Bowler Ratings

PatternStTwCr
Oily:X.XX.XX.X
Medium:X.XX.XX.X
Dry:X.XX.XX.X
Sport:X.XX.XX.X

Bowler ratings are from 1 to 10 in order of Stroker (ST), Tweener (TW), Cranker (CR)

Note: Ratings are only available to our premium members.

General Info

Brand:
Name:Effect Tour
Reviewed:December 2024
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Coverstock Specs
Name:TourV3 Solid
Type:Reactive Solid
Box Finish:500 / 1500 SiaAir
Color:Tour Blue
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Core Specs
Name:Huntsman Tour
Type:Asymmetrical
RG:2.472
Diff:0.036
Int. Diff:0.012

For details on our standard test layouts, please click here.

The Hammer Effect Tour is the second ball in the Effect line, and it follows in the footsteps of other Tour releases that feature lower differential cores. This ball uses the TourV3 Solid coverstock, which is an updated formula from the TourV1 Solid cover found on the Web Tour and the TourV2 Solid shell from the Obsession Tour. It comes out of the box at a very rough 500/1500 SiaAir finish to give this ball plenty of traction. The asymmetrical Huntsman Tour core design used in the Effect Tour has a slightly higher RG (2.472″) and a slightly higher differential (0.036″) compared to the Obsession Tour core. With its lower-flaring core design for enhanced control and plenty of traction to create hook, this ball proved to be very effective on our heavy oil and sport test patterns.

Stroker

Stroker had the best reaction with the Effect Tour on the fresh heavy oil test pattern. He was able to play straighter angles, seeing a smooth arc throughout the entire lane. His straighter angle of attack provided excellent pin carry and allowed him to make small moves as the pattern started to break down. He started to feel a little trapped toward what would be the end of game two in a typical league night, as he was getting too far left to see the right angle through the pins. At this point, he needed to get into something that was more responsive downlane. He could do this with balls like the Black Widow 3.0 or the Pure Envy.

Stroker’s softer hand and straighter angles also gave him the best look on the medium oil pattern. The extremely rough box finish was able to blend out the reaction off the dry, keeping the ball from over-hooking when it got to the breakpoint. He

Additional Hammer Effect Tour Resources

Click here to visit Hammer's website to read the manufacturer-supplied information on this ball. Also, see below for the manufacturer-produced promotional video for this ball.

Please remember that our reviews are solely based on our own testing and that you may sometimes find differences between our comments and ratings and the manufacturer's claims. Links to these manufacturer resources are provided here strictly for convenience purposes.

The BTM Ball Testing Team

About The BTM Ball Testing Team

The BTM Ball Testing Team is led by Eric Martinez. Our team of three testers has thrown and reviewed hundreds of bowling balls for Bowling This Month. When not testing balls for BTM, Eric owns and operates University Pro Shop in San Antonio, TX and he is an avid competitive bowler. Click here to learn more about how we test and review bowling balls.