PLAYER STATS
Style = Stroker/mild tweener, right-handed
Speed = ~14-16 mph
PAP = 5" over & 7/8" up (high track)
Axis tilt = ~20°
Revs = ~275-325 RPM at release
BALL LAYOUT:
======+===
===o=o====
=====+====
======#===
==========
====O=====
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+ = Pin
# = CG
WHY THIS BALL?
I frequently encounter rather light to medium conditions in league, and with my lower ball speed and the high track, which makes balls roll rather early, length and a high coverstock traction potential can create serious problems. Most reactive balls are just to strong for my game, resulting in a fight with the equipment's lack of length or carry, or both.
My go-to ball has been a black Pure Hammer, and I had already tried various urethane balls, including a vintage Red Pearl Hammer, a Slate Blue Gargoyle and even an original Faball Blue Hammer, with mixed results.
Two years ago a batch of Lord Field "Burning Ups" popped up in a local online market, and with a price tag of only EUR 99,- for a modern urethane ball with a powerful core, I could not resist and bought a 15 lb. ball with a 4" pin distance. At that time I was not familiar with the manufacturer/brand, but apparently Lord Field is what once was the production plant for Lanemasters balls in Korea - and the overall look and feel of the ball confirms this.
But back to the subject: Since neither me nor my trusted ball driller knew the ball's overall potential we agreed to drill it relatively strong, with a 4.5x4.5 layout, which placed the pin above my fingers and the CG in the palm. No balance hole was necessary, and I kept the ball OOB, which is a sheen surface, but not glossy.
SOME IMPRESSIONS
I was and still am impressed. I did not expect much from this ball, rather thought that it would only be good for really dry and ridden conditions for late games, or for playing stright up the boards when you have a friction area close to the gutter. But the Burning Up proved to be a VERY versatile piece in my hands. The first test shots after drilling surprised me with a very good read of the lane (synth surface), and this thing even has a good back end move!
During the last two years I have built more and more confidence in this piece, and it has for the running season become my go-to ball for league play and tournaments.
The Burning Up has very good length through the heads, on both fresh and worn conditions, and it moves quite a lot - it's the most hooking urethane ball I have played so far. The layout also proved very suitable for it - it hooks early and creates maybe 4" of flare for me, but thanks to the mild coverstock it does not burn up (nomen es omen!) and actually hits very hard. I do not know where it gains its traction from, but if the back and is no dirty swamp this ball even recovers from shots that stray too far outside. Not as powerful and aggressively as a reactive ball, but I can actually swing the Burning Up in a smooth hook - on short to medium oil (e. g. Kegel's Beaten Path 41', Bourbon Street 40' or the 37' Broadway pattern) and a clean Brunswick lane surface I can stand at around 28th-32th board, aim at the 3rd arrow and have the ball break at the 7th board to come back into the pocket with authority. And it hits really hard, due to its massive construction without any filler!
On the other side, I can, with maximum hand, play straight down 10th board and make the ball hook across the lane for the 7 pin. It's very versatile and I found it to react well to hand position changes. It's "good natured"!
It just fails when the back end becomes spotty, carrydown is a serious issue, as well as long oil (even though it handles buffed zones well). The Burning Up will simply slip beyond its break point, and it won't enter the final roll phase - hitting weak and leaving you with splits and washouts.
Concerning durability I am also very pleased: as a classic and massive urethane ball, the Burning Up shows - after two years of ever more use and certainly more than 100 games on the clock - still no sign of major wear and tear. Ths ball is still OOB and has just gathered some scratches, but there still no discernible track area or change of reaction (but I clean it frequently and wipe the ball clean before every shot, in order to maintain its traction, see above).
My personal conclusion:
A VERY positive surprise. The purchase was a gamble, but it paid out, more than expected! This exotic ball from South Korea turned out to be much more powerful and versatile than ever expected, a really hot tip for strokers who struggle with high friction conditions, and it is more than just a dry lane ball. I can successfully deploy it on medium sport conditions and on the typical 38' house shot.
PERSONAL RATING SCALE
Length/through the heads:
Easy *X******** Needs head oil
Breakpoint shape:
Arc *X******** Angular
Hook potential:
Low ***X****** High
Control:
Stable *X******** Erratic
Durability:
Poor *********X High
Suited for…
Dry *X******** Oily
Range of utility/lane conditions:
Limited oooXoooooo Broad
Subjective overall rating of this ball:
Poor ooooooooXo Excellent
This scale is inspired by popular rating methods and the results ultra-subjective. Surface prep, layouts and different playing styles will change the results for sure - it is just personal experience with the reviewed ball at OOB finish
LANE UTILITY CHART (Pattern length vs. oil volume)
|S M L
|h e o
|o d n
|r . g
|t
_______
|X X 0| Light volume
|X + 0| Medium volume
|+ 0 0| Heavy volume
Legend:
X = Best suited with effective control & carry
+ = Fairly suited (works, somehow, but can lack control and effectiveness)
0 = Unsuited (ineffective, either slips helplessly or burns up)
The chart’s concept is borrowed from Storm's 2003 print catalogue. Surface prep, layout or a different playing style will change the result.
