For all the talk about the Brunswick Swamp Monster being such a sponge, I did some good last night at Harbor Freeway Lanes in Port Clinton, Ohio by rolling my fourth career ABC 300 game with this ball (purchased 11/10/03, drilled 4 1/2" X 3 1/2" pin-down, X-hole on VAL in positive thumb quadrant). The lanes were a 42' blend (more Christmas tree than block), and I played the oil between 15 and 20 and out to the breakpoint (i.e. 10 board at around 45-50 feet from the foul line).
The Swamp has superb tracking and hitting power; just don't throw the ball too flat, otherwise the solid 10-pin will make a few appearances. The arc is strong and readable. I think Brunswick has done very well with the core/cover combinations in the last few Monster bowling balls that they have released!
Yes, the Swamp Monster needs constant attention for those who prefer the 35-micron box finish for heavy oil. To make an analogy, it would be like an off-road high performance tire through a mud bog. Enough mud will build up in the treads, and, eventually, the tires will need to be cleaned to retain that high performance.
My ball has nine games of mileage, and I clean it each night (before and after) with Rev-It Particle Ball Cleaner, which loosens and removes the dirt and oil from the cover. During league play I use an Ebonite fiber towel to keep the ball as clean as possible from frame to frame. The surface, however, WILL show a bit more shine each time out. Eventually, I will need to take it to the shop for "a tune-up and rotation", courtesy of the 3M Trizact resurfacing system for the Brunswick Proactive balls.
Overall, the Swamp is a great ball for the buck on heavier-than-normal league patterns... and another winner from the big B!
