I've been bowling league for 18+ years now and realized recently I'd never bowled in a sanctioned scratch league. I got the chance last night when a friend needed a sub. (Side note: I'm not accustomed to being asked, "What's your average?" out of necessity rather than curiosity).

So I head to the bowl and the first thing I see that I'm not accustomed to is a re-oil going on. For the first time in years, I was going to be bowling on something other than dry-medium. These lanes started out medium-wet.

I started with a MoRich Awesome Finish. I shot 200 with a missed 10-pin, while the other opens were splits. Lanes were oily enough that I actually left an 8-10 split on a shot that was pulled just a couple of boards inside.

The problem with my Awesome Finish is that it was the second ball I ever drilled for myself, and I didn't get the finger pitches right (too much forward). I really need to plug and redo, but just haven't gotten around to doing it. With those pitches wrong, I have the tendency to lose the feel of the ball in the backswing and also to miss inside the target line.

So I switched to my G-Force Evolution and was reminded just what I don't like about that ball -- too condition-specific. Miss outside into the dry too soon, hello 3-6-10. Miss inside to the oil, hello 2-8-10 or washout. Shot 170.

I was going to go back to the Awesome Finish and just tough it out the third game, but I had the HRG with me and decided I wasn't going to lose anything by trying. I started with the front four, then pocket 7-10 (which has been coming up a lot for me lately), then pretty much Dutched out from that point to shoot 221.

So for series, that was 591 (197 avg.), which meant I at least replaced the guy I was subbing for (he carries a 190).

I'm convinced the Uranium HRG is the most unique Lane #1 ball ever made. Not better or worse, just most different. It isn't as oil-sensitive as the Evo. It doesn't read as early as Lane #1's solids do. That core makes it lope through the heads, so it always seems to have some punch for the back. I guess the best way to put it is, if nothing else is working, there's a pretty good chance it will, because it is so different. I hope in 4-5 years Lane #1 chooses to do a remake.

Jess