My grandfather gave me this ball. I think it's an original and not a retro. I was wondering what kind of lane conditions does this ball work well on, because right now im bowling at a house that has medium to high oil conditions? Im looking to go long leaning to the right with a strong backend to the pocket. Does anyone know if this ball has the potential to do this??

This ball will not produce much for you I'm afraid unless you're a cranker and even then my expectations for it would be low. It's possible that ball is either the "Retro" that came out c. 2003 or is 12-13 years old. Either way that ball is no more than a light oil ball by today's standards. In fact, you probably could use it as a 10 pin ball. Seriously.

Thanks for your help. Any recommendations on a ball for the style im aiming at?? Right now im using a Storm fired up but it's forcing me to play an extended hook throwing the ball straight down the lane and starts to hook like 10 feet before the pins then a curve shot. Im looking for a ball to change up my style on medium to heavy lane conditions.

Not to be evasive in my answer, but you will only be able to hook the ball where there is friction. If the friction zone for your shot is 15 feet before the pin deck, then that's what you have to play. A ball with a more aggressive, porous surface may help, but then again, it may not. Not knowing what kind of shot you bowl on and your style, I hesitate to endorse anything as far as balls are concerned.

Now a Fired Up isn't a bad ball, but it is polished so it will tend to skid in even lighter oil. The thing you might want to do is look around at the other bowlers to see who's similar to your style and where they're playing with what ball. If you can't hook the ball at 35 feet but they can, then, most likely, you can play that spot. Keep in mind I said "most likely" because, as I used to tell my junior bowlers, what works for one won't necessarily work for another.

When you find it let me know, I've been looking for it for years.

If your center has sloppy backends or lots of carry down you probably will never find a ball to react as you've described. If your center has longer oil probably ditto.

And ball reaction depends highly on how the bowler executes. I really can't get anything to skid/snap as you've described. I just don't have the hand to do it.

When you play different conditions; dry, medium and heavy oil, you will not have the same ball path. All that matters is getting to the pocket and carrying the pins. How the ball looks getting there is immaterial.

Now if you are not matching up because your house condition is too heavy for the ball you are using combined with your style, then look for a dull cover stock ball. Maybe even a Brunswick, as they are known to get into a roll early (which is what you need on heavy oiled lanes).

Erin

Well I talked to someone who worked at a Pro Shop and told me that i should also go with a Brunswick because Storm balls usually only work for the right lane conditions. Some reason at my house my fired up only reacts the way i want it to when the lanes are a lot drier, but the times i usually bowl is when the house puts fresh oil on the lanes. I think a much more duller ball would be good for my primary ball during league. I was checking out the sidewinder and wondering if anyone had inputs on the ball??

And an Audi can only be driven in Germany and Ferraris in Italy. Pushing people to a brand you like is one thing, saying something that isn't true is another.

Don't mind GP, he's a Storm fanboy. They really do stink!

Joking aside though, every manufacturer has a complete lineup, and most balls nowadays are condition specific, simply because there is such a wide variety of conditions available these days, especially if you compete on sport shots. A ball that works well on a very dry shot will be very different from a ball that works well on an oily shot. Not only will they be made differently, but the type of look on the lane that they get will be different. And each manufacturer has a ball for very dry, and very oily, and every spot in between.