ZIG ZAG SOLID | Strength & Balance!

[@mhwchar1957]

Am a 67-year old bowler. Only started bowling at 50-years. But that said, my ball speed has slowed, now typically at 13.5-14.0 mph at the monitors (throwing 14-lbs). I am fairly balanced, but leaning to being rev dominant. My arsenal is: Magic Gem, TNT, Attention Star, Zen, Burner Pearl & Hustle Wine. My house (Bowlero) is light to perhaps medium on oil. Magic Gem (won in a raffle) tends to be way too strong, even polished. Mixed luck with the TNT. My go-to at present is the Attention Star, but know that is generally considered a transition ball, and I do have to play pretty inside with it, flaring out. Zen was also a good ball, but tons of games on it. Was thinking of a stronger Pearl symmetric (Phaze AI, or Idol Optimal Pearl), as a ball for the fresh, albeit lighter oiled house shot. Do either of those balls make sense, or is there too much overlap with the AS?

[@LukeRosdahl]

The Star has a medium strength cover but a stronger asymmetric core, so the balls like the Phaze AI or Optimum Pearl that have a stronger cover but slightly weaker core will overlap it. I wouldn't worry too much about what a ball is supposed to be, those references are more for heavier oiled tougher conditions. On drier house shots, the medium to weaker shiny balls are what you're going to use most often. Since you already have a Burner Pearl and Hustle Wine, how do those act or behave for you? You may be able to just use what you already have.

[@mhwchar1957]

@@LukeRosdahl thank you for responding…haven’t thrown the Burner Pearl or Hustle in awhile. Think I will get them back in the line-up before dropping another $200-$300 on equipment. Perhaps just drop that money on my bowling fees ($30/wk…crazy)! I do enjoy your reviews…get’s me jack up to buy new balls!

[@wintonmoy5560]

Colors remind me of the Jackal ghost.

[@drakedbz]

Angel and I are like polar opposites lol. Purple is my favorite, and I hate green

[@cptmiche]

Deep purple balls like the GB4 hybrid are gorgeous. But light purple mixed with other colors? I rarely think they make a good color combo.

[@free2befree]

Howdy Luke! Just wanted to say thank you for the reviews, and ask a few questions. 1. Anyone else feel like the HK 22 cover stocks "break down" super fast? Like not even 30 games and the balls lose their "pop?" 2. Why would i want this ball over something like motiv Venom Black for example?? Thank you.

[@LukeRosdahl]

Every ball out there has a break in period, they're all going to be more aggressive out of the box and then will settle in and won't be as dynamic as they were to begin with. The stronger or sharper a ball is to begin with, the more noticeable it is when it settles. HK22 stuff is all fairly dynamic, so I think it's actually a good thing that they settle down because I find most of them to be a little difficult to control for the first 15-20 games. Once they break in, then they get really good and they stay there for a while For example, I love the new No Doubt, but it's just way too sharp, so I'm going to hit it with a 3000 pad to slow it down a bit and throw it in my fun mixed league for a few weeks to get it broken in, then it may be usable for my scratch league and tournaments. A buddy of mine got a GB5 and it was too strong for him out of the box, so he kept throwing it until it settled down, and now it's virtually all he throws. They aren't breaking down or dying though. As far as why you'd choose one ball over the other though, that's all personal preference. The numbers are a little different, the Black Venom is more of a tour asym like the Envy Tour, or like a slightly asymmetric IQ Tour, so like a rolly controllable tour type of reaction with a bit more pop or firmness down lane. This is more of a heavy oil ball, so it depends on what you're after or what you need.

[@free2befree]

@@LukeRosdahl Awesome 👌 thank you for the detailed response!!

[@horsefan3277]

I know it's a pearl, but am I crazy for picking up some Storm Omega Crux vibes here?

[@LukeRosdahl]

Nah, it does appear somewhat similar, and the Omega is exactly why the whole pearl-hybrid-solid thing doesn't mean as much as people think. Omega was one of the earliest smoothest balls I've ever thrown despite being a "pearl."