They all look good in practice . . so which one do I throw???

[@danielschank]

Thanks for the shout out Luke. For me, it depends on the house, but some lane pairs topography call for different balls than others. Ultimately I advise my customers to start with a medium strength ball and then decide if they need to go to something stronger or weaker. I am a high rev rate guy so when I bowl with straighter players I do exactly as you say and use a stronger ball and play straighter to start. If I am with other high rev rates I tend to start with a medium ball and am always ready to make bigger moves more quickly. Lastly, I actually asked one of the highest average bowlers in my area how he makes a decision on what ball to throw. His response “start with the one that gives you the most miss room or the one that is hitting light and still striking because that ball will start to look better and better.”

[@captainbugsofficial]

Your head game was the best????? (I’m joking I love you Luke)

[@andrewv3842]

- Bigger ball w lane shine for first game ✅ - ball to get thru the fronts and pop after a lil transition ✅ - if a ball starts 2 pinning or any variation, typically good sign something has to change. - leaves like 8 or 9 pins, and some 10 pins, I usually just keep chucking it (hopefully) better.

[@FSerrano2789]

Less is more is the best advice I think people can get these days. Start of the season sure bring extra stuff. Figure out what works. But I often see people trap themselves because they never quite figure out there bag.

[@josephemory6635]

Thanks for the tips on transition. You confirmed that transition could mean move left, right or stay in the same spot with more speed. Oil patterns and bowler types will dictate all, and that’s where this buttercup will do his best to solve the puzzles.

[@BigJim5754]

Great info, just the right length, thanx!

[@jkirkerx]

I like the subject Luke, for it's original and useful and it's on every bowlers mind. I just put my Thurs night league in the books tonight, and I went with the Black Venom, thinking Let's see what it does and can I work with it to roll better shots. Started out rough, but I got the hang of using the ball on 30ml, made less mistakes and my scores went up higher for a good night. No science or thesis on what to choose that works the best or offers the best advantage, but just working on the game overall and how to play it with what you have in your hands. But hey; some balls work better more often in more places.

[@SwiftCookies]

Last night in my 4 game league I threw a 900G Xponent for 3 games and then switched to an Absolute Power for the 4th game. Played straighter (for me) 15 at arrows-5 at breakpoint the first 3 games and just kept the ball rolling more forward. When I missed in it gave me hold, and I was far enough right that it would always hook back on shots to the right. I had both a little hold and a little hook to start the night out. As the night progressed I gradually had to keep moving further and further left. The Xponent started to hook too early to keep my angles tight, but was too round/slow to make the corner from a little further left and with rotation. That's when I knew I needed a more responsive cover with a stronger core. The asymmetry got the ball to slow down enough in the oil, but the cover was definitely cleaner and quicker on friction. It still was giving me the hold inside and hook to the right. Once you have miss room both ways, it's all about just executing good shots.

[@drakedbz]

My answer has been to rotate through equipment the first few weeks to get a feel for what is most usable. Focus primarily on deciding one slot in the bag at a time (a good practice session testing strong asyms for example might help). I'm finding that a strong asym (not quite gem level, but still strong), medium-strong sym, and a medium-weak asym is enough for me. My league is pretty casual, so not a lot of transition happening. For me, the Super Nova, Phaze II, Exotic Gem is a good combo. Lots of versatility. I could also sub in my gem, reality, x-3 on the stronger end, my optimum idol, Zen, Zen Soul, Hyped Solid in the middle, and my eternity, x-2 on the weak end. I also have a Hy-road pearl, but I find the lanes are never beat up enough for it.

[@bigd8812]

The ball that take out the corner pins.

[@christophererenberg1963]

Was at league yesterday tried the fate in practice looked ok. Threw the road 1 time and immediately realized that was the way better choice

[@steveg7018]

Thanks so much for this Luke. I’ve been dismayed with my home house not playing the same from week to week…mostly seems like it’s a lighter volume that gets torched mids and backends. I went off the beaten path with a Pyramid Blood Moon Evolve (sym, low rg, med diff, 5k box finish) to play less is more. I’d like to find an option that would give me hold in that window leading to the pin deck (gonna try my 6” pin IQ Tour Ruby next in the rotation). I miss the days of pitching it to 10 and watching it walk into the pocket.

[@randymelissabutton2159]

My local house actually plays quite a bit different from the high end to the low end (40 lanes), so when I find out that I am playing lane 18 or below I play cleaner stuff and if I am playing 30-40 I play something stronger, and of course this is all just to start. I absolutely love it when I play lanes 19-29, because it is essentially my Phase 2, all night.... If I am going to another house I start with my Phase II, throw it up 5,10 and 15 to see how it works. In one of my Leagues, I have a team mate that throws Older Urethane, and honestly, he just ends up giving me hold...Not sure how that works out, but I have never struggled bowling with him.... Who you play with has a huge impact, and I struggle the most when I am playing against plastic, up the middle, but typically I try to play around them and bounce it off the dry to the outside.

[@Diverse-rb4ps]

On a THS, I start with my iq tour, if I need stronger I’ll change to my pin down phaze 2, if I need weaker I’ll go to my hy road Pearl. I have a good rev rate. This works for me. Typically don’t have to go asymmetrical, but if I do I always carry my ufo alert or dark code.

[@damarapoledna3636]

High Rev slower speed, THS with really clean heads, playing left of third arrow, trios league. I usually start out with Gem(solid asym) and stay with it to blend the cliff. Today, not so much, I wasn't feeling the best and wasn't able to get the Gem to stand up and go through the pins during warm up. Started game one with Opti Idol pearl(sym). 216 with two opens. Game two front 5 then pocket 8-10 with a good execution. Immediately changed to Phase II, lightly scuffed with 4k and finished game two with 230. Game three nearly took it off the sheet(299). Note: the Idol, although was striking, was clearly going too far down lane. The Phase corrected this motion by picking up earlier. I rather prefer Symmetric equipment but like my Gem that is drilled for a smoother roll.

[@slapshtick873]

All I got this is your good at your head game. Bet the wife is very happy! 😂🤣 All joking aside I struggle with this as I have a good amount of bowling balls to pick from. Thank you for this video! I bring 5 balls normally or 3. We have 2 house shots for 2 different leagues. So 5 balls for standard a lot of oil in the middle. I have a lot to chose from but I'll break it down. 35.5 typical oil in the middle Solid asymmetrical BW 3.0 or harsh reality Solid Sym GB5 or rattler solid Pearl or hybrid asym effect or reality check/eternity Pearl or hybrid sym tnt infused, or zen gold If I'm on then 2nd pattern 33.5 flatter pattern Solid weak asym envy tour Solid sym hustle xray Hybrid sym rattler big bite

[@enigmazero8624]

As a higher-ish rev rate player, I often get accused of “destroying” a pattern. In house shot leagues. I always counter this by saying a high rev rate player who can hit what he’s looking at creates much more predictable transition than a bunch of down and in players who spray it everywhere. Do you buy that explanation or am I just wrong on this? More transition doesn’t always have to mean worse transition.

[@SirJoelsuf1]

No, you're right. Nothing worse than speed dominant bowlers who can't hit a target. The absolute worst (in most cases) are speed dominant bowlers who are throwing pearl stuff or even worse, polyester or urethane. Creates over/under on steroids. lol

[@joshg218]

The One that strikes

[@SirJoelsuf1]

And I don't really care which of my pieces "look good" in practice. I just wanna either create hold on the right with a pearl ball or dig through the oil in the middle with a solid asym with surface. Goal is for me (2handed, slightly RPM dominant) to be able to swing the whole lane and get in a "weak" pearl ball that is controllable on friction. Once I'm able to feed my ball to the channel from 27 or so at the arrows, I'm unstoppable because I have literally ten boards of room. Ball will hold if I miss left, will take off (but not TOO much) if I toss it through the breakpoint. What's my ball of choice? Nothing more than a Brunswick Twist lol. Back before I went 2handed when I was super speed dominant my goal was to be able to take my most aggressive ball and hurl it from 10 to 5. So during practice that should be your goal not seeing what "looks good." Back when I was speed dominant I'd spend all of practice taking my Redemption, that was taken down to 360, and tossing it at the 10pin. Everyone would ask what I was doing. By the time practice ended, I was taking that same ball, throwing it 18mph at 175 RPMs, feedin it to the channel from the 5-10 board and had a first ball average of like 9.5 lol. Would be nice to create that look 2handed and know that I can (all I'd need is my Mix) but I gotta practice it.

[@nintndrew3235]

I bowl High School league one place is Brunswick lanes the other is HPL lanes. What balls to throw on Brunswick is pretty straight forward. But the HPLs have quite a bit of hang to the outside I have no idea what to throw because nothing looks horrible other than shiny stuff. I have low rev and mid-high speed, any suggestions on what to throw.

[@LukeRosdahl]

I'd try to just get a little straighter then, play a little closer to the outside so you're not on top of the "wet/dry line," meaning that if you get it out, it hangs, if you get it in, it takes off, so just move out of that zone, and if you're more speed dominant, straighter is always greater.

[@scottstottsgaming]

I bowl in a wood house and we find that the lanes get REALLY short REALLY fast no matter how you attack them. We don't see heads/mids burn nearly as quick as the back end. Not to mention the pattern isn't wide enough for the conditions so you can't get it too far right or it'll drive for the 7 pin.

[@LukeRosdahl]

The lanes get short? What do you mean by that?

[@scottstottsgaming]

@@LukeRosdahl The oil doesn't carry down at our center at all. The oil gets shorter and shorter and tighter the moment practice starts. Not a lot of high rev players either.

[@steveg7018]

I may be in the minority here…but short oil with no carry down seems like the perfect place to have your favorite urethane to deploy.

[@Hexbreaker300]

Can you follow up on your comment in the video about using a ball with surface on a cliffed pattern? My local league shot (on the left side) has quite an oil line right about 11-12 board. I don't see the same for the right handers - does the wear in the track area for the righties make the oil line not as noticeable? My options seem to be: pipe it up the outside with a weaker ball or fight the oil line (leaving either a bucket or 6 pin) if I am playing inside 2nd arrow. Thanks!

[@LukeRosdahl]

Yeah definitely, righties don't understand how much blend and stability just the lane surface wear gives them. Now, it also makes ball reaction slower, so ball reaction is more crisp on the left side of the lane, not as much wiggle and not as many flat hits, but that also makes the left side a little more over/under. A little surface on something weaker so you can go straighter is usually the best option.

[@judweber3338]

I use a lot of surface and shim wreck myself because the pattern is so cliffed

[@kellymcmanaway4069]

I've been using my Blue Coral Venom and the Venom Black. I'm a lefty in a sea of right haded bowlers. Using them in all 3 leagues.

[@jamesmcgall70]

How is that Coral/black Venom? I have the Shock and Tank Rampage. Been looking at the SubZero Forge as a bigger Sym but I’m worried it might be too much ball. I have 450 revs and 14-15 mph average speed.

[@rodneysheppard3296]

Black venom is my benchmark it's the best for me. I'm a lefty also.

[@kellymcmanaway4069]

@jamesmcgall70 the blue coral and the black are asymmetrical gear core. The shock is symmetrical. I have the Recoil as well. It's also an asymmetrical gear core. Same cover stock as the Shock. I do better with the asyms.

[@davidchamberlain5146]

​@@jamesmcgall70Im a stroker style bowler. Have a Blue Coral which OTB was very strong on the back end. After numerous surface changes I landed on 3k with a light coat of polish. Ball smoothed out and has a nice continuous shape. Use it primarily in a sport shot league.

[@zachbonebrake352]

How about picking which ball to buy? I watch videos and reviews and every modern ball looks great, hooks great, and strikes great. At this point im just going for which ball I think looks the coolest and has the coolest name. 😆

[@LukeRosdahl]

I'm working that direction with my arsenal building series, you have to figure out what kind of general reactions and shapes look best for you and work around that. Rounder shapes fit my game the best, so stuff like the Theorem, Vaporize, Ion Pro, Summit, IQ Tour, GB5, stuff like that. All very different lengths, strengths, and friction responses, but they have the rounder more continuous shape in common.

[@SirJoelsuf1]

3:00 Wasn't that also referred to as "Guardian?" I remember bowling at a house like that lol.

[@LukeRosdahl]

Nah, guardian was a different kind of a thing, it was a lot thinner protectant for the heads, lane shield was straight up an entire lane sheet that was purple with orange arrows and covered the entire lane, was like 1/4" thick

[@TheBowlingFool76]

3.0 game 1, then I move to Theorem and it seems to work for my house that has light oil. I tried rolling the Effect game 2 and it was too much. Theorem was a little more mellow.

[@Joshuaperalta8]

Hey like, what are your thoughts on having the same layout for all your bowling balls+

[@LukeRosdahl]

Angel and I both use the same layout for everything. Keeps it simple and lets the differences between the balls shine through. Even most of the pros stick to a few layouts

[@hersheljones9467]

So could i put reacta skuff on all 3 bowling balls to league and be ok possibly have a weaker ball lane shined for later reaction?

[@LukeRosdahl]

I'd definitely try it, you might have to burn a couple weeks playing around and trying stuff, but it would be worth it.

[@michaeljamrozy4299]

I bowl 5 on 5. While I try to make choices, I try not to get too bent out of shape stressing out about this stuff because the other bowlers can be straight dingleberries

[@BigBoy4life888]

I definitely understand throwing that stronger asymmetrical ball first game, maybe game and half. I use the ebonite crusher. What would ball would offer a natural transition from the crusher? I generally play straighter but when the crusher start to leave those single pins even after a good shot I switch. I tried to transition to a phase 2 or summit or widow 2.0 hybrid but they end up being a radically different look., so much so that I just go back to the crusher. Any suggestions?

[@LukeRosdahl]

The Crusher is a pretty early and smooth ball, something like the Beyond Infinity would be a great half step down, or close to the same strength, just a little cleaner and sharper, but still in the same general shape zone so you're getting a very similar ball reaction, just a little more length and pop to get the corner pins out.

[@BigBoy4life888]

@@LukeRosdahl thank you so much Luke! Great video as always.

[@GrumpaBaggins]

Once I FINALLY get my balls back from my PSO, I'll have to decide what to use. Currently I'm stuck with my Trouble Maker Pearl for all 3 games. The first 2 are always brutal. I'm thinking Pure Envy, Effect, and Trouble Maker Pearl. Otherwise, I could choose from Archetype Hybrid, Dark Web Hybrid, Jackal Ghost, Big Time Special Edition, Revolt Uprising Limited Edition, or Venom Black. I started bowling this year, so deciding on a proper arsenal has been tough with all of the hype about every single ball that comes to market. Am I missing a silver tuna in the bunch, or is the Pure Envy, Effect, and TMP sufficient? Thanks!

[@LukeRosdahl]

I think you've already got some good stuff. There are lots of good balls on the market sure, but I have trouble saying anyone is really missing anything because a lot of it is bowler to ball matchups.

[@Rubix123-z4j]

How does the ion max compare to the evoke? also what is the diffrence between using a strong cover with shine vs a weak cover with surface?

[@LukeRosdahl]

They seem to be fairly similar, I think the Max gets inside better than the Evoke, but I think the Evoke is a little more stable from straighter. Max is probably a little stronger too. The difference is that the stronger cover tends to still hook and blend the lane well, just without transitioning the lane more quickly. However, if you're on a higher friction lane surface, they can still burn up, even shiny. That's where the weak cover with surface comes in, it won't burn up like the stronger stuff will, and the surface gives it traction and stability in the oil, but also creates a slower/smoother response off the hard friction. Definitely different scenarios where both are useful.

[@ibrahimmasood1995]

I have a lightning blackout and a phaze v. I got the phaze from a friend and it has a similar layout to the lightning. I don't really like the reaction of the ball, it seems to go later and more forward than my lightning. Does that make sense for a two hander

[@LukeRosdahl]

The lightning does have the stronger cover so that makes sense

[@ibrahimmasood1995]

@@LukeRosdahl ok, so would the lightning blackout be considered medium sharp, cause it doesn't boomerang off the back, but I can still play it on the fresh in league

[@1ROW2011]

Did the p5 get a resurface? Could be reactagloss doing what it does.

[@ibrahimmasood1995]

@@1ROW2011 I took both balls down to 5500 grit. I sanded them down and then burned in some compound, so it's not bad like reacta gloss, but that psv just likes to go forward off of the pattern instead of continuing

[@connorduncan5201]

Would a Pure Envy be a good replacement for an Omega Crux?

[@LukeRosdahl]

Not quiiiite, the ultimate defender would be a great omega replacement though

[@twohandedbeast]

Tonight was rough 7 out of 10 guys was using urethane an they was in 3 different tracks so oil got moved around now I'm not bitching about urethane so don't take it as me knocking urethane but man I couldn't get any of my balls to move an when I found a bit of dry it would go side ways it was very inconsistent an for once this season I had no clue what to do this was week 6 an before Tonight my Lowes set was 617 till tonight I hit 556 set so it was not a great night but good or bad night always take something away from it an learn from it

[@jcc_482]

I just bowled a 711 series in league (house shot) with DNA @ 3000. I know! Go figure.

[@LukeRosdahl]

Yeah, sometimes stuff doesn't do what it's supposed to do on paper, my DNA shined up looked great on the house shot and it doesn't make sense but it works!!

[@Thadhouse]

Head game. Somebody’s got teach my boy how to say pause

[@LukeRosdahl]

Lol I forgot to add the little "sweetener" or meme there while I was editing so glad people still are catching the funnies . .

[@tigertolliver5199]

First of all, shout out to you. I hope you're safe. I'm the 70-year-old guy. Still trying to figure it out. My jeweler drill the 3.0 solid. I couldn't make it hook so I sold it to somebody else going to get another one. I'll get another drill to make it hook. Drill it differently. I got the Black widow 2.0 hybrid. I got the yellow vibe. You know what? I'm talking about radioactive vibe. Go ahead. It's purple and white and the sub-zero bowling ball by motive what do you think? I'm trying to get my arsenal together. I'm working on accuracy and release. I have the the blue ball by hammer The nu , what do you think my pro shop? I already said I need to come around the lawn mower. My fingers off to the side. One of my coaches say no. I don't need to do that. Stay behind the ball or underneath the ball. I'm confused. I'm not a down in in bowler. I rather move left come across the lane. I got enough hand and ribs to make it come back. Tell me what you think. Appreciate it. Be safe. It's been a lot of rain and flooding Georgia here. Stone Mountain, Georgia North Georgia. Don't know

[@josephemory6635]

My dad had trouble with the 3.0 too. He’s older and kinda spins it, so it didn’t hook for him either. He gets along with pearls and urethanes better. Bowls pretty good for an old guy.

[@LukeRosdahl]

Yeah you might keep it simple, I'd take a look at the Scorpion Strike, medium strength, pretty firm reaction on the backend, but also pretty consistent. Not too expensive either.

[@hitnlazers]

How do you get enough practice to throw multiple balls? We get 10 min for 10 guys...

[@LukeRosdahl]

Everyone throws one ball and moves on, so instead of standing there wasting an extra 30 seconds waiting on the ball to come back and throw it again, you get several more shots if everyone just throws one shot

[@YoPhocFays]

Throw the house ball 😂. Jk