Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl Bowling Ball Updated Review

Hello there, fellow hammerheads! Do you love Hammer bowling balls? Then you might have heard about the ever-popular Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl bowling ball. This ball has been in the market for so long, but its popularity never died down. Not only it is one of the most gorgeous bowling balls, but also it is a strong asymmetrical one on the market. A great number of pro bowlers own this ball. So what’s so great about it? What’s all the rave about? For that, you need to know the ins and out of this ball through this Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl bowling ball review. Stay tuned to know more!

Why is this bowling ball the best?

The Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl has received recognition mainly because of its versatility. Because the ball can be played from different angles and it still manages to hook on time and of course, hits the pins with maximum force to ensure strikes! Ask any bowlers about their favorite asymmetrical reactive pearl. At least 75% of them will recommend this amazing bowling ball, no doubt there! 

Features

Coverstock

Who doesn’t love the Black Widow line b Hammer? One of their newest addition is the Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl bowling ball. Well, you can tell by the ball’s name that it is a pearl-reactive bowling ball. So you already have the hints of how cool this ball can be!

This iconic ball features the Aggression Pearl reactive cover that wraps a badass core (which we will get to in a bit) to provide a top-notch performance on the lane. As the name suggests, the outer shell does provide a level of aggression that drags the ball to the targeted pocket.

What I love about the coverstock is that it is very prompt at reading the lane and allows you to control it so that you get the expected ball reaction every time. It is also very clean through the fronts and strong enough during the transition (hook to roll). another important factor that I absolutely love is that the ball is very responsive right off the spot.

Because of being a Pearl bowling ball, Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl picks up less oil from the lane, thanks to the microscopic holes. The ball is also designed to provide high-friction backend motions. When this pearl cover takes over the lane, it pops out of the oil pattern and cuts through the bowling pins like a knife through warm butter.

The way this ball is responsive downlane, it will remind you of the Pink Widow ball, I kid you not! If you are in search of a ball that lets you open the angles, this ball is the winner. When you need to move right or left, open up your angles, and the ball is going to come back from ungodly, unexpected spots on the lane, just like how Ghosts come alive.

Factory Finish

Okay, time to talk about the coverstock finish. So this Aggression Pearl coverstock is finished at 500/1000/1500 Siaair then it was polished with the Crown Factory Compound for some tremendous lengths and sharper ball motions. The polished finish gives this ball a nice shine and makes the coverstock look even more attractive.

If the factory finish is not up to your standard, you can always customize it and make it even more shinier. By making it shinier, you will be able to throw the ball in a bit drier lane conditions. But if you keep that original finish of the ball, you will see the best results in medium lane conditions.

Core

Now, let’s take a trip to the center of the ball, shall we? So is the Hammer Ghost Pearl bowling ball beautiful inside and out? Well, the answer is yes! The ball features the iconic asymmetrical Gas Mask core which is surrounded by the Carbon Fiber outer core for insane power and maximum durability.

Hammer has so many balls that feature the Asymmetrical Gas Mask core. Some of them are— Black Widow Pink, Black Widow 2.0, Black Widow Urethane, Black Widow Gold, Dark Legend and Dark Legend Solid, and many more. Because this special core is known for its exceptionally large flare potential, the Black Widow Ghost Pearl is considered versatile for different bowling styles. You also gotta appreciate its backend bite that you don’t see in too many bowling balls.

The Gas Mask core features an asymmetrical “gas mask” like shape that has an RG of 2.50″, a total differential of 0.058″, and a mass bias differential of 0.016″. These numbers are the indication that the ball is indeed going to roll early. The abovementioned pearl coverstock and this core are truly a match made in heaven!

Because the ball is versatile, it will adjust to any angle and roll over on any board you intend it to. The high-torque core also makes the ball much stronger and very continuous down lane. The differential and RG combination proves that the core is good at retaining energy and delivering flawless hooks to keep your performance at its peak. 

Color

Call me childish, but I do care what my bowling ball looks like. If you can relate to this, then getting the Hammer Ghost Pearl will definitely be a big win! The Ectoplasmic pearly white color of the coverstock is truly something you have never seen before. If you’re someone who doesn’t like too much color on the ball, you will love this plain and simple, yet gorgeous pearly white color of the bowling balls!

Hook Potential

The most perfect duo of low RG (2.50) and high differential (0.058) is nothing new, we all know that. This RG-differential combo makes the Ghost Pearl a good candidate for strong aggressive hooking. You are not going to see sharp angular motion when the hooking takes place. But the hook motion is just strong enough to get you through the fronts and transform to roll to the pins.

Believe all the hype about the Ghost Pearl bowling ball by Hammer. When you play with the Ghost Pearl ball, it will tell you that it is indeed a stronger hooking pro ball. Generally, shiny pro-level bowling balls are designed t give lengths and move smoothly. But this Hammer bowling ball is a bit more aggressive when it comes to hooking.

So if you’re looking for a ball to have in your arsenal that is going to give you some pretty aggressive mid-lane motion and continuation, you cannot go wrong with the Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl bowling ball. It’s definitely not a weak bowling ball considering its motion and specifications.

On a medium oil pattern, you can get about 5 boards deeper than you usually do and you will be still able to make it. The ball lets you play from the inside, makes its little hook on the outside, and then moves back in to fly the pins away. Don’t worry too much about the oil pattern. You can use it both on house shots and sports shots and the results will be similar on both. Dear Hammer fans, I promise you won’t be disappointed with this ball.

Breakpoint Shape

Hammer has stepped up their hooking game for the Black Widow Ghost Pearl ball. We have just learned how this asymmetrical bowling ball is for hooking purposes. Now, let’s take a look at the breakpoint shape this bowling ball is going to offer on medium-heavy patterns.

Yeah, the Ghost Pearl has a classic asymmetrical core on the inside and a stronger solid coverstock on the outside. Naturally, the ball is going to have strong backend reactions. The ball’s overall hooking and effortless motion down the lane will surely remind you of other Black Widows. But this one right here is designed for Aggressive Midlane traction and an amazing Backend reaction. After a few games, you will definitely notice some changes but nothing too intense.

What We Like

– The ball hardly picks up any oil, which makes your bowling experience much easier than you think. It breaks down the pattern slowly. So even on your 3rd game, the ball will perform just fine. You have to thank the pearl coverstock for this big advantage.

– The classic cover-core duo of Ghost Pearl is every bowler’s dream! It gets down the lane with ease and makes moves aggressively for hooking. This asymmetrical bowling ball will genuinely elevate your game with style. The coverstock is super durable and the core is unstoppable! What’s more can you ask?

– The strong midlane traction and magnificent backend reaction make the ball so strong for pin-hitting. These strong hooks make it a lot easier for some strikes. What’s not to like about that?

– The ball adapts to lane transition quite easily. I also liked this ball for delivering better and more precise shots. If you want to add a bowling ball to your arsenal that actually checkmarks all the good qualities, grab the Ghost Pearl without any second thought!

What We Don’t Like

– Sometimes the ball gets a bit out of control. But nothing too extreme. If you have experience dealing with asymmetrical bowling balls, then controlling the ghost Pearl bowling ball won’t be a problem.

– Because this ball is more friendly and greater-performing in medium-heavy lane conditions, better keep it away from the lane when the pattern starts to dry. Although the ball has a shiny polished finish it won’t react the same when the pattern gets rough. The Ghost Pearl ball is crafted for oil. So better keep it rolling on visibly oily lanes.

Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl vs 3-D Offset

The closest alternative ball for the Ghost Pearl bowling ball would be the Motiv Pride for me. There are some bowlers who claim that it is a lot similar to Black Widow 2.0, but I think Ghost Pearl is much stronger and more aggressive. Another asymmetrical bowling ball that is considered a dupe for Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl is the Hammer 3-D Offset. But are they really that similar?

Right off the bat, both bowling balls have asymmetrical core and pearl reactive cover, but the 3-D Offset features the High Rev Offset core which is wrapped by the Neoflex 25 Pearl coverstock. Both of these balls have almost the same RG, but the differentials are not the same. This is why they won’t react the same.

Both Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl and 3-D Offset are pro-performance bowling balls and they are both great on heavy-medium oil patterns. However, the coverstock finish isn’t the same. The 3-D Offset has a matte surface which is the opposite of the finish Ghost Pearl has.

Interestingly, the specifications of both of these bowling balls say that they have the Aggressive Midlane and Backend breakpoint shape. So when you roll these two balls side by side, their motion will be quite impeccable and similar. I can see why these two balls are often put next to one another.

Conclusion

The newest addition to Hammer’s Black Widow line is really blooming. Everyone is loving the overall performance of Ghost Pearl, and I think you will feel the same once you finally get to play with the ball. It is the strongest and most aggressive Black Widow ball on the market right now. It may feel a bit early for some of you, but trust me, it is needed for the aggressive breakpoint move before it hits the pocket. Does that sound convincing enough to you? So why wait? Join the glory and class of playing with the Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl bowling ball. Good luck!