I was looking for a compliment to my backend heavy rolling monster, The Rushâ„¢, when the RS-X was given to me by good a friend of mine, achappy. The initial drill would have been a 4 1/4" x 3 1/2 drill for me, which is almost identical to my Rush setup. I knew this ball was big on alot of built in flare so when I plugged it I decided to use a drill that I used in a big time favorite ball of mine, the Ricochet Rebound. The pin under bridge, 5 1/2" to PAP, with the c.g. shifted an inch and a weighthole 1" inside the VAL to reduce flare even more.
This calmed down the nature of this ball tremendously. Everyone I've seen throw one praises how strong the ball is in the mids and powerful on the backend. Since I cut the flare out of the ball down to 2" what I have is something that allows me to play very direct when the Rush is just too freaking strong off the spot(in most cases it is). I was suprised how smooth the ball was in it's transition out of dry outsides and backends. Lowering the flare with the drilling is probaly the best thing I could have done to fit the spot I needed in my bag.
I played around with it tonight in my THS league. The shot plays short with a light concentration up front and with about 80-90% of the league using some of the biggest pieces on the market now transition comes early and often if you're trying to play a certain line instead of sending it right and praying. Right away after practice I noticed the right lane was playing much drier than the left for some odd reason. I found this out as the Rush was crushing the pocket on the left lane, playing 12-7 as I went perfect on the odd lane for the game, but never struck on the even lane. My counts per frame on the even lane were 9/(tenpin), 9/(threepin), 7/(3-6-9), 8/(6-10). I switched to the RSX to fill the tenth with a ringing tenpin on the first shot and a flat ten on the second shot playing the same line as I was with the Rush.
The second game I used the Rush exclusively on the left lane and the RS-X on the right lane. I didn't miss the pocket flush the entire game, but did ring tenpins on the left lane in frames 2, 6, and 8, and finished the game out with a 237. The third game I ended up playing with the RS-X exclusively and played 3 boards in from where I was on the right lane, and 2 boards in from where I was on the left lane. I ended up ringing 2 more tenpins(highly frustrating), stoning a 9 on what seemed to be a perfect shot, and leaving a 4 pin. Out of pure frustration I flagged an easy spare in the 8th and split in the 9th only to double in the tenth for a high 180 game.
What I did learn through all of that is playing the proper entry angle with the RS-X with this much flare reduced is a MUST! Even on the HS. Playing the drier part of the lane is what was needed with this ball to kick the ten out. The read was incredible, as even with slight mistakes with my release I could tell what the ball was going to do. It gives me a look similar to an old Stinger Low Flare I used to have so this ball will definately be using alot of time on the lanes for me. Especially in my Friday night league which is in the same house, but plays 3 feet shorter with the condition.
I'm punching a Silver Streak Pearl sometime next week to fill the spot between the Rush and RS-X since it is a pretty big gap for me, but to all RS-X owners, if you want to see another look out of the same ball, don't be afraid to punch one up with a much weaker pin position and a hole on the Axis or inside the VAL. It'll be the Ultimate read ball.
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-DP3
Respect the Game
