This is my formal announcement. Like so many others who have made the same post, I want to make my very own reactive bowling ball. I’ve begun my research and have decided this will be the start of the long road ahead. If this post does well (and avoids getting taken down for obvious reasons), I will be documenting my journey to building a ball that works as intended and doesn’t break stuff. Godspeed, and hopefully I’ll see you lot soon enough.

I keep seeing people get Three Strikes aka Turkey 🦃 animation I was so happy to finally get my own hehe 😉

Joined a league and taking lessons on the side. Right now averaging 120-130. Wish me luck.

I thought White inserts would match the vintage vibe of this ball. Hammer Black 78D.

Hammer Deep Ocean Vibe. I'm surprised I got this one.

Currently bowling once a week with a 170 average, high game 243 . Modeling my throw after Tom Daugherty but I don't have his strength so I'm using a two hand push away. Trying to get a straighter approach like him. Any advice would be much appreciated . PS. This is my first ever Reddit post so please forgive me if I broke any rules. Thank you from Japan !​​

First, I enjoy the social aspects of league. I enjoy seeing other people's successes, I want people to be happy and have fun, and I want to support and commiserate with those having a rough night on the lanes.

I also don't mind the occasional high five or first bump when someone does something notable. I'm not a germaphobe or anything like that.

But the culture at my lanes is to do it literally after every shot. The 188 bowler misses high a few boards and leaves a 4? Looking for 7 fist bumps before the spare attempt and then 7 high fives after the spare. And some people will stare you down if you aren't waiting at the approach.

One of my issues is that I'm sensitive to grip so I'm reaching across my body with my off hand all night. But the biggest thing is I'm running around putting out fires for 10 or 11 hours at work, then busting ass to get to the lanes in work traffic. I'm pretty wiped and I don't want to stand up for 2.5 hours or get up from my seat 200 times. I'd like to check my phone and eat a chicken tender between shots and relax a bit.

I switched to interchangeable thumbs about two years ago and didn't have too much of an issue. Lately though my thumb outer sleeves are coming out when I bowl. Is this a function of bad gluing, ball shrinkage due to temp change, too tight of a fit on my thumb itself, or something else?

Solids sell out quick. Got one, and it matches with my Hammer SPAWN.

After doing league for a about a year and a half straight, I decided to take the summer off and just practice at my leisure.

Worked on being more mindful of my approach and release. I got a good feel now for being behind and underneath the ball. I realized I had a tendency to come around the top of the ball even when my wrist was cupped and it always either made me miss my mark or over shape the ball and go brooklyn. I can feel if it's right in my follow through. Always gotta remind myself to follow through with some gusto behind it.

I also became more aware of launch angles. I find it helpful to visualize the shot and breakpoint in my head as I throw. Seems like when I am on the right path, it'll either strike or leave an easy spare. Not counting those off urethane leaves every now and then.

Average about 180 ish last league, hopping to get to the 190's, if I can average 200 I'd be really excited.

Hope everyone has a good league season as well!

I apologize that this is a mini rant but I'm in need of some sort of feedback, clearly what I'm doing is wrong. League started a couple of weeks ago, yay!, and it's not going well. So far each week I've been either wildly inconsistant, or consistantly bad. What's frustrating is that I can bowl five clean frames then leave the next five open. I'll bowl two open frames, then two strikes, then gutter the next ball.

I try to be consistant with my feet, my approach, my delivery, and all that great stuff. I try to release along the same arrows to hit the line I need, but my goodness it's just horrible. Even when I think I've got it right it's clearly wrong. I'm about 20 pins under my average from last season. That may not sound like much but when my average is already below 140, 20 is a lot.

So what is it? My approach, my swing, the fit of the ball, the wrong ball, too heavy, too light?? What have some of you done that has helped correct your game? I'd like to know or else this is going to be a long 30+ weeks.

(I do understand that without actually watching me bowl this is a bit hard to troubleshoot. I have recorded myself at least to see how bad my form is.... it's not the best.)

I had lunch the other day with a bowling buddy. We are not on the same team, but the same league. He was asking me some valid questions about how far out of my comfort zone I will go to improve my game.

He’s mid 60s, 200 average.

He was saying that when we bowl, we often get in a comfort zone that’s hard to get out of. While I can see some points, I can agree with some, not all points.

1. Bowlers might have 3-4 balls, but become very attached to 1 favorite ball. His belief is that if you have an arsenal, you need to continually use the whole arsenal, adjust, and make it work.

2. Practice at a different alley than where you have league at. Different day and time also helps you grow.

3. Don’t avoid kids parties and open family bowling. It helps you better concentrate.

4. Do cosmic bowling on occasion, bowl with house lights low and concentrate more.

Ok. I can see some of what he is saying. But I stick to my same alley (center) because the rest of the alleys in my area are crappy. Bad ball return, equipment not working, bad staff.

I really hate the open bowling thing, but remember once I did it. But it’s hard when you have a few practice games and people step into your lane or go up at the same time to bowl.

Cosmic bowling? Nah, I can see it probably trains you better. I guess I get what he is saying, but I’m older and my vision isn’t great with astigmatism.

Now on rotating the balls you use, I can get behind that and I admit I’m totally guilty of using one ball that’s my favorite.

Thinking about getting another ball for my arsenal. Right now I’d say I’m a beginner and I’m starting to average 135-145 with my raw hammer solid. I’m wanting to get maybe a pearl or hybrid for when the lane has transitioned or when my solid starts to lose power on the back end. What is a good intermediate pearl or hybrid that would last me for a long while that I won’t out grow before my solid? I’d like to stay in the hammer brand.

This was that Swag I drilled and laid out for myself. Last night was our free night. Game one was this ball then I went into the Alert 2 and 3. After my teammate left I bowled two more with the Swag. After the 4th frame of the 4 game I re adjusted all the tape in the thumb and then struck from the 5th till the 11th. The 5th game I had the front 9 but miss stepped in my approach in the 10th. Very happy with the results.

I'm not familiar with the cg I and the 8hh on the bottom of indicates a aysem ball so it looks old like the mid 2000s

Playing around with learning to play 2 handed from 1 handed. What are the rules in your leagues on throwing a ball that has a thumb drilled but not using it? I ask this as I only have 1 ball that is drilled for 2 handed at this time.

i was bowling with my dad and he basically shattered his Tropical Breeze thats older than me, and it made me think about this. i like the polished finish on the older storm balls, but i really like the not urethane thing going on with the concept. gave me a bit of a funny idea... what would a storm concept look like if it had the same finish as their older balls?

important info if ur gonna give me shit for this: I bowl two hand only bowled my first 100 last week and bowled two more that same day, and i bowl with a 50 year old star track urethane ball and if im feeling fancy a motiv venom shock. Go buck wild. All the dirt on me is out.