FINALLY I GET TO REVIEW THIS NEW BALL! WELL ALL I GOT TO SAY IS THAT ON OILY, NOT FLOODED OR EXTREMELY LONG PATTERNS,TO LIGHT OIL THIS BALL WILL REPLACE AND OUT HIT EVERY BALL IN YOUR BAG. PERIOD. IT MAY NOT COVER AS MANY BOARDS AS SOME BALLS BUT ON A MEDIUM OIL PATTERN THIS BALL WILL TURN PINS INTO SAWDUST.THE WAY THIS BALL WILL CARRY LIGHT HITS IS INSANE. EVEN ON BURNED OUT LANE CONDITIONS IT WILL KEEP HOOKING CONTINUOUSLY AND NOT ROLL OUT.I HAD MY BALL DRILLER DRILL MINE FOR EARLY HOOK, I WISH I KNEW MORE BUT IT'S HARD TO GET A HOLD OF HIM, BUT I'LL POST IT AS SOON AS I CAN. FOR THE MID LEVEL PRICE THIS BALL SHOULD BE IN EVERYONES BAG.  WELL THIS IS A UPDATE AFTER ABOUT 20 GAMES, THIS BALL IS THE BEST BALL I'VE EVER THROWN! I'M GETTING MORE USED TO IT AND WHAT IT CAN DO,THE ONLY ANNOYING THING ABOUT THIS BALL IS IN HEAVY OIL IT TENDS TO PUSH OUT A LITTLE LIKE MOST PEARLS DO BUT THE SPT COVERSTOCK REALLY READS THE DRY WELL AND GIVES YOU ROOM FOR ERROR. BUT IT STILL DOES EVERYTHING THAT I SAID AND MORE, YOU HAVE TO GIVE THIS BALL ROOM WHEN THE LANES OPEN UP OR IT'S SPLIT CITY GOING HIGH ON THE HEADPIN. WHEN THE LANES OPEN UP IS WHEN THIS BALL REALLY SHINES, STARTS REVVING IN MID LANE AND STILL GETS A REACTIVE REACTION TO THE POCKET, I ALMOST FEEL SORRY FOR THE PINS! I'M TELL'IN ALL AMFORCERS YOU WANT THIS BALL IN YOUR BAG, YOU NEED THIS BALL IN YOUR BAG CAN YOU HANDLE THE TRUTH! HEY THAT SOUNDS LIKE A GOOD NICKNAME FOR THE BALL, THE TRUTH. SERIOUSLY THOUGH, IT'S A MUST HAVE FOR YOUR ARSENAL, I GAURANTEE IT WILL REPLACE BALLS IN YOUR BAG.        AMFORCE RULES!
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at length even the fox is brought to the furrier!

AMF300 is on the verge of releasing their newest performance ball, the VP2 in February.  AMF’s literature discloses that the VP2 features their SPT (Super Particle Technology) cover stock along with a proven light bulb core with Titanium Nugget, made popular in the largest chunk of balls manufactured at the Columbia 300 plant in San Antonio.  This combination normally provides a heavy midlane roll with a very controllable break point, while the SPT cover stock is supposed to grip on today's slicker lane conditions.

The core of the VP2 is an inverted light-bulb core with titanium nugget.  The Green/Red/Black VP2 with Neon Yellow/ Neon Green Engraving comes out of the box with a polished finish.  The Radius of Gyration is 2.503 while the Differential is 0.030, well within the new differential maximum set by the new United States Bowling Congress.

The VP2 is made to roll heavier on medium oiled lanes and provide power and control for most bowlers.

I used this ball, drilled by Matt Yablonsky at Matt’s Pro Shop in Rapids Bowling Center in Niagara Falls during this last week on several fresh oil patterns, none of the patterns being real built up with oil in the middle of the lane.  The VP2 was mapped out with favorite layouts; a  3” X 4 1/2” drilling with the CG kicked out, and the pin underneath the middle finger for a straighter, more rolling-out reaction.   An extra hole at 4:30 just under the axis point took a good chunk of the side and thumb weight left in the ball after drilling.  This layout is responsible for a few honor scores and a couple of tournament titles I’ve won before I injured my shoulder a couple years ago and had to stop using 16 pound bowling balls for the ever-popular 15 pounders.

The initial use of the VP2 came at Tonawanda Bowling Center after the first game of league bowling as the oil on the lanes were carried down quite a bit.  Since the pattern was shorter than what’s normally laid down in my Friday night mixed classic league, the carrydown kept the VP2 in line as I was playing from the fourth arrow to between the 10th and 15th board at about 50’.  I managed to roll a couple of 230 games to complete the series; however, it was not the go-to ball in the first game as the pattern was too short and too fresh for particle.  I did like how the VP2 recovered when I threw it right of the track, and how the ball stood up as it rolled out toward the pocket.  I liked how the VP2 did not over-hook and maintained it’s smooth reaction given the layout.

The following day in the Buffalo Beverage-Miller Lite All-Star Traveling League at Alden Lanes, the VP2 was my ball of choice in practice as the track was hooking, but the rest of the lane was pretty tight.  As I was able to maneuver the VP2 in the track until the track area and back end tightened up, the VP2 had to go back in the bag.  This is one of the first particle balls that I’ve ever thrown that is better on drier lanes with a little bit, but not too much carrydown on the lanes.  That was proven in another league session recently when I threw the VP2 on a medium oil pattern with a little carrydown in the track area.  I used the VP2 for most of the series until the fronts burned up a little and the back end tightened up.

What may have kept me from maximizing the VP2 was the layout of the ball.  I got what I wanted in terms of the layout, but I normally use this layout in a medium strong ball.   Had I laid the VP2 with a stronger pin placement, I might have maximized the power of the VP2 without giving up control.  What I did get out of the VP was great control, but I’m still waiting to find a pattern which I can utilize the power of the ball.  I’m sure it’s out there; I’ll find it, and I’ll whack the crud out of the pins with the VP2 because I love the way it rolls for me.
 
I’d love to try another VP2 with a stronger layout because I could get more of what I was really looking for from the VP2 – the power and control that the VP2 is noted for.

Once in a while we as bowlers place roadblocks on bowling balls when they’re mapped out against the recommendations of the manufacturer.  Sometimes layouts cause a ball to give bowlers a look that is not expected; sometimes good, sometimes not.   However, I feel pretty rejuvenated and ready to take on an entirely new attitude with my league and competitive bowling activities.  The AMF300 VP2 will play a significant role on medium to wet-dry patterns as I continue rebuilding my bowling ball arsenal.

Props go out to Bill Supper from AMF300 for the complementary issue of the VP2 and Matt Yablonsky from Matt’s Pro Shop for his continued drilling expertise and for attempting to soften up my head in regards to the layout.  Thanks again to Rapids Bowling Center and Tonawanda Bowling Center proprietor Len Pimm for providing the lanes and the oil patterns to try the VP2 out on.
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Happy Bowling!
Fran

FRAN BAX -
**Member of the Buffalo and New York State Bowling Association Halls of Fame


PS: Wanna Quit Smoking?  Call 1-866-NYQUITS

I ordered this ball but when it came in it had only 1 - 2 inches of pin and I don't like balls like that.  So my friend bought it instead.  I saw him throw this ball in the 2nd and 3rd game of our league which had clean backends on a christmas tree pattern and it barely covered 2 boards and I feel that I'm being generous when I say that.  I don't know if it was the short pin or the fact that my friend is a tweener but I do know this:  THANK YOU GOD THAT I DIDN'T BUY THIS BALL!!!!!  It has been a long time since I purchased a AMF ball and it looks like this streak will continue!

2nd ball owned.

First ball terminal velocity.

I bought this ball from buddy who works at the bowling alley.
I have nothing but positive comments on this ball. Keep in mind this is coming from a non-experienced bowler - but this ball does exactly what i like. It heads straight and right before it gets to the pins it hooks in. (please excuse my lack of bowling terms and terminology). My second game with this ball, i bowled a 288 (10 strikes in a row - only to blow it in the tenth). My current average in league is a 147 (its going up but hey, I started at 119 AVG).

I like this ball alot. it does not have the hook my terminal velocity has - but for a new bowler, it is easier to control and use. And the hook is different, it goes long before doing anything.

Got this one a couple months ago.  They seem to be clearing them out.  They can be found on that popular auction site for less than $20, and a popular online site is currently offering them for $69.99 with free shipping.

Anyhow, I have this with a 3" pin drilled with pin at 1 o'clock, pin above and to the right of the ring finger.  

This is a much stronger ball than I thought it was going to be.  I picked it up because I wanted a weaker ball for medium to medium light oil.  The house I am bowling in recently cut the oil back for summer leagues.  

This particle ball has early roll, starts in the midlane, and makes an arcing pattern to the pocket.  I stand 26 or 27 and throw about 8, and this ball will smash the pocket.  

I must say this ball does leave alot of ringing taps for me - lots of solid 8, solid 9, solid 10.  More so than other balls I play.

I like it alot, its just not the ball I was after whan I picked it up.  Great ball for medium conditions.