After 25 to 30 games of use, I think it's time for the official review. Much of this is a duplication of information I posted on an "initial impression" post in the Brunswick forum, so I apologize if it's old news to you.
This ball rocks!. I like the bright color - didn't think I would, but it grows on you after a few frames. I bought this one because I was struggling to find something that fits in that awkward space between my light oil stuff and the Infernos. My home house is tough for me to match up. I have carry issues in this center if I have to play left of 15, and If I swing any of the Infernos outside the 8 or 9 board area, they use up energy and hit flat. I have that problem with all of the stronger surfaced balls, even with length layouts. Lower RG cores make it even worse. There's just something about these 3-1/2 year old IQ DBA synthetic lanes and medium oil patterns that don't match up that well for my game. This usually forces me to play in the "track area", and this can be a tough area to stay consistent in once play progresses. Once in a while it's dry enough to pull out the Pearl Nail or the Monster Red/Black, and I can score with these playing up the boards. On very VERY rare occasions there's enough oil for me to pull out the Classic Zone or even a regular Inferno, but most of the time it's the "in-between zone", where I'm constantly fishing for ball reaction and consistent carry. When I read the Brunswick promo for the Intense, I started to get interested. From their description, it sounded like the Intense would be the ball that I’d hoped the Blazing was going to be. A ball with Activator strength and smoothness, Inferno HIT, yet also have length AND back-end. Well it is exactly that!!!! It has length - as long as my Monster Red/Black on some conditions! It has back end! It has that Inferno HIT and carry. Best of all, it turns the corner down lane like no ball I’ve had before. This ball is probably the best at “conserving energy†than any other ball I’ve thrown. Sure, I’ve had balls that could go looooong, and I’ve had balls that could turn the corner and finish hard, but none of them did both as well as this ball does, and as well be consistent and readable. This ball smooths out the pattern, and is incredible at allowing you to remain in your comfort zone. It is so clean through the spotty areas that you’ll find yourself moving less than you ever had to. I also have 8 games on this ball in a center with newer, harder, Brunswick Pro-Anvilane lanes. The Intense worked just a well there as it did on the older, softer synthetics.
I have between 25 and 30 games on this ball. Because of its ability to conserve energy, the carry is fantastic. I do leave an occasional ringing 10 on shots where I get it too wide, but this is an improvement. Instead of using itself up getting back to the pocket like the lower RG balls this one keeps on coming – and with that kind of entry angle you’re bound to leave a ring 10 from time to time. No problem – I’ll take that ring-10 any day over a pocket 7-10. What I did notice and REALLY liked was that unlike the original Inferno with the Activator cover and low RG core, this Intense with its Activator+ cover and medium RG core NEVER wanted to check up early and never lost energy in the drier area of the lane. It seemed to ignore spotty heads. I doubt it would get through bone-dry heads, but I never see those anyway. Best of all, unlike most balls designed to be “mild†or for “drier†or “broken-down†conditions, never, not even once did I detect any significant “wiggle†downlane. I saw some wiggle in the carry down from a few other's bowling with me - one guy throwing a polished Flipside Shock, and another throwing a polished Time Zone, but this Intense was very predictable in its behavior down-lane. Initially, I was worried that it might be too close to my Classic Zone to justify having both, but it is a very different ball than either the Classic Zone or the Inferno. It is longer and more angular than the original Inferno, as expected. Compared to my Classic Zone, which is drilled for length and sharp backend, the Intense plays similar, but is less apt to “burn up†or use energy when it gets into the lighter volume areas of the oil pattern, and is more playable on medium-light conditions. I can see this replacing two or three others in my arsenal – it looks that good.
Oh - the details: 15-4, 2.7 Top, layout pin over ring and CG stacked below ring. This is around a 6 x 5-1/2 layout for me.
Photo of the ball:
http://www.pipeline.com/~randyo/arsenal/15%23%20Intense.jpg
