I’ve been doing a lot of league bowling in a house I never fair well in when I throw large core, asymmetrical pearl stuff. With some tournaments on the schedule, I decided to put a new Absolute in my bag. I still love and use my Dark Code, so I didn’t want to run any risk of replicating it. Obviously, the cores are different and even though both are in the R2S family, there has been some surface degradation in the Dark Code. So, no matter what, they’re going to be different.
Using it on a 25ml, 42’ 12:1 recently, I immediately noticed the 35x4.5x55 layout made it roll more in the middle of the pattern than my Dark Code does. For me, this has two benefits. When they’re fresh and I needed something to slow down and stand up a little earlier, this did it. But, since this is such a clean cover, when I had to make big zone moves in late in the shift or on the burn this ball got me through the early friction and gave me shape the others couldn’t.
On that particular shot, it wasn’t my go-to, but it definitely gave me shape and read every time I needed it. For some, this may not be a benchmark ball and that’s OK. Lower rev players who need a clean look and who go with a more skid/flip layout, this might be the ball for you. Especially in houses where friction is causing struggle.
Brian Sumner
Storm Amateur Staff
Gold Crown Lanes Pro Shop