Got a barely used Inferno, 4" pin, other statistics are unknown. I assume very little beginning top weight given the layout.
I did several experiments all at once with this ball - a slug but no inserts and 0 thumb pitch (vs my usual 1/2" reverse). Pin is high over ring, mass bias near the axis midplane, a 30 degree layout with a moderate weight hole just past the PAP, angled away.
Let's see how this ASCII drawing comes out:
......p......
.............
...o..O......
.............
.........h.aw
.............
....0........
p = pin
h = heavy spot (CG, we're using Big B nomenclature now)
w = weight hole
a = PAP
Tried editing, still wrong even in a fixed font. The heck with it - pin directly above the ring, about an inch above it, CG about 2" from PAP, about a 5.5 x 2 measured.
The little o, big O thing is meant to convey that the middle finger is slightly below the ring finger. The thumb is almost under the middle. That helps me lead with the ring all the time without having to think about it.
I took the layout idea from some things Ms. Adler wrote on her training institute website. There was a sample arsenal analysis document for download on:
http://www.adlertraininginstitute.com/Page3.htmlFor one customer, she recommended adding a ball like this:
"4 inch pin out from CG (at least) to get the pin way way high above the fingers, about 5 inches from the axis, CG swung out to 20-25 degrees (so you cannot have a huge amount of topweight ... try to keep the XH on the smaller, deeper side, about 1.5 inches past the axis.) This works well in medium coverstocks, and will allow you to do 2 opposite things based upon ball surface - play up the dirt with more speed and stay there when other balls run out, and allow you to open the lane up more with scuff."
There's no better way to describe it than that. You end up with good length and a very rolly hook-stop backend in this ball. It is the best thing I have seen for playing deep outside lines, or playing direct somewhat firmly up the oil line. I had a great feel off the ditch on a wetter sport condition with it too.
She is also right on about being able to stay with it. It reads subtle variations in oil like that pair of special oil-reading glasses you always wanted. Inferno gives me a great sense of where the oil line is and lets me stay in the game with smallish abstract moves. I have been able to keep it comfortably in play for blocks of 9 - 10 games on several different occasions now. The question with this ball is always "Will it carry or not?"
After struggling with carry problems with Inferno at first, I took the surface down to 600 and gave it a single coat of Storm Reacta-Shine, so it's just hazy-shiny, about the same surface as a SmashR. The new surface woke it up. Since I'm playing it more direct, now I have a medium to heavy medium roll monster. The one thing to worry about is whether you have enough oil to keep it from checking up in the midlane. Otherwise, Inferno needs very little help from the bowler at all. This layout and surface give it adequate length, a beautiful midlane reaction and a smooth turn with a continuous backend. On some occasions, the carry is tremendous if I can focus on keeping my hand out of it and letting it roll up for itself.
It's been over a year since its release, but hats off to Brunswick for packing so much innovation into one package. They could have gone on churning out PK17, 18 and N'Control designs from the file cabinet. Instead, they took a chance and built a classic.
Once you throw Activator, you realize that not only is this a different coverstock; it's a different _kind_ of coverstock. It demonstrates that it's possible for a non-particle cover to be strong without covering a lot of boards, a polished cover to be long without being flippy.
Everybody talks about the cover, but to me the weight block itself is a worthy innovation. I would take this over RAD, Morpheus, etc. It affords a great read on the lanes, excellent midlane control and strong roll without sacrificing length. It carries like mad when thrown properly.
Versatility: 8.5 in this drilling. Otherwise, you'd have to give it top marks, since you seem to be able to drill and surface it to be whatever you need. I built this one specifically for outside lines in medium to medium heavy or longer oil, so it cannot be expected to swing the lane.
It's not weak, not overly strong, handles more oil and carrydown than it has any right to. It shares that great characteristic of so many Brunswick covers of changing character when played with different hand positions. I think by drilling it longer, you can remove some of Inferno's apparent preference for an off-the-side release.
Control: 9. Clean in the front, strong in the mids, smooth in the back. The best midlane reaction of any ball I've ever owned.
Hit and Carry: 9. I believed from the start that Inferno was designed for the stroker. Lower revs nearly all love it, high revs are love/hate, the excluded middle uniformly says 'Wotinell does everyone see in this twitchy thing? All it does for me is leave 10 pins.' I found it well worth dropping some revs for. Once you understand how it wants to be thrown, the greatness of this ball becomes apparent.
