THIS MONTH’S 15 NEW RELEASES will provide a plethora of ball motion paths for even the most discriminating bowler. The products all have their specific conditions on which they excel. But each month there are a few standout orbs which seem to match up on a wider spectrum of oil patterns. In golf or tennis, this might be referred to as “widening the sweet spot.” These products would generally earn the distinction of becoming a “feature” ball in my writeups. They’d also display more targeting forgiveness and release forgiveness than the norm. This month I’ve earmarked more feature balls than ever before. In no particular order they are: Storm’s Rapid Fire Pearl, Hammer’s Black Widow Venom and Emerald Vibe, Ebonite’s PlayMaker, Track’s Up Rising and Lane #1 THS. If early indications are accurate, this coming season, bowlers will have the widest selection ever of can’t-miss products from which to choose… Continue reading ‘What Do You Call A Record Month for ‘Can’t Miss’ Products? Sweet!’ »

WHILE CLINTON AND OBAMA ARE STILL BUSY TRYING TO GET THE UPPER HAND in their primary campaigns, we here at the Bowlers Journal have the final results of our own meaningful voting that you’re sure to be more interested in. These results are from our bowling ball ballots to determine the sport’s best products for 2007. We know you can’t stand the suspense, so without any further preamble, the top vote-getter for the coveted Ball of the Year award is the Storm T Road solid. The T Road was chosen for its user and lane versatility, overall hitting and carry power and its longevity. The T Road encapsulates a medium-high RG symmetric core (2.57) and a Diff (.046) which produces about 5” of track flare potential. Surrounding this core is Storm’s highly successful R2S coverstock. Continue reading ‘Ball Of The Year Is The T Road Solid’ »

PERSONALITY: WE ALL HAVE ONE. FOR THOSE WHO REMEMBER SYBIL, SHE HAD 16! ESSENTIALLY, PERSONALITY means the fundamental character of a person. I often will write of a bowling ball’s personality in my reviews, throwing grammatical correctness to the winds. In that regard, I am merely trying to convey the traits a particular ball exudes and the feelings it gives off during testing. I’m sure some of you know what I mean — some balls just feel right, or display a motion with which we feel comfortable. They quickly become a close friend, someone on whom we can depend. We also know when balls just aren’t right. They are either too finicky on the patterns on which we bowl, or just don’t give us a “look” we like. Continue reading ‘Testing Balls With Plenty O’ Personality’ »

SUNNY SKIES, BASEBALL AND SKIMPY CLOTHES… boy, do I love summer! These warm days coincide with next season’s new product lines from our game’s major equipment producers. However, the ball manufacturers took it easy on me this month, supplying only two balls for testing. This normally is not the case because the end of June coincides with Bowl Expo, a once-a-year showcase of the industry players. This month, Ebonite International introduces two new additions to its already impressive lineup of balls. Its first offering is the Bash Black/Red, a control specialist designed to handle light-to-medium oil. The other newbie is a Turquoise/Purple Clash, designed for medium volumes but with a more aggressive move in the last 20 feet compared to its predecessor. Next month’s testing won’t be as easy, though, as early indicators point to about a dozen or more new strike-makers. Thank goodness I’m in peak physical condition (yeah, right!) and the bowling centers are air-conditioned. Continue reading ‘The Bash and the Clash Make It a Rash Dash to the Expo’ »

A urethane model — that’s right, urethane — breaks the ranks among this month’s batch of new releases.

Although it never rains inside a bowling center, it must still be said at this point that April showers bring May flowers. How does that apply to bowling? Well, let’s just hope some of April’s 8.5”-diameter “bulbs” bring in plenty of luscious green just in time for Mother’s Day (May 11, for those interested). The more green we win on the lanes, the more we can shower upon our significant others/mothers with on this well-deserved day of love and appreciation. The feature ball this month is the Lane Masters Terminator Rebellion. We enjoyed its high rate of usability on a wide spectrum of lane conditions and its high quality construction. The Rebellion is a ball around which bowlers can build an arsenal as it matches up great on any medium oil pattern, regardless of oil pattern shape. Our next entry is the AMF Code, a super fast-revving solid reactive which offers great midlane response with a controlled back-end motion off friction. The Code is another benchmark ball around which to build a collection. Last up to the plate is a solid dull urethane ball with a two-piece core design. That’s right, urethane. Lane #1 is the company “ballsy” enough to introduce this new throw-back urethane cover. The cover is similar to that of the old Black U Dot, while the internal dynamics are powered by Lane #1’s famously strong Diamond core. Granted, this is a niche ball, but what an important niche to fill. Continue reading ‘It’s ‘Throwback’ Month’ »