My Monday and Wednesday night leagues start in two weeks and my Son’s leagues start this weekend. YABA Saturday and a King of the Hill sports shot league on Sunday. So I have been resurfacing balls, playing with surface changes, installing new finger inserts and trying to get back into the swing of things. 36 weeks? Oh my God. Unlike other sports, I think league bowlers must be the most dedicated individuals around to make that long of a commitment year after year.

This year I have added two new Roto-Grip balls to my arsenal along with an Inferno I traded my Son a Killer Instinct Pearl for. By the way he got the best of me on that one.

I purchased the Sonic Boom and the Top Fuel. Today I rolled them for the first time. The Sonic Boom is a replacement for the Beast with Mica Pearl and the Top Fuel is a replacement for the Violet Hammer. I also changed the thumb pitch from 5/16 left to 0. That will take a little getting used to but seems to produce more forward roll, a good thing at times.

The lanes were to the light side of medium 38 feet with spotty back ends. The Sonic Boom was laid out with the pin on the centerline below the fingers and the CG kicked out to the positive side. For me that is a 4” by 2” layout, no weight hole was needed. I felt the box condition, 1500 polished, might make the ball a tad to long so I wet sanded the surface to 600 grit then hit it with Ebonite 1000 grit degree polish.

The first game was in the toilet trying to get used to the new thumb pitch. After that, I must admit, I was totally impressed with the smooth ball path and hitting power of this Roto-Grip ball. Please don’t confuse smooth with minimal hook. Maybe controllable is a better word to use. Standing 23, 14 at the arrows, and 6 at the break point. That is playing a line significantly deeper than the line I played with the ball it replaced, the Beast with Mica.

Scores 124 I know I know, 203, 210, 201. For a guy 57 years old with a 194 average I was pleased as punch.

The Top Fuel was an unhappy camper and rightfully so on the above lane conditions. When leagues get started and the oil volume increases I will be able to see if the Top Fuel is a worthy adversary to replace the Violet Hammer. If it turns out to be to way to strong for a fresh medium oil shot and less surface and a polish job doesn’t tame it down, I will Then have high end oil ball that will handle as much oil as this old bowler is likely to ever see.

These were my first Roto-Grip balls but they won’t be my last. Thank you for a sweet product  

Tom