The Brown Truck (UPS) just dropped off my Black Diamond. Thanks to Chris and the crew at Buddies for another quick and easy transaction. Chris recommended and drilled it 45 x 3 3/4 x 45 with no x hole.

Thanks to all the LM roomies for posting your questions and experiences with this ball. I''''m pretty sure I read every post on the BD over the last two weeks. This is my first Lanemasters ball and I''''m looking forward to getting this ball on the lanes tonight!
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"Student of the Game"

http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a63/slap1914/bowling/

Edited on 11/20/2009 6:22 PM

Edited on 11/20/2009 6:28 PM

Mini recap.

Our Monday league uses a 43 foot, 4:1 pattern that Kegel created for the league several seasons ago. It's about the same difficulty as their current navigation series pattern. I usually carry 5 balls to league.

1. Spare: Ogre Urethane (polished)
2. Strong Pearl: Chalk (500/gold pad)
3. Virtual Energy (500/gold pad)
4. Reactive: Maxx Zone (green pad/resurrection)
5. Reactive:Requiem 500/gold pad

My plan is for the Black Diamond to fit into the number 4 slot. I've had no success with polished equipment on this pattern so I anticipated a surface adjustment and it was needed. In it's box finish the BD skated on the oil. It went longer than the Virtual Energy and my Solaris Pearl. (Chalk had the night off) I remembered Tony's post about the finish on the Xtreme Damage so scuffed the polish off my Black Diamond with a gray pad by hand. This surface adjustment put the BD right in between the VE and the Requiem.

The reaction shape is very similar to my Requiem, both balls arc hard on the backend. With the surfaces I had on both last night, the BD reacted three or four feet further down lane than the Requiem. I started the night with the BD and it rolled very well. I'll continue to post as I get more games in with the Black Diamond.
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"Student of the Game"

http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a63/slap1914/bowling/