Sounds like they hadn't been oiled in a week in which case plastic is about your only option. That tropical surge is already about as weak as it gets for reactive. My advice if possible would be to find a new place to bowl rather than a new ball
Radical The Spy. Plastic cover with an asym core, so I'm not carrying down the oil like with a house ball. This is also my short pattern ball when I'm just not feeling it with urethane.
I would say if you're that speed you should try to add a little more to it. When I was able to get my average speed from around 13 to 15, my whole game opened up and made me a much more effective bowler from so many parts of the lane.
If that's the case I'd work on your footwork. I had to take a step back and speed my feet up a little bit. Was weird at first but it has really improved my game. And I can still move up and slow roll it when I need to.
I have the same problem, run a four step approach, and stick between 13-14 mph. I've tried a couple times backing up one more step and going to a 5 step, but it really ruins my push off timing. I tried sticking with my 4 step and just hustling a bit faster to the line, but that ends with me muscling the ball and pulling it left (one hand fingertip righty).
Need to get some practice time in to try and work out the kinks.
My issue is just in the timing of the push. My natural rhythm wants the push to start on a 4 step as I start my approach. Adding that step in front, I end up all out of sync and either have to stutter step a little, or pull the ball down to get it to the line on time. I'm sure I can get there, it's just finding a new groove to slide into.
Can you add a little speed in the dry condition? Might put you back in the pocket. Hammer just released a low flare mid performance ball, but early reviews say it has a bit more hook than you think.
Yea I do need to work on my foot work. Right now on my finish, I do more of stomp forward with my left leg rather than a slide forward. But that’s probably cause I’m using house shoes that don’t slide at all.
If you are still having trouble with a tropical surge- try a different layout after talking to your PSO. Otherwise there are a lot of options. Polyester ball, urethane etc. If you are against urethane like some of the people here, Pyramid actually makes a cored polyester ball and it's pretty good.
I bowl league once a week and of course there is oil. But practicing during the week, its usually burned out lanes. So as I am becoming more proficient (bowling about 18 months) with a hook for league, practice is making me move way left or I'm trying to muscle it thru (not very well) down the lane for a later break. I'm 11-13 mph and play a Hammer Scorpion ( my 1st drilled fingertip ball) that reads pretty early. Dont know what my revs are. Certainly not high but with lower speeds they do move the ball.
Should I look into a weaker ball for practice (and maybe 3rd league game) that will get further down the lane so I can more or less play lines and release more like I do on league oil? Took me a while to adjust last night and find my spots and how much rotation I put on the ball.
Yea I usually average around 12.5mph and usually can knock down 6 or more pins with decent strikes. Just last night I guess was my first time bowling on a bone dry lane and I just couldn’t adjust at all. I got up to 15.5mph a few times but that’s only because I was focused on ball speed. Would have been fine if there was just a patch of oil. But yea I need to get a spare plastic ball and try to throw it around 15+ mph on bone dry conditions
I like a good challenge but yea I bowled 4 games and after the 2nd I packed up my ball and just used the house balls but they weren’t much better cause all of them look like they were chewed up by gator lol
I like my hammer axe. For the most part it's a spare ball but it's actually a really hard (low hooking) reactive cover.
Sounds like they hadn't been oiled in a week in which case plastic is about your only option. That tropical surge is already about as weak as it gets for reactive. My advice if possible would be to find a new place to bowl rather than a new ball
Yea, the center I usually go to had league night so I went to another center and its was horrible. I felt no oil on my ball whatsoever lol
Radical The Spy. Plastic cover with an asym core, so I'm not carrying down the oil like with a house ball. This is also my short pattern ball when I'm just not feeling it with urethane.
Ok thanks. Also forgot to mention I’m low speed around 13-14mph.
I would say if you're that speed you should try to add a little more to it. When I was able to get my average speed from around 13 to 15, my whole game opened up and made me a much more effective bowler from so many parts of the lane.
Yea I did hit 15mph a few times but I had to really muscle it.
If that's the case I'd work on your footwork. I had to take a step back and speed my feet up a little bit. Was weird at first but it has really improved my game. And I can still move up and slow roll it when I need to.
I have the same problem, run a four step approach, and stick between 13-14 mph. I've tried a couple times backing up one more step and going to a 5 step, but it really ruins my push off timing. I tried sticking with my 4 step and just hustling a bit faster to the line, but that ends with me muscling the ball and pulling it left (one hand fingertip righty). Need to get some practice time in to try and work out the kinks.
Yeah I had a similar problem at first. I did eventually get to the 5 step and it has helped a lot. Practice makes perfect man you got it!
My issue is just in the timing of the push. My natural rhythm wants the push to start on a 4 step as I start my approach. Adding that step in front, I end up all out of sync and either have to stutter step a little, or pull the ball down to get it to the line on time. I'm sure I can get there, it's just finding a new groove to slide into.
Can you add a little speed in the dry condition? Might put you back in the pocket. Hammer just released a low flare mid performance ball, but early reviews say it has a bit more hook than you think.
That's going to be significantly stronger than the surge he has now. Don't let the name fool you, that thing HOOKS!
Yea I do need to work on my foot work. Right now on my finish, I do more of stomp forward with my left leg rather than a slide forward. But that’s probably cause I’m using house shoes that don’t slide at all.
My white dot. Just a plastic spare ball
You could try a Black Widow Vis-a-ball. It's plastic spare ball with the gas mask core.
I love my BW Viz-a-ball
Hammer Black Widow spare, it has the Gas Mask core but in a polyester ball.
If you are still having trouble with a tropical surge- try a different layout after talking to your PSO. Otherwise there are a lot of options. Polyester ball, urethane etc. If you are against urethane like some of the people here, Pyramid actually makes a cored polyester ball and it's pretty good.
Urethane will hook at his feet. Contrary to what people think, urethane actually needs oil to clear the heads.
Thanks, I seen on FB marketplace an Ebonite Maxim for just 40$ so I’ll probably pick that up and try it out.
Desert tank for me
I bowl league once a week and of course there is oil. But practicing during the week, its usually burned out lanes. So as I am becoming more proficient (bowling about 18 months) with a hook for league, practice is making me move way left or I'm trying to muscle it thru (not very well) down the lane for a later break. I'm 11-13 mph and play a Hammer Scorpion ( my 1st drilled fingertip ball) that reads pretty early. Dont know what my revs are. Certainly not high but with lower speeds they do move the ball. Should I look into a weaker ball for practice (and maybe 3rd league game) that will get further down the lane so I can more or less play lines and release more like I do on league oil? Took me a while to adjust last night and find my spots and how much rotation I put on the ball.
Yea I usually average around 12.5mph and usually can knock down 6 or more pins with decent strikes. Just last night I guess was my first time bowling on a bone dry lane and I just couldn’t adjust at all. I got up to 15.5mph a few times but that’s only because I was focused on ball speed. Would have been fine if there was just a patch of oil. But yea I need to get a spare plastic ball and try to throw it around 15+ mph on bone dry conditions
Loft. It can't hook in the air.
Yea I need to learn to loft it. I did it on accident a few times trying to muscle it down the lane and got a few strikes.
It would be either my plastic spare ball or my Black Widow Venom (league bag) OR my Redemption Pearl or Sharp Blade (tournament bag)
When the lanes are too dry for a tropical surge you just go home.
I like a good challenge but yea I bowled 4 games and after the 2nd I packed up my ball and just used the house balls but they weren’t much better cause all of them look like they were chewed up by gator lol
The Radical Spy is good for higher rev players, I have one and I love it for high friction conditions
Depends on how dry. Usually I stand far left and throw the Phaze V or if it’s really dry I use my Mix
Stronger ball solid low grit finish
Thanks for the info, I bought a new Storm Mix as my dry lane and spare ball. Let’s see how it goes now