Storm Bowling's New Summit

         

SUMMIT™

MASTER LINE

RELEASE DATE - 6/20

STREET DATE - 6/23

There’s new technology stacked inside and out in the state-of-the-art Summit. Starting with the cover, TX-23 Hybrid is a modernized variation of the beloved TX-16™ that’s soared the Phaze™ II to record heights.  Equipped with all the midlane read you can handle, this improved formula gives enhanced oil absorption for even better grip on those slick conditions. Storm has taken the Centripetal HD weight block and paired it with our new A.I.  (Amplified Inertia) outer core.  This drives the RG down and differential up, everything you need to ensure this ball spins up fast and a lot.  Officially, this is Storm’s strongest symmetric ball to date. Once you get one in your hands it’ll be tough to get it out. Can't wait to smell Snickerdoodle!

2023 PBA SUPER REGIONAL SCHEDULE

 

2023 PBA SUPER REGIONAL SCHEDULE

PBA First State Doubles Classic presented by Anchor Buick/GMC
Mid County Lanes & Entertainment Center (Middletown, DE)
June 28-30
First place - $4,000 ($5,000 added to prize fund)

PBA Rita Justice Classic presented by Bally's Dover Casino Resort
Mid County Lanes & Entertainment Center (Middletown, DE)
June 30-July 2
First place - $6,000 ($10,000 added to the prize fund)

PBA Kremer Roofing Central Classic
Community Lanes (Minster, OH)
August 8-10
First place - $4,000

PBA Bowlerstore.com Classic presented by Moxy's Xtra Pair
Pla Mor Lanes (Coldwater, OH)
August 11-13
First place - $10,000 

PBA Century Lanes/PBA Booster Club of Hampton Roads Open
Century Lanes (Hampton, VA)
August 15-17
First Place - $4,000

PBA Booster Club of Hampton Roads Open
AMF Western Branch Lanes (Chesapeake, VA)
August 18-20
First place - $8,000 

PBA Tony Reyes/Terry Leong Memorial Doubles
4th St Bowl (San Jose, CA)
August 25-27
First place - projected $6,000 ($8,000 Added to prize fund)

PBA50 Jonesboro Southwest Super Open
Hijinx Family Entertainment Center (Jonesboro, AR)
September 15-17
First place - $10,000

The complete PBA Regional Tour schedule is available here.

PBA Tournament of Champions

 

New For March 2023 From Storm Bowling Products

 

NEW PRODUCTS

DNA™ PREMIER LINE RELEASE DATE - 3/14 STREET DATE - 3/17

You may have already seen how a bowling ball is made. Storm starts from the innermost part, the weight block, and work our way out. In this case, it’s the inventive Supercoil weight block. The intent was to develop a super low RG shape with a greater undrilled intermediate differential.  Traditionally, weight blocks with more of the mass placed around the equator drive the RG down and read the midlane better. The cutaway on the Y-axis helps to maintain dynamic integrity after drilling.  When it’s time, the coverstock is poured. In just a few minutes as the liquid transitions to a solid, an extreme amount of heat (about 200 °F) needs to be released for this to happen. We refer to this as “exotherm”.  This stage in the process is crucial to the chemistry of the coverstock and by controlling the peak temperature, heat rate, and cooldown speed we can manipulate the chemical porosity deep within that helps with oil absorption and displacement. This creates caverns of porosity and cliffs so deep which give this state-of-the-art shell the kind of cutting-edge traction that’ll leave you in awe. Enter: EXO Reactive coverstock.

Next:

!Q TOUR RUBY™ MASTER LINE RELEASE DATE - 3/14 STREET DATE - 3/17

The original !Q Tour became famous with R2S, and the !Q Tour Ruby will be no exception. The !Q Tour Ruby will feature R2S Pearl and will come in a 1500-grit polished box finish that will make the one-color ruby pearl cover simply shine. But good looks are just the window dressing. On the lanes, R2S Pearl provides the highest coefficient of dry lane friction of any coverstock we have to offer. That allows the !Q Tour Ruby to easily glide through the front of the lane on most conditions before charging back to the pocket with all the carrying power you’re ever going to need. Powering the !Q Tour Ruby is the proven C3 Centripetal Control Core that has made the !Q Tour line the industry’s go-to option for predictable, benchmark reaction. In the !Q Tour Ruby, the C3 Core will provide a combination of power and forgiveness that simply can’t be matched. This will allow you to maintain control of the pocket at all times without sacrificing the hooking motion and hitting power needed to put up big scores and stay ahead of the competition.

New From Roto Grip, TNT

 

NEW PRODUCTS TNT™ HP3 RELEASE DATE - 2/14 STREET DATE - 2/17 Cover – eTrax PLUS Solid Reactive = We have never used this in the solid form before…This cover is overall stronger than original eTrax in terms of traction and response, but it’s not as early and aggressive as say MicroTrax or XtremeTrax…   Core – Torpex Core = New Core Technology featuring Torque Sphere Technology (Like a power ball)…. Something we haven’t used since 2014 in the Unhinged & Hysteria…. The Torque Sphere will create a different type of continuation down lane since it is placed just above the inner equator. Not to mention this is now the lowest RG symmetrical part Roto Grip has in the line.   Where It Fits – Designed to be the “Benchmark Ball” everyone needs… best example is like the old original IDOL, only better due the cover not being as early. There will be traction in oil along with the continuation down lane no matter the number of revolutions.

A Day in the Life of a Bowling Store

When I looked at the plastic ball placed in front of me, opening the holes and rounding the edges seemed reasonable. Bowlers come into the bowling shop with small requests, such as discomfort with sharp edges or tightness of the holes. New balls drilled for new bowlers occasionally need slight adjustments, as House balls typically fit loose. How you handle these kinds of visitors sets the stage, for where they may take their business for decades.

If you drilled the ball, open and/or adjust those holes, no charge. Facilitating your customer’s success with their new ball reinforces their trust in you and in their choice to have equipment done in your store. But your service after the sale shows your commitment to their ongoing improvement and satisfaction. Customer loyalty follows.

But, if you did not drill the ball, should you charge? While your first thought might be “they did not choose me when shopping for this ball, I should punish them (charge) for not choosing me, or get what I can now.” Instead, look at this as a possibility of turning this individual into your customer in the future.

If the ball is from another shop, you have a minute or two to do some market research. Make an adjustment, but examine the fit and layout. Is your competitor likely to drill long or short? Or in a more advanced ball, is one layout typical of the balls you see from your competitor? Do they load up their customers with grips, and a slug or interchangable thumb(s)? Is the driller evaluating and customizing each ball for each customer?

Being critical of a competitor often comes off as petty, never criticize, evaluate. Ask how the ball is working? Gage satisfaction. You might learn what layout or surface adjustments work well at another center. Valuable input if you have customers that bowl there.

Those who bowl at your competitor’s home center often determine their choice of bowling shop vendor based on convenience. If you are helpful, you may win their appreciation and future consideration. If you treat them as a valuable potential customer, they may choose to give you a try next time.

When you help people coming into your store, you may find bowlers bring in balls purchased elsewhere. Maybe you might discover a serious problem. The potential blem product (half a pound heavier or lighter than they thought), lack of balancing before drilling, possibly even illegal, or a ball drilling employee (who might have started this morning) that is inadequately trained in charge of drilling bowling balls.

The new bowler standing across from you may not realize the HUGE difference between a professionally fit and drilled ball and the house ball like fit of a mass merchant’s ball or a garage drilling hobbist.

The new bowler will potentially want to upgrade or need further adjustment to a fit that needs too much grip pressure. Hopefully, before a bad fit and sore hand turns them off to the sport completely. You can begin to sew the seeds of success with an adjustment.

Identify if they are a NEW bowler with a first time ball. Compliment them on investing in the sport. Unfortunately, a new bowler’s only experience is with balls that do not fit. A new bowler with their first ball was clueless and throwing a houseball, if the fit is similar in a drilled or pre-drilled ball from a store other than a pro shop or a “personally” drilled ball from someone other than pro shop; you need to educate them to the possibilities of a better fitting ball.

Point out that when they upgrade (you are implanting the seed of future success) you can show them why a first quality ball from your store when balanced with a professional fit, and drilling, costs more because it is so much better. A better fitting ball is typically heavier than the house ball they used. A better swing and minimum grip pressure are crucial to a more consistent, effective release. Their next ball can be better balanced and custom drilled only for them. Quality products and quality service with a true desire to see bowlers improve, will position you and your store as a place fostering improvement, success and satisfaction. 

Along with the quality products we sell and our emphasis on skilled, professional service, we want potential customers to know we have a sincere desire to help them improve at the sport.

In some cases the future might be right away. For example, since it should cost more to plug, balance and re-drill a ball than simply balance and drill, suggest to those with a hardly-used, badly-fitted bowling ball purchased from a mass retailer to take it back. If the store won’t provide a refund, have them ask for a blank ball as a replacement. It’s better to have the big box store reminded of how badly they do bowling balls than to have the ball abandoned in a closet at home.

As pro shop operators, we are justifiably dismayed when people come in with terribly fitted and otherwise inappropriate bowling balls sold to them by big box retailers. But keep in mind these people decided to invest in bowling. Even though their first choice for equipment might not have been the best choice, we want them to understand we provide far better value so they’ll know where to shop for bowling products in the future.

In the process, we’ve saved these converted customers money. From there we can work with them to provide the best possible outcome and the opportunity to improve. Sometimes it starts by simply fulfilling what some might call a nuisance request to change the size of a hole from someone who bought the ball elsewhere.

Warren Friedl is the retired owner of Revolutions-Mokena, Revolutions-Tinley Park and Revolutions-Wheaton, suburban Chicago bowling stores. He was an International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) Charter Member and IBPSIA certified. He can be reached at revbowl@gmail.com or www.revbowl.com.

Specail thanks to Lyle Zikes for his help. 

New From 900 Global, the ETERNITY™

 

NEW PRODUCTS         

                                   ETERNITY™

900 Series
RELEASE DATE - 2/14
STREET DATE - 2/17

Cover -
Based off the success of the Altered Reality, the S84 Response Pearl Cover is the same formulation.  2 of the 3 colors that were used on the Altered have been retained on the Eternity.

Core -
The Epoch Asymmetric Core represents a throwback design to the original Break Core.  The intermediate differential has been reduced when compared to the Break Core of old in order to prevent the ball from “locking up” or losing energy too quickly.

Where It Fits -
The Eternity will expand upon the asymmetric performance offered in the 900 Series.  It will give Global that big asymmetric pearl that we have been missing since early last year.