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Author Topic: Columbia Rival -- First impressions, mini review  (Read 1610 times)

splendorlex

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Columbia Rival -- First impressions, mini review
« on: September 04, 2007, 12:57:53 AM »
Hey everybody.  I've now thrown the Rival for about 15 games or so, and here are my impressions of the ball.  Overall, I'll say I'm REALLY liking it already.  

Layout:
http://picasaweb.google.com/rcfinley/NewBowlingBalls/photo#5104665817521852562

The ball was laid out by Mike Austin, and the pin is about 1 1/2" from my PAP.  He also remeasured my PAP, and it was found to have changed from 4 1/2 over by 1 up to 5 3/16 over and 5/16 up.  I've been working on keeping my hand behind the ball more, so it seems it has been working out!

I first used the ball a pattern that was basically shot, not having been run since the night before, and a league and open bowling had taken place on it since.  I knew I wouldn't see what the ball was really capable of on this, but I was pleasantly surprised to find out that I could in fact keep the ball in play.  I experienced some degree of roll out, but not as much as I expected.  I was able to swing the ball into the blasted track area and it did not overreact.  So far so good.

I next used the ball over the weekend in a tournament.  The fresh shot was a heavier concentration flat pattern.  I tried a few different angles on this pattern, and found my best success with the ball standing at about 21 and rolling it straight up the 10 board.  Once the Rival started to turn the corner, it just plain didn't stop.  I saw other guys struggling to find the pocket in the heavier stuff, but the Rival gave me a nice look.  The reaction shape was a steady, rolly arc to the pocket, no snap whatsoever.  This is just the kind of reaction I like, especially on flatter, more difficult shots where accuracy is at a premium.  If I got the Rival too far out on this shot, it didn't have the recovery, but I wasn't surprised given the pattern I was on.  

As this shot broke down, I just made small moves inside with my feet, generally keeping the second arrow as my target.  The Rival started to check up a little sooner, but still had plenty of continuation through the deck as well as hold in the oil if I tugged it left.  I was finding that if I was going to miss with this ball, it was better to miss it left than right.  

I also rolled the Rival on one of the last squads of the day, after about 12 games or so had been played on the lanes.  At this point, the pattern had transitioned to a "stand left throw it right" sort of look, and I wasn't sure if the Rival was up to that challenge.  Fortunately, it was.  All I had to do was change my hand position to get more side roll and put a little more pepper into the shot.  Again, I wasn't getting any big snap out of the ball, but I was getting a great look on this broken down condition.  The Rival was giving me an excellent, sweeping arc to the pins and giving me GREAT carry on light and off hits.

Overall, I think this ball will be a winner.  It's not going to wow any onlookers with a huge backend move, but real bowlers will see the benefits of the consistent, readable arc with power that this ball provides.  The Rival reminds me a lot of the Pain, only a few boards stronger and a little smoother.  I bowl in leagues tonight, and will try to give my impressions of the ball on your standard, heavier volume THS.  As far as flatter tourney shots go, I think the Rival is my new go to ball!
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Mr. Lebowski, this is Bill Salnicker with the Southern Cal Bowling League, and I just got a, an informal report, that a member of your team, uh, Walter Sobchak, drew a firearm during league play. If this is true of course, it contravenes a number of the league's by-laws, and article 27 of the league...

 

scotts33

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Re: Columbia Rival -- First impressions, mini review
« Reply #1 on: September 04, 2007, 09:07:53 AM »
Good to hear splendor.....sounds like Mike's layout gave you that control you need for a flatter tourney pattern.  ABT?


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Scott

Scott

splendorlex

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Re: Columbia Rival -- First impressions, mini review
« Reply #2 on: September 04, 2007, 09:45:57 AM »
Yeah, I bowl in the Chicagoland ABT.  I have yet to win, but have placed as high as third.  I also made 3 straight finals over the summer, but I'm moving into no man's land average wise.  I no longer get enough pins to really help me, but I don't have the consistency to beat the higher average bowlers.  They are moving to make the Masters 190 average and over now, though, to reflect the national rules, and that should help me in the classic division.  I have a good feeling about this ball on the THS, too, as I bowled my best on the THS with other controllable balls, like the Pain and Mean Machine.
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Mr. Lebowski, this is Bill Salnicker with the Southern Cal Bowling League, and I just got a, an informal report, that a member of your team, uh, Walter Sobchak, drew a firearm during league play. If this is true of course, it contravenes a number of the league's by-laws, and article 27 of the league...

mrbowlingnut

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Re: Columbia Rival -- First impressions, mini review
« Reply #3 on: September 04, 2007, 11:13:33 AM »
Throw the pin at 4 1/2 - 5 inch pin to pap and see if you change you mind any, you have a total arc roll drilling and that is good for control purposes. It has plenty of backend with the right drilling and lane conditions, in oil like most balls it rolls very heavy even with the longer pin to pap's.

Good ball it will be with me alot, it will be my replacement for the Big Shot which is my go to ball. The gamebreaker will also be in this slot so nothing wears out this year, i have too be choosy about getting new stuff now.

I will have the new break coming sometime soon but it looks more skid/snappy to be in my main ball slot, gotta do what ya gotta do in life oh well.

splendorlex

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Re: Columbia Rival -- First impressions, mini review
« Reply #4 on: September 04, 2007, 11:35:16 AM »
Bowlingnut--

I think I'll like it just the way it is.  I didn't add that when I was in the later squad and was in "stand left and throw it right" mode, the ball had more than ample recovery.  Only on the fresh shot did it struggle if I got it too far out, but I didn't see ANYONE bring a ball back from too far out on that shot.
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Mr. Lebowski, this is Bill Salnicker with the Southern Cal Bowling League, and I just got a, an informal report, that a member of your team, uh, Walter Sobchak, drew a firearm during league play. If this is true of course, it contravenes a number of the league's by-laws, and article 27 of the league...

splendorlex

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Re: Columbia Rival -- First impressions, mini review
« Reply #5 on: September 06, 2007, 03:24:39 PM »
Just a little update.  I used this ball last night on the fresh THS for the first time.  I bowl on less than a year old ProAnvilane, and I would say our THS is a little heavier than most volume wise.  My preferred line is playing straight up the boards somewhere between 5 and 10, depending on what's giving me a better look.  

I began the night starting from my "base."  For me that is standing with my left foot right on 20, and throwing the ball right up the 8 board.  Well, my base was money with this ball form the start.  As long as I got my fingers in the ball like I need to, the Rival gave me good length and a strong, hard arc to the pocket.  I was very pleased with the controllable reaction it was giving me, and I ended the first game with a nice 221 game.  (My average is around 180 right now, though I hope to move it into the 190s this season.)  The only times the ball gave me any trouble were a product of operator error.  There are times I don't get my thumb out of the ball right and throw an atom ball with little rotation.  I can't blame those shots on the Rival!  In the second game my line started to break down a bit, but I cleaned up all but one spare and put up a 181.  By the third game, I had to retire the Rival to the bag for a weaker cover.  In the future, I believe I will be able to use the Rival for all three, but my THS transition game isn't yet in shape, so I didn't mess around with it.

Overall, I'm really enjoying the Rival's reaction.  The more I throw it, the more it reminds me of the Pain, but with more power and a little more backend.  It is very similar to the Pain in its overall motion.
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Mr. Lebowski, this is Bill Salnicker with the Southern Cal Bowling League, and I just got a, an informal report, that a member of your team, uh, Walter Sobchak, drew a firearm during league play. If this is true of course, it contravenes a number of the league's by-laws, and article 27 of the league...