Ran$om Demand
Ball specs after drilling:
15lb 10oz
Box finish: 800-1000-2000-4000
This ball was first described to me as a Full Swing with a little more hook on the backend. The Full Swing was a very versatile ball not only in its usability on different lane conditions, but it rolled well at 500 on longer/heavier conditions and well at 4000 on shorter conditions. I never felt like the Full Swing was my favorite ball at any given moment, but I felt for about 16-18 months that it was a ball that I wanted to be able to throw at some point during a tournament. That was the main reason behind the multiple surface changes; generally, I'll find a surface prep that I like for a ball and keep it there for the life of the product (or until I've thrown it for several hundred games and it just doesn't fit the same spot in my arsenal anymore...then I'll shine it up and use it on shorter/lighter volumes). For the Full Swing, I always felt like it was good as it was, but there was the potential for greatness if I could just find the right surface prep for it. I never did find "great", but no matter what surface I tried, it was always "good". So, with that knowledge in mind, I was very interested to drill a Ransom Demand because I knew the target reaction for it was something that I had liked in the past, and I was wondering if the slight increase in backend hook would be the magical change that would take it to a "great" product for me.
I talked with John Furey, a fellow ball driller (Furey's Solid 10 Pro Shop) and accomplished PBA bowler, about ideas for a layout for the Ransom Demand. The Full Swing had a 45*-5-45* layout with an extra hole 2" below my PAP. We came to the conclusion that 65*-5.5-45* with an extra hole 3" below my PAP would be good to try on the Ransom Demand. Our theory was that with this cover being more responsive to friction, we wanted the ball to have more forward roll to enhance controllability, while the cover would cause the ball to react more downlane than the Full Swing.
The results were very rewarding. I've found the ball reacts best for me at 2000, although 1000 and 1000 with polish have also given me good results. The ball revs up quick for me, but the cover allows it to push through the heads and wait until the midlane to kick into gear. I've thrown it for about 20-25 games so far, and so far, it seems to be the hardest arcing product I've ever thrown. It's not a skid-flip reaction, but it really does turn the corner hard, and the carry is very impressive. I attribute part of this to the layout change and most of it to the new cover. It works best for me when I want to get a few extra boards of hook on the backend; if the OutBurst can't cover enough ground, I can switch to the Ransom Demand to get the angle I need. I can see myself switching back and forth between the Ransom Demand and OutBurst a lot over the next several months.
Compared to other recent Columbia 300 products: Please keep in mind that I am an all-around average tweener: a medium speed, medium revs right-hander with some tilt. Your ball-to-ball comparisons may vary!
The Ransom Demand is...
a little longer and a lot more angular than the OutBurst.
a little earlier and a little smoother than the Ransom.
a little earlier and a little more angular than the Burst.
about as long and a little more angular than the World Beater.
about as long and a lot more angular than the Full Swing.
Just as Columbia 300 has stated: If you liked the Full Swing, then you should really give this ball a try. The reaction characteristics are very complimentary, and the Ransom Demand will give you a great reaction across virtually every med/light to med/heavy condition you find!
If you have any questions, feel free to send me a message or leave a note on the forums and I'll try to get back to you soon!
------------------------------------
Jeff Voght
PBA East Region Member
Columbia 300 Staffer since 2007
Owner, Iroquois Lanes & Restaurant since 2006
