 

[John_Velo]

I think Androooooooo is on the money here.

We can recommend any ball we like from the weakest cover to the strongest cover. From the biggest core to the weakest core.

But without the correct layout the effect will not be as desired. Two identical balls drilled differently will give different results. Then you start to play with the surface once the desire roll is drilled into the ball.

Just my five cents worth, I have played with this stuff a lot this last 12 months and have been really surprised at the results that can be achieved.

It is worth the effort of getting your specs right before drilling more balls. I have made that mistake a number of times this year too.

But it is fun.

 

[Jasonguru]

I also agree.

Drilling is most of all of important in this discussion.

I have a Brunswick Avalanche and a Storm Natural Pearl, both with different setups and the avalanche i get a smooth shape down lane but still a fair bit of grab at the heads.

The natural on the other hand, clean as thru the heads and still a smooth shape down lane. Both balls are drilled different but suited to what i wish to do with each ball.

Morale to the story, drilling the right layout is key.

 

[jason_doust]

Lots of good advice here. I recommend a medium RG, low differential hybrid or pearl reactive ball. In my mind, ultra smooth (4000) surface, probably polished, and low diff is the key here. Terry mentions the blue hammer remake. I was umming about this when he mentioned it, but after reading the spec, realised it was a good choice for him, so I punched it up and he loves it. Other similar balls are motiv QZ-2 (love it on medium to dry stuff), 900 global hook (love it), radical times up (about to punch one up), and I'm sure there's plenty more. For more backend, a Columbia freeze is a good option too. But lower diff for lower flare is the key. Get a good operator to check you out. Even better if they have hand and experience of what you're going through.

Andrew's point about head oil is very relevant too. Are you seeing wet/dry or just Gobi Desert? Personally, I'm not a fan of short pin to PAP layouts, but that's me being rev dominant. I like to go the other way and use long pin to PAP layouts to create length and continuation, then getting the surface right. Horses for courses. See the sure fire in this link for a example. I use this layout a lot.

Cheers,
Jason

 

[DaleS]

Gotta say I used a Columbia Scout on what we would class as "light" oil. Once the scout gets a couple of games on it I think it is one of the best lighter oil balls around.