BRUNSWICK MASTERMIND SCHOLAR REVIEW
James Goulding III
Brunswick Ball Tester
Left Handed
350 RPM
PAP: 4 3/8†x 0â€
17* Tilt
18.0 – 18.5 MPH
Brunswick Mastermind Scholar
Layout: 45* x 4†x 20*, pin up and left of ring finger
X-hole: None
Review:
41ft. House Pattern, Medium-Heavy Blend
I drilled the Mastermind Scholar to be a longer, more violent version of the Mastermind Intellect, and that’s exactly what I got. Using this ball on fresh THS is almost like cheating; it creates that much area and down lane “miss roomâ€. Being on the left side, I am able to play straighter with more aggressive equipment, which is why the Scholar was a perfect fit for my game. My first three game set was a 782 with games of 258, 259, 265. The ball reaction is very clean through the heads and mid lane, gives a strong heavy roll into the pocket, and something new to my Brunswick arsenal, a “hockey stick†look off the back of the oil pattern. I believe the combination of the strong motor of the Scholar core, as well as the pearl cover stock, both allow this ball to attain that “hockey stick†type of hook. As far as comparison to other equipment, I played 3 boards further left with my feet, and 2 boards further left with my eyes than with the Mastermind Intellect with a similar layout. I was also about 4 boards further right with my feet with the same target at the arrows as my Melee Jab, showing just how much stronger the Scholar really is than the Melee Jab. If you’re looking for a long and strong ball in your lineup that will fill the hole perfectly, then pick up a Mastermind Scholar.
Team USA Mexico City Oil Pattern
I was curious how the Mastermind Scholar would handle the longer oil pattern (45ft.) that Mexico City lays down, and was actually pleasantly surprised with the results. With a 4†pin over and left layout, the Scholar starts its move early enough to give a true readable reaction on this oil pattern. Carry percentage was the only issue on this pattern when it was fresh, but after throwing a few games, and breaking down the pattern, the Scholar really shined. It’s a perfect compliment to the original Mastermind and Mastermind Intellect, which both worked great on Mexico City until they broke down, and then I could move right to the Scholar and pick up where the original Mastermind left off, playing a similar part of the lane. On this pattern, I played 3 boards further left with my feet and 2 boards further left with my target than the original Mastermind. Also, I was 4 boards further right and 1 board further right with my target than I was with the Melee Jab on Mexico City.
Team USA Los Angeles Oil Pattern
The Team USA Los Angeles oil pattern is a 36ft. pattern, which was a great test to see how the Mastermind Scholar would react to the shorter length, and it really shined on the fresh oil. I was able to start left, placing the ball down around 12, catching my break point at the 4 board down lane, and the ball reaction was incredible. Even as I had to move inside as the oil pattern wore down, I was still able to get tremendous pin carry, which is something that many balls struggle with as you increase the angle off of your hand. The shorter VAL angle really allows this ball to come off the back of the pattern with a tremendous amount of energy. I was able to play much straighter and further outside than I could with my Mastermind Intellect on this shorter oil pattern, and having that pearl cover stock really makes a huge difference, especially on these types of shorter oil patterns. I played 5 further left with my feet and 4 further left with my target than the Mastermind Intellect, and I was able to play 3 further right with my feet and the same target as the Melee Jab. Overall, I was very pleased with how the Scholar held up on this shorter pattern, and it will be the ball I start with going forward, and if they break down I can go to my Melee Jab and then the Strike King when they really break down.
Overall Impression
I would say that overall the Mastermind Scholar is a must own for any bowler looking to add a ball that can get down lane and have a very aggressive move to the pocket. The cover stock is very surface adjustment friendly, so don’t be afraid to sand or polish the cover stock to your liking. This ball fits perfectly between the Mastermind Intellect (very aggressive) and the Melee Jab (medium oil monster) in my arsenal, and it will be in my bag for a long time. If you’re a one day a week bowler, this ball will help get you the most bang for your buck, as the pearl cover will maximize the amount of length and backend reaction from one ball. Also, if you’re the serious, competitive bowler such as me, then this ball HAS to be in your bag at all times. I can’t wait to use it on an even wider variety of tournament conditions and see this ball shine. If you’re looking for your next long and strong ball, or looking to fill that gap between the early, super aggressive stuff and the milder reacting balls, check out the Brunswick Mastermind Scholar, you’ll be glad you did!
James Goulding III
Brunswick Ball Tester