SECOND DIMENSION
5 7/8 pin to PAP, 4 MB to PAP, 5 1/8 pin buffer
This drilling is a copy of my original VIRTUAL GRAVITY. Pin is above and left of my middle finger, CG about in grip center. It gives me a controlled move and usually enables me to stay to the right and not have to get way in and go around the pattern.
I drilled my first SECOND DIMENSION last Friday and had a chance to use it a bit in a tournament on a house condition over the weekend. I will update this and post more information as I get a chance to use it more but wanted to get my first impressions out there.
I think the SECOND DIMENSION is going to turn into my go-to first choice when it's time to put the VIRTUAL GRAVITYs away – or there simply is not enough oil for the VIRTUAL. (I am now up to three VIRTUALs and have retired all of my other oil balls such as the ATTITUDE SHIFT and SPECIAL AGENT.)
Scores were stratospheric in the tournament and with two of my VIRTUALs I had 783 the first three games of the four-game qualifying. For game four, I first pulled out a new HY-ROAD I had just drilled but it was skidding a bit long and then breaking a bit sharp for comfort.
So I went to the SECOND DIMENSION and it had no such problems. My last seven shots all were flush with a blower 10 and two rings 10s so it wasn't the perfect match for carry but it gave me tons of room to get flush. (I went back to a VIRTUAL for match play.)
What's of interest is how strong the SD was – I only moved about 1-1 back right off where I was with my strongest VIRTUAL and the SD did not have any problem rolling through the oil and making a strong move off the spot. Clearly the new mica in the SD is going to give it a much better profile in oil than, for example, the HY-ROAD or T-ROAD PEARL.
The SD clearly made a sharper and stronger move than the VIRTUAL with that drilling. I can hardly imagine how strong the move will be in an SD with a stronger drilling. Might be too much for my moderate ball speed but we're probably going to find out.
My first impression is that the SD reminds me of the PARADIGM, which I still have one of drilled very strong. I probably will end up trying a strong SD to match the PARADIGM and then retire that trusty old warrior if the SD works that way.
UPDATE 1/30/09 – I used the SD in our Sport league last night. We are bowling on Kegel's Highway to Hell pattern, which is the flattest Kegel pattern. For whatever reason, this center hooks more than any relatively new synthetic house I have ever bowled in and last night was no exception. Whereas on Highway to Hell in a tournament I have used the VIRTUAL GRAVITY, I have been using an old FIRED UP in our Sport league on it.
On Thursday night I was able to use the SD the first game going maybe 12-10 at the start and 15-10 at the end of the game. I managed a 240-something with one nose dive strike and a flagged 10pin. I had a great reaction keeping it between 10 and 15 to around 10 at the break point. At the start of the second game, I went high three straight shots making small moves, then made a big move to about 19 going to 10ish and managed one flush strike before going high again. Simply put, the SD was too strong once the pattern started getting chewed up and I was forced to go to my FIRED UP and T-ROAD PEARL the rest of the night.
I would agree with what my doubles partner Steve Richter has said that the SD reminds me of a PARTICLE PEARL reaction – it rolls much better in oil (and too much in dry) compared to a HY-ROAD or T-ROAD PEARL. I continue to see this ball as somewhat like a PARADIGM (drilling is very different from mine so it's hard to perfectly compare) and a great go-to ball when VIRTUALs begin going too early.
Also ...
VIRTUAL GRAVITY # 3
5 pin to PAP, 5 1/2 key to PAP, 5 1/8 pin buffer
(pin in palm)
This my third VIRTUAL GRAVITY.
First one was pin above and left of middle finger with CG in grip center and key just to the right of my thumb hole. (6 pin to PAP, 4 7/8 key to PAP, 5 1/2 pin buffer)
Second one was same drilling angle with pin moved over above ring finger.
First one has been my favorite ball for some time. Makes a controlled move and doesn't force me to get too deep and go around the pattern. Ball is so strong that it still has plenty even with the control drilling.
Second one is for house china when the puddle is huge and I want to get in and attack from the puddle. Don't use it that often but when I do it is very effective at that.
Third one with the pin in the palm saw its first action last weekend. I was a little leery of this drilling in a VIRTUAL but it surprised me.
In a Saturday tournament on house china it was good but not as good as the first and second VIRTUALs.
But in a 5-man team tournament on Sunday on a Sport pattern it totally amazed me. It was about a 40-foot 2.26-1 pattern with I think 25mls of oil that turned out to hook more than expected, probably due to the early Brunswick synthetic surface like they have in Vernon Hills, Ill., where the Tour bowls.
We opened the pattern up to the right of 10 in practice – it was our regular USBC team with Tom Hess replacing Mike Shady – and shot about 1,183. Not surprisingly, the PITP VIRTUAL rolled back nicely from out there. What did surprise me is that it didn't check early and I actually had a little hold.
The next game we flipped to 1-2, which was flying and we all were forced to jump in between 15 and 20. I didn't think I'd have any choice but to get away from the PITP VIRTUAL but it got down the lane very well. The next two pairs were similar with just a little more skid overall. I stayed with the ball all four games and ended up with 952 while we led with 4,545 – yes, it didn't play like a 2.26-1 sport shot.
They re-oiled for the Baker finals and I used the ball throughout starting between 5 and 10 and ending up just inside 10. They dropped qualifying pins and we ended up third out of six teams – way behind the Fox Bowl team that won USBC Team All-Events last year.
The moral of this story is that a PITP is NOT too strong of a drilling for a VIRTUAL. If I can use it with my moderate speed it should be fine for just about anyone. Thanks to Hank Boomershine for telling me it would be OK for me.
With these three virtuals, I have now officially retired all of my other "oil" balls, including ATTITUDE SHIFT and SPECIAL AGENT.
Edited on 1/30/2009 3:34 PM
