(For reference my PAP is 5 1/8 over & 3/4 up my A game rev rate is about 325 with average speed)
VIRTUAL GRAVITY review
VIRTUAL GRAVITY 6 pin to PAP, 4 7/8 key to PAP, 5 1/2 pin buffer
After speaking with Storm's Ernest Goedicke and my doubles partner and Roto staffer Steve Richter, I was almost scared of the VIRTUAL. They cautioned me that I needed to drill it weak or it would be too much for my game on all but very heavily oiled conditions.
So I drilled mine with the pin above and left of my middle finger, the CG about in my grip center and the key to the right of my thumb. I left it box finish (4,000).
I bowled over the weekend in a 2-day tournament at a house with Pro Anvilanes. The pattern was a modified house shot. Based on my ball reaction, my feeling was that the oil was piled up in the front with not much in the midlane as there was little hold when going straight but a lot of squirt if you got in and sent it right. Yet the dry to the right was pronounced enough for overreaction on shots sent too wide too quick.
I used the VIRTUAL for the first seven frames and went back to it for a couple of shots in game two. Even with the weak drilling it still was reading too hard off the dry boards. I struck on five of the first seven shots but the two that didn't were a weak 10 that I got too wide for instant rollout and a 4-pin that went very hard off the breakpoint on a shot I grabbed and got in. Despite my weak drilling, the VIRTUAL made a very strong move at the breakpoint and was noticeably slowing down as it got close to the pindeck, indicating how hard it was grabbing the lane.
I probably could have made the cut using it for much of the 8-game block but knew I had balls that would give me better reaction and put it away. The lanes were hooking more on Sunday so I left the VIRTUAL in my bag.
As advertised, I would say the VIRTUAL is a few boards stronger than the DIMENSION. I was 4 and 2 different between the two. The big difference – obviously since they share the same coverstock – is the asymmetrical core of the VIRTUAL, which gives it much more of a dynamic revving action and movement.
Since this pattern was what I would consider middling in oil volume, I am certain I'll have plenty of opportunities to use the VIRTUAL.
And I think it will be an awesome ball for those who are speed dominant and/or rev challenged. If you throw it hard and are searching for a ball that will read the lane quickly and strongly on heavy oil, the VIRTUAL should be your ticket.
The VIRTUAL's movement through the pins was what I like – rolling and generally keeping the pins low. I don't generate many messengers so I'm not looking for a ball that splashes messengers all over.
I have another VIRTUAL that I am thinking I will drill with pin under the middle finger and the CG kicked directly to the right. Another weak drilling, but with a different look.
HY-ROAD review
HY-ROAD 5 pin to PAP, 5 7/8 "MB" to PAP, 3 7/8 pin buffer ("MB" = point 6 3/4 from pin through CG) I left it box finish shiny.
After watching Norm Duke win the World Championship with the HY-ROAD I couldn't wait to drill mine. Talent difference aside, my reaction was very similar to what Norm's roll pattern looked like on that TV show.
One of my favorite balls is a T-ROAD PEARL with the pin over the bridge and the CG in my grip center so I did my HY-ROAD the same way. (I tried a couple of T-ROAD SOLIDs but never got a lot of use for them as box finish they were close to my SPECIAL AGENTs and I preferred the SPECIALS and shiny they were close to the T-ROAD PEARL but with slightly less carry, although I did use one shiny for an 800 series.)
I used my HY-ROAD much of last weekend's 2-day tournament mentioned in the VIRTUAL GRAVITY review above. In Saturday's qualifying I went to it after my RAPID FIRE PEARL began burning up too early – the RFP, by the way, continues to amaze me for its strength in oil despite being a pearl.
The HY-ROAD was the perfect move from the RFP as it rolled strongly but got down the lane easier. It also was the choice for most of Sunday's finals when the lanes hooked more.
The best way I can describe the HY-ROAD is that it's a T-ROAD PEARL that rolls rather than skids and flips. The TR PEARL makes a quick and strong move at the break point that is awesome for playing deep inside on burned up conditions, especially Sport shots. On too much oil, it is a tough ball for me to control. However, the HY-ROAD's strong but rolling nature is perfect for playing hooking conditions with more skid. It still make a strong move at the break point but it's more of a rolling motion than a flip move.
I like to spin the ball more with the TR PEARL to match what it likes to do and works best on, and the HY-ROAD I rolled harder when I used it over the weekend for the same reason.
I would imagine the HY-ROAD would be a great ball for playing up the outside on VIPER and CHEETAH types of patterns, just the way Duke did playing out on the World Championship pattern.
This was another ball that rolled through the pins, which I like. The one thing it tended to do was rollout for weak 10s when I got it too wide to the dry boards so I think it would carry best staying in the oil. This was hard to do on this pattern as you had to cut it right with no hold in the midlane.
If I ranked them by hook, I would say RFP has a couple boards more than the HY-ROAD which has a couple boards more than the TR PEARL.
I think bowlers of all styles can use the HY-ROAD.
As always, I will add thoughts as I get more use of these balls.
Edited on 11/17/2008 9:14 PM
