15lb
2.75 oz top prior to drilling
4" pin out.  

As with many of the balls that I have drilled lately I used a 5.5" pin to PAP distance with the pin falling directly above the bridge, with a 4" distance to the center of my grip.   I used a 60* layout which put the CG about .5" to the positive side of the grip line and right above the midplane.  

I polished the ball in quarters with Factory Finish.   I didn't burn it in overly hard.   Just a light coat.    

This ball hooks later and stronger than Both the WILD and the DOOM.  

I was bowling on Fresh THS.   Where I typically play 17 to 8, standing on 37 with a DOOM, I was playing 23 to 5 standing on 42, and even into the 2nd game in front of the ball return.  

This ball flat out HOOKS.  BUT, it HOOKS DOWN THE LANE.   Unlike many balls that "hook", this one does it ALL on the backs.  There is little midlane read, and a BIG strong move on the back.    

NOTHING HITS LIKE A HAMMER!!

FYI:  Never missed the hole.  229 246 258.  Not a bad start for a new nug.  

--------------------

Jason Jenkins
'05-'06 Hammer Amateur Staff
"Nothing HITS like a Hammer"

Starting weights:
16.00 gross
2.75 top
pin 3-4

Axis Point: 4 5/8 right, 3/4 up
Ball Speed: 17-18 mph
Rev Rate: 425-450
 
I drilled The Road Hawg with the pin just below and in between the fingers.  The CG is in the thumb positive quadrant.  I weighed it out and it only has 1/2 thumb and 1/2 positive side, so I didn’t need a weight hole.
 
I tried it out on the fresh league shot where I usually use a Big Rig and play about 12-13 at the arrows and out to about 5-6 at the break point.  Normally, you have to get the ball to 5 if you want to get any angle to the pocket at this center.  With the Road Hawg, I was playing around 20 at the arrows and 10-12 at the break point.  When this ball decided to make its move to the pocket, it made it REALLY strong.  I got it in and it carried.  I lost it a bit to the right and it carried.  I shot 257 the first game with 3 ten-pins (one was in the fill ball).  In game two, I started with the front 11 before throwing one of the worst balls I have ever thrown.  Let’s just say I didn't strike and finished with a 298. After two games, I still hadn't had to make a move as this ball was letting me play a good 7-8 boards inside everyone else on the pair.  My carry started to go away in the third game as I only had a 216 game.  Once I couldn't shoot 800 and I was eliminated from the brackets, I really didn't care too much.  I must say, I was pretty impressed with this new toy.  The guys on my pair were equally impressed as I think I was the only one to break 600 on the pair (this is a scratch league).

I’m looking forward to trying this ball on some oilier, tougher conditions.
--------------------

Mr. Alternate
Hammer Regional Staff Member

Ball Specs
2-3 inch pin
2 3/4 top
15.4 oz

Drill Pattern
The drilling is the recomended drilling on The One
4 inch PIN to PAP
2.5 inch CG to PAP
MB located 3 inches from thumb
X Hole on val past axis

Bowler Style
275-300 RPM
15-16.5 MPH
PAP 4 13/16 over 0 up/down

Picture and Video Links
Pics:
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=1/2419071454.jpg&s=x4
http://putfile.com/pic.php?pic=1/2419105632.jpg&s=x4
Video:
http://media.putfile.com/Road-Hawg

Surface Prep
2000 Grit Abralon
Light coat of polish put on before taking down to 2000 abralon, so ball is not a light light polish

Lane Condition
Normal House Shot, Synthetic, with 3 hrs of house bowling (lanes in video)
Med-heavy house shot with lots of backend (wood)

Ball Reaction
Decent length, nothing like The One.
Backend galore. Very strong, snaps off the dry
Overall Hook is not applicable with this ball for all its hooking is in the backend.
Midlane Read is not much because most of its action is on the backend.
Breakpoint shape is strong arc. When polished it is more flip

Comments
I love my new Road Hawg. Ball works wonderfully on synthetics, and decent on my wood house. Id call the overall reaction of the Road Hawg to be "long and strong". The ball is drilled with the recomended drilling on The One, which is supposed to give a long and strong reaction. This ball does just that, only not as long or as strong as the One. None the less, a good ball. Depending on my hand positions i can play deep 4th arrow and carry wonderfully with the ball, or just right and fluff the ball up the first arrow. Carry is amasing. Every angle and every shot, no matter where i hit the pins, has a chance to carry (check out the video).

My only dislike is that on my wood house league, there tends to be lots of backend, and i have to really fluff the ball from 3rd arrow out to 1st arrow in order to bowl with it since there isnt any carry down yet. THis is not my a-game. Other than that, i have no complaints.

--------------------
"Strike for show, spare for dough"
I LIKE TO BOWL
Im A Hammer Head 100%

I am left handed and had this ball drilled stacked leverage.  Pin placement is about 11 o'clock.  X Hole Punched in the side. Out of Box Finish on the Cover Stock.  I am a stroker, and primarily like to play my feet around 15, and swing the ball out to the dry at around 5-8.  Also play down and in when conditions warrant it.

Always loved Hammer from back in the Hammer 3D and 4D days..wasn't so happy with the original Hawg, but I'm thinking now if I would have given it more of a chance I would have liked it.

I used this ball on a medium oil house shot (wood) and it just hooks for days.  I couldn't keep this ball on the left side of the head pin, no matter how far  I moved inside.  It was ready to go as soon as it found some dry area.  Needless to say it didn't get much use at this house.

I then used it at another house (wood lanes) but this house just started laying down less oil than the other house, with some jumping back ends....once again, this ball hooked too much....back in the bag it went.

I finally found what I was looking for to use this ball.  Wood Lanes, Little heavier oil, longer pattern.  The ball just ripped through the front oil, and when it did hit the backends, rolled up very nicely.  It was more of an even arc for me.  The carry was great, besides a ripped 8 pin, which i've been leaving with any ball at this house, if I hit the hole or around it...I had an X on the screen.  This ball worked very well for the first 2 games, but as my side broke down, it started over hooking and leaving a lot of 6 pins.  Overall I loved the reaction I got on this pattern.  I was playing at 18 with my feet and sending it out to 10, and it came crashing back into the pocket.  Also had some forgiveness on a couple shots where I let it fly out to around 6 or 7 and it still flushed up.

I then bowled on some synthetic lanes.  Playing primarily at 18 with my feet, shooting it out to the dry around the 5 board with a Medium speed. The lanes were jumpy on the outside, but pretty well flooded around the 10 board.  Once again I loved the reaction I was getting.  I did run into trouble if my ball speed was off.  I ran into a lot of trouble if I had too much speed and pulled the ball inside around 10.  It really reved up, but as soon as it hit the carrydown, it just spun like a plastic ball.  Very weird to see.  I'm not too familiar with synthetics, so I don't know if that's common place or not. Overall it gave me a nice even reaction and carried extremely well.

I thought about ditching this ball, but after seeing how well it reacted with a little bit of oil, and also on synthetics, it's here to stay.

If you bowl on a longer pattern, and you can control your speed, with the lay out I have...this would be a good ball for you as well.

Feel free to PM me with any questions.
--------------------
My Arsenal:
Brunswick Ultimate Inferno, Hammer Road Hawg, Columbia 300 Action Packed, Rotogrip Spare Tire

Hammer Road Hoag:

Ball Specs
The ball being drilled was a 3” pin out with 3.00 oz top weight.
Drilling: Pin 3 3/4" from PAP and Mb 45 degree angle or 4 1/4" from my pap. Pin is above ring finger, 3" above grip midline. Weight Hole on my axis. Factory 4000 Abralon.

Bowler Information:
Track diameter is 10 1/2.
PAP is measured at 5 1/4 over and 3/8" up.
Average ball speed (foul line to head pin) is 17 mph.
Axis rotation is typically 90 degrees
Initial rev rate is typically 300 rpm, "Tweener"
Lane Condition and Pattern:
AMF Bowlero, HPL 9000 Panel. Oil Pattern: Medium Heavy Oil and slightly clean back ends. Fairly Flat condition from edge board to edge board.

REVIEW:
I thought when this ball came out this could be Hammer's answer to Ebonite's popular The One. In some cases it is and others it isn't. 1st I love the color scheme of this ball, just beautiful.

Reaction on a flatter condition; the ball allowed me to over power the inside oil and gave me nice recovery from the outsides. I was high on the pair that night in league with 680. On a wet/dry pattern the ball was to under/over and too senitive to the oil and dry for my release. It seems to perform better on a flatter condition and hits very hard. My Hoag Wild is my favorite ball for sending the pins off the deck. This ball is 4-5 boards more hook than the Hoag Wild on a similiar pattern.

I think crankers looking for a sanded ball to give them a little push down the lane and strong recovery on the backs will love this ball. I would not suggest this ball for strokers unless you have alot of friction on the outsides and backends.

Compared to a 4000 grit sanded The One. Similiar motion on the lane, The One rolled a touch smoother at the breakpoint and was a touch more readable. Both showed tremendous hit.

Thanks for reading my review.
Dwight

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Drilled my Road Hawg 5 x 4 1/2 pin above the ring finger, box finish. Threw on AMF syntheitic, and Brunswick wood, strong but predictable move to the pocket on each and absolutely shredded pins! This is going to be a winner for everyone, once the cover is the proper grit for the individual. Another winner from TEAM HAMMER!!!!!
__________________
istrike300
NOTHING HITS LIKE A HAMMER!!!!

This ball deserves an A+...if you have lot of revs or little speed this ball is awesome...never rolls out always save energy and hit like a mad truck
only dislikes leaves a lot of solids 8s