Featured Bowling Ball Reviews
Lane Masters Yeah Baby
The Lane Masters Yeah Baby uses the same shaped Impact core that was used in the ball with the same name some years ago. This modern version has a slightly lower RG and slightly lower differential. The big difference between the old Yeah Baby and this new one is the change in coverstock. This new release uses the Evolution XT solid reactive coverstock instead of the Diamond Particle shell that... [Read More]
Ebonite Code of Honor
Ebonite’s first high performance release of 2015 is the Code of Honor. This ball uses the same CB-2 asymmetrical core design that was in the Pivot, Pivot Point, and Honor. The Code of Honor uses a solid version of the RCS 5.0 coverstock that comes out of the box at a 3000 Abralon finish. This is a strong and absorbent coverstock that provides plenty of hook in the oil. The... [Read More]
DV8 Thug Unruly
The DV8 Thug Unruly is the second release from DV8 that uses the Thug Low RG core design. This time, this low RG, high differential core is paired with the new Class 13G Reactive Solid coverstock, which for us is easily the most aggressive coverstock used on any DV8 ball. This coverstock comes out of the box at a very rough 2000 SiaAir finish The Thug Unruly created plenty of... [Read More]
DV8 Diva Divine
The DV8 Diva Divine is the third release with the Diva name on the outside and the Diva core in the inside. This purple and pink pill is the first Diva ball that does not come polished out of the box and it easily has the most amount of total hook of the three. The Diva Divine's strong hooking motion was devastating on our medium test pattern. All three testers... [Read More]
Columbia 300 Deep Freeze
The Columbia 300 Deep Freeze is the latest release in Columbia's entry-level performance line. It uses a proven older coverstock that comes out of the box with final finishing steps of 4000 Abralon and Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish. The Deep Freeze's core design is a modified version of the Messenger core that was used in the previous Freeze releases. While the shape of this weight block is the same, the... [Read More]
Roto Grip Hyper Cell Skid
The Roto Grip Hyper Cell Skid uses the Nucleus core that was used most recently in the Hyper Cell and previously in the original Cell and Cell Pearl. This coverstock is an updated 73 MH pearl that for us provided more total hook than any previous polished Roto Grip release. We used the Hyper Cell Skid with great success on our medium test pattern. As the name suggests, the Skid... [Read More]
Roto Grip Unhinged
The Roto Grip Unhinged is the latest release from Roto Grip in the HP3 line. This ball uses the same Late Roll 69 core as the Hysteria. This time, this weight block is surrounded by the 60M pearl cover that comes out of the box at a 1500 grit polished finish. This change in coverstock allows the Unhinged to have more length, back end, and total hook than the Hysteria.... [Read More]
900 Global Respect
The 900 Global Respect takes the Tetra core that was in the Moxie and surrounds it with the new 79 Alert Hybrid coverstock. This new coverstock comes out of the box with a 1500 grit polished surface finish. The Respect was best for our testers on our medium test pattern. It floated through the front of the lane without showing any signs of trying to hook too early. When it... [Read More]
Storm IQ Tour Nano
The much-anticipated Storm IQ Tour Nano pairs up one of Storm's most popular aggressive coverstocks, the NRG Solid Reactive Nano, with its extremely successful low differential C3 Centripetal Control Core. The NRG cover was first used on the Virtual Gravity Nano from a few years back and this core has been used in each of the three previous IQ Tour releases. Despite the lower flaring core, the strong nature of... [Read More]
Motiv Revolt Vengeance
Motiv’s latest addition to their product line is the new Motiv Revolt Vengeance. This ball shares the Vanquish core design from the Covert Revolt, but this time wraps it in a hybrid composition of the Turmoil coverstock named Turmoil HFH Hybrid. This coverstock comes out of the box at a 5000 grit LSP finish. The Revolt Vengeance's combination of high flaring weight block and aggressive coverstock was best for our... [Read More]
The BTM Archive – Featured Content
Start to Finish – Part 1
The majority of time, at least here in the U.S., the lanes are stripped and oiled with a fresh oil pattern just before the start of league. Some of you may be thinking, “What is an oil pattern?” Some of you may already know. To make sure there is a clear understanding, the oil pattern... [Read More]
How the Ball Goes Through the Pins
Last time we talked about several of the things you can do to get lined up more quickly and stay lined up, using lots of the free stuff that is available to those who stay awake. You just can’t be unconscious. I wish it were that we could nonchalantly observe our shots and then just... [Read More]
Lining Up Off Everyone Else
This is the time of year you prepare for USBC Championships and The BTM and The 123. It’s important to be mentally “all in” as well as making sure your equipment and physical game are sharp and ready for the challenge (as you read in last month’s Round Table article). There is a lot of... [Read More]
Changes
Many bowlers take the summer off before they start getting ready for the new league season. It’s during that break that many things change with the bowling environment - newer bowling balls, lane oils, or lane machines, for example. There are also changes the body has gone through during that break, even though we may... [Read More]
Consistently Performing Layouts
The league and tournament seasons are now in full swing and most likely many of you are getting ready to drill a new piece of equipment for either your league or your upcoming tournament competitions. I would like to give some advice on layouts I find to be the most consistent based on the way... [Read More]
What to Do in Your Spare Time…
For my Bowling This Month reincarnation debut, I had several ideas go through my head for a topic. In the end, what better way to get started than to get back to basics. Like the first practice after several months off, focusing on the basics gets you back into a rhythm and builds the foundation... [Read More]
Work the Inside of the Ball or Stay Behind It? Part 1
For years coaches have been preaching to bowlers to work the inside of the ball and to stay behind it. "Let’s work that wrist, let’s cock it, cup it, and unwind it all at the bottom of the swing to produce a massive amount of forward revs to be unleashed on the pins." Many tournament... [Read More]
Starting From the Ground Up – Part 4
The final chapter in the From the Ground Up series, for obvious reasons, is the head. For the most part, when bowlers and coaches talk about the head in bowling, we are referring to the mental or tactical game. In reality, what you do with your head from a physical point of view is also... [Read More]
