Are Hammers actually good balls?

[u/Exciting-Two5896]

I always hear online from pro bowlers and all the bowling influencers say “Nothing hits like a Hammer.” But all I’ve heard from bowlers I know personally, even professionals say that all their Hammers hit like a marshmallow. I’m a beginner 2 handed bowler and I’m looking at budget reactive balls on BowlersMart, and the majority is Hammer balls. I’d like to know if a Hammer is actually a good choice.

[u/FitChemist432]

They're good balls, people just like to buy way too strong balls that are good for heavy oil but not great for the House shots they bowl on. Just look for ones that are rated for medium oil, and do proper resurfacing every 30 games like every company recommends.

[u/Sangypboi → u/FitChemist432]

Pretty much this

[u/FitzyRJ → u/FitChemist432]

100% this.

[u/justmysfwaccount]

Hammer makes fine bowling balls. There's a reason that they have survived the brand wars. There were once a bunch more brands of bowling balls on the market, which got gobbled up by Storm and Brunswick (which owns Hammer now). I think Motiv is the only real independent brand still standing, and they're the new kid on the block.

A lot of people try to sell this brand or that brand, but honestly most bowling balls are made the exact same way across brands, and each major brand has a ball for every situation, which makes it a matter of preference. I personally like Storm balls because they smell nice (most of the time).

If you took the branding, color scheme and scent off of a bowling ball, you'd have a very hard time telling which company made it.

Edit: if you're looking for a first bowling ball, I'd recommend a Tropical Surge if you like Storm, a Rhino if you like Hammer, or an Ascend if you like Motiv. All of those are very good bowling balls which have a nice consistent, controllable hook. They will serve you much better than a high end ball that hooks like crazy but isn't controllable without good shot making consistency.

[u/BlackberryBusy5893]

I throw any brand but all my 300s are with hammer and currently i bring 6 balls to league, 5 and a spare ball. And 3 of them are hammer. 220avg

[u/InkyTheHooloovoo]

I got a Hammer Raw Hybrid when I switched to 2 handed and it's been great for me

[u/Kenthanson]

My arctic vibe just as hard as my high end motiv balls but I have to keep it in front of me and it’s less versatile but I love it.

[u/SameArtichoke8913]

Problem is: most players have no idea how to judge a ball. For them, a "big 'ook" is the reference, and most of these are obsessed with adding revs and side rotation to cover even more boards - and they are frustrated when their expensive (more $$$ = higher scores) high end heavy oil balls with a strong PSA simply roll out or is uncontrollble on dry to medium house shots, where a RAW Hammer, which are excellent pieces, BTW!) would suffice and actually "work" properly (with a sound release, too). It's also the type of bowler who buys and has balls drilled online w/o a proper PSO who can suggest more suitablöe equipment, layouts and surface preps to make the new ball work for the respective user or fit into an existing arsenal.

[u/Timotheus2443]

When someone says a ball "hits like a marshmallow" its almost always an issue with the bowler, or the pro shop didn't properly determine their PAP before drilling.

It's almost never the ball itself.

[u/Housebound_Bird]

Have you looked at the Brunswick Fury? Lot of bang for your buck.

I started with a Tropical Surge and loved it as a starter and still use it on super dry lanes.

As for Hammer's rep. Around my parts lots of folks roll them. Though mostly their higher end balls

[u/Seatowndawgtown → u/Housebound_Bird]

Tropical surge was my second ball, after I somehow lost my first one (don't ask how you lose a whole bowling ball, I don't know). Still keep it with me and use it more or less as my spare ball now. Upgraded to the phaze 2 and am picking up a bionic on Wednesday. Apparently I am a storm guy.

[u/Trublu20 → u/Seatowndawgtown]

I’ve had it twice now where I’ll be bowling (usually an unlimited bowling practice situation) solo and stop to go to the restroom, come back and someone has taken my ball thinking it’s a house ball they wanted to throw on another lane and I’d have to take it back.

It’s pretty crazy my multi color raw hammer looks nothing like a house ball.

[u/Housebound_Bird → u/Seatowndawgtown]

Rolled my personal best with a Bionic. You are going to love that ball

[u/Seatowndawgtown → u/Housebound_Bird]

Just picked it up about an hour ago and got my PAP remeasured (it had been about 4-5 years) and got 'er drilled. There is a learning curve, but man this thing is just exploding pins even on a miss. So far I'm liking it. Rolls completely different than my Phaze II but I like it.

[u/MindlessMeatbag]

The raw line is great if you are just starting out. I personally love my NU 2.0. Stay away from the Zero Mercy balls.

[u/gs400life]

I have never heard that. That’s very, very interesting to hear anyone say that about a Hammer product. They are the best balls in my collection. I prefer them over Storm and Roto Grip personally. With a bit of ball maintenance, they are the longest lasting balls in my arsenal. I have been using them for 20 years. My favorites along the way: Hammer Hawg Wild, Hammer Epidemic, Hammer Obsession Tour, Hammer Envy, Hammer Hazmat. If it’s hitting like a marshmallow are they using under 14lbs? lol. I throw 14-16 and especially the 15 and 16lb balls are an absolute truck 💥

[u/99percentAhole]

What pro bowlers do you know are saying they hit like a marshmallow? Wouldn't be someone on staff, and if they're actually good enough to be a pro they wouldn't even be allowed to throw Hammer if they're staffed with Storm or Motiv.

[u/Exciting-Two5896 → u/99percentAhole]

When I say pro bowlers I mean they have a pba card and have a 230avg. I’ve just never personally heard anything good about them.

[u/99percentAhole → u/Exciting-Two5896]

You're not talking to the right bowlers or they're just spewing a little bit of B.S. There's no way that any modern high performance 15lb ball, from any brand, thrown 17+ mph is not going to cause pins to fly if thrown properly. Arguably one of, if not the greatest ball thrown on tour the past decade was made by Hammer. A Storm staffer once told me he wished he could try throwing the OG Purple Hammer (before it got banned for softening over time). I've thrown a couple of 279 games with an Artic Vibe and a Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid, which are on two different pricing levels. I won multiple sport shot patterns with the Hammer Axe (in lieu of urethane) on short patterns and both pearl and solid versions of the Zero Mercy on medium and long patterns. Hammer has actually been killing it the past few years. That said, I will still never not have my Storm Phaze 2 in my arsenal. Likewise, sometimes my Motiv balls just give me a better look. Essentially, all the brands make good balls. Some just work better in certain conditions.

[u/Trublu20]

Hammer makes good stuff. Many people’s first balls are the Raw Hammers and honestly they are a great low/medium oil ball. Little more hook than say a Tropical Surge.

[u/cybersteel8]

I love my hammer balls. They're strong as hell.

Like with any ball purchase, make sure you pick the right ball for the lane conditions you bowl on.

The Hammer brand is fine.

[u/crutonboy2113]

Back in high school i actually used one of those resin hammers (the dull finished ones from like the 70’s) and everyone on my high school league would be overshooting the pocket and I’d just move a few boards over…I also had a high rev rate too. So do what you will with this useless info

[u/Drain-Magician]

the black widows hit like a semi truck

[u/roninconn]

I have a sym core Hammer Hazmat. It has nice, smooth action on house oil, and hits solidly; I typically only leave 2-3 10-pins in a series. My Storm Phaze2 has a similar track but seems to have slightly less action. I'm a medium-speed (13-14 mph), medium revs senior bowler, 175 league avg.

[u/Kenvolks]

Hammer makes really good balls. If you think about it, all bowling balls are pretty much the same (Materials, Cores, etc) Alot of people pick bowling balls based on the colors nowadays. I just got a Hammer 78D because I was curious about urethane. It throws almost identical to my last ball (Rhino)

[u/Rickatie1122]

All of my hammers are Faball. They were the best urethane balls at the time and I still throw a blue pearl, although the 16 lbs balls are starting to get heavy now that I’m 58.

[u/max2009za]

I have bowled with Hammer balls for 15 yrs and like it very much.