Post by: admin on December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM
Finish: 1000 Matte (Gray Pad)
Hardness: 75-77
RG: Med (2.61")
Flare: Low (.015" differential)
Length (1-100): 66
Back end (1-100): 81
Hook (1-100): 67 (oil) - 81 (dry)
Avail. Wts: 13-16# (Centaur core)
10-12# (on request - light wt. core)
Lane Conditions: Medium Conditions
Post by: D McLaughlin on May 25, 2004, 01:55:41 PM
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Umm....Walter Ray....its customary to hand over your wallet AFTER I beat you. Its not like we haven't been through this a hundred times.
Post by: htotheizzo3561 on May 26, 2004, 04:13:41 PM
Post by: centaur on June 10, 2004, 08:07:39 PM
Post by: TWOHAND834 on July 08, 2004, 06:44:43 AM
I agree!! WOW! It was not what I had expected from a numbers standpoint.
PROFILE: 18 mph, 540 rev rate, PAP is 5 1/2 over 3/4 up, very little axis tilt, 30 degree axis rotation
LANE CONDITION: Not fun if you are a cranker type such as myself. 32 feet of oil, ProAnvilane surfaces, fresh backends, Oil used - Control
LAYOUT: Pin above the bridge, cg under the bridge about an inch below the fingers, top weight of 3.1 ounces, pin was out 2.25 from cg, 2.6 RG, .018 Diff, surface out of the box with Track Clean and Sheen over the top of it.
GRANTED, on a 32 foot pattern, I can just about make anything hook. With the numbers being what they are, I was figuring on something with good length and smooth, but weaker backend reaction. I was wanting a ball that would be good for me on a fresh, but drier condition. I still had a difficult time keeping this ball right of the headpin. It was stronger than I had hoped. Maybe with some tweaking of the coverstock, I can achieve what I am looking for. I have yet to try it on a "normal" 38-40 foot pattern. Once I get onto a longer pattern, I will post my results from that. However, on a shorter pattern, a cranker type will not have much success unless you throw it 21-22 mph. This ball did make it through the heads pretty well. But, when it hit the midlane, it did not hesitate to rev up and make a strong, but continuous backend reaction. It was not flippy by any means. But, it was definitely stronger than what I expected. As someone who has rolled a Granite Gargoyle, the overall reaction at the breakpoint, or breakpoint shape, was extremely similar. The difference was that the Centaur's breakpoint is a few feet farther down the lane.
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If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!
Post by: lefty299 on August 10, 2004, 05:04:02 AM
Post by: manofvision on August 12, 2004, 06:18:06 PM
righthander: 15-18 revs, 16 mph average ball speed
15#, pin placed next to the ring finger, CG slightly below center in my grip, no extra holes. I have not changed the surface at all.
Reaction:
With the low differential/flare of this ball it really is not a monster hooker my any means. What I have seen in reaction is very controlled and mild, even when the backends are fresh and free. It rolls in the midlane and just doesn't have a big direction change unless you lay into it slow and give it some dry boards. Dont get me wrong, this ball WILL hook if you give it a chance though. IF you want it to be controlled, roll it; if you want it to hook, hit it. Very adaptable.
Carry:
Even with the more mild reaction that this ball presents, i still do not see many issues with carrying the corners. Line up correctly and roll it in the pocket all day.
I am debating polishing the surface to see what it does to it. I have other stuff that flips, though, so I dont know that I wanna do that.
Consensus:
If you want a ball with some surface that wont hook out of your hand and force you to wheel it right then go with the Centaur. It's a good ball with a reaction that will fit into anyone's arsenal.
Post by: laneoil on October 02, 2004, 10:58:34 PM
Post by: Randy Crane on October 03, 2004, 09:54:10 PM
Randy
Visionary test staff member
Post by: scotts33 on November 28, 2004, 12:56:49 PM
Ball Specs
- 15.15 lbs., 2.95 ozs. TW, 3 1/2" Pin
- Surface box condition 1000 matte
- Layout 5 1/2 x 4 1/2
- Pin above fingers centered above bridge
- CG kicked right 1 1/2"s from grip center on horiz. center line
- X hole 5/8" diam. 3" deep on VAL 1" below horiz. center line
My Specs
- Right handed male consider myself tweener
- Axis angle 45 deg.
- Axis point 4 7/8" over 1/2" up
- RPM 325
- MPH at 10' 18 mph consider myself medium speed
Overall
I have had this ball since beginning of 04 season and now have enough games on it to give it a fair review. Tried this ball from Visionary for THS wet/dry more for control than anything. Nice surprize. Can play dry on THS and not have the over reaction you see on most equipment these days. Have not had my feet this far right on lane in years. Had to get used to playing lane squarer like back in 60s & 70s. If you are looking for ball to cover a lot of boards this is not the one. If looking for a ball that allows a player to go more down and in or with small head belly with great hit and carry this is your ball to try. One of the better kept secrets around.
Lane Conditions Used On
1.) House shot #1. Brunswick house older wood with Guardian overlay in heads new summer of 04. Lane conditioner Kegel Offense length has varied 38 ft. to 42 ft. over season. Good kickbacks, pin decks and pins. Propreitor likes to put down a THS puddle in middle and very dry outside of 9-10 to gutter. I can play 7-8 in the dry starting and not have to over reaction you usually see and move into lane as heads go. I did take ball to 1200 Storm Step #2 to allow for a lil more backend and carry. With the high Rg ball lopes thru heads easily and gets in a good midlane roll though not as noticeable as many lower Rg balls. Carry relatively high for a lower flaring ball. Solid reactive cover is reasonably strong but I believe the modified DC core is the main reason for good carry. Have scored many good 200 games highest so far 279. Main reason I'll put it away is for lane conditioner carry down. Because of the large puddle and Offense we get a moderate amount of carry down into 3rd game.
2.) House shot #2. 12 year old Brunswick center w/Anivilane 1st generation. Lane conditioner Kegel Offense. THS lil more outsides here 41 ft.. Overall a lil more of a more rounded pattern than 1st house. Still easy scoring condition probably easier for most because of the not so wet/dry condition. Again, I can play the dry near same line and carry is probably even better than the wood house. Here, I use a more lil more axis tilt when my game is on.
3.) PBA pattern A. Used this ball on A from 3 board to 8 board with very good results. Did not get the under over you might get with higher flaring equipment.
I had asked for more balls from Visionary with solid covers and this is the first out that many THBs can use right out of the box. Very well thought out ball. Hope this review helps BR users.
Scott
Visionary Test Staff
Post by: AMMO01 on November 29, 2004, 05:23:36 AM
I am a left handed bowler with a 150 average when I got the balls and a 158 and rising right now.
I left the ball in factory surface had the pin put about 1/4 inch to the side of my ring finger and the cg about just a bit to the to the negitive side
I am a med rev med speed bowler and the first time I threw this ball i stood in the middle of the threw the ball over the second arrow and it took off like a rocket and hit the 10 pin
all in all this a great ball for med to heavy oil but as soon as it starts to dry out put this ball away
Post by: Bowler19 on March 28, 2005, 11:16:18 AM
What impressed me about this ball is the fact that i cannot get it to flare. This worked out really well when i got into some oil. In the oil the ball went long and arced to the pocket and the dry went long and had a nice flip. I've never had a ball that hit so hard on dry conditions.
I was really impressed with this balls control and power. It is a close rival to my favorite ball. I would suggest this ball for anyone looking for a good ball for those light oil conditions that will still hit hard and won't tend to have a big over/under reaction.
I look forward to throwing more visionary stuff in the future.
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Bowler19
A winner is one who keeps on trying
Post by: L7H2N on April 21, 2005, 10:55:58 AM
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L. Nelson
Visionary Test Member
Post by: Flyboy on June 05, 2005, 12:02:44 PM
It is setup controlled with the pin above the ring finger and the 1/4 inch pin just right of the thumb hole.
This ball flares less than one inch for me, but will still make a move if it is dry enough on the back ends. After we burned up our pair with an hour of practice, I couldn't keep anything else from going through the nose.
I have a feeling I may leave some 9 pins with this ball due to the angle I have to throw it at the pocket. If it makes a backend move, this ball will drive right through the 5 pin no problem.
Also makes a great spare ball with a flat wrist.
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Luke Krepsky
Visionary Test Staff
Post by: Blindstag on September 23, 2005, 07:26:23 PM
Weight: 15lb 2.0 oz
Pin: 2 - 3 Inches
Top Wt: 2.56 oz
Style: Stroker
Speed: Slow to Medium
Dilling: Standard 5 x 5 drilling with the pin over the fingers above the bridge (positions B on the Visionary Drill specs and the mass bias right below the thumb).
Surface: Box condition (1000 matte) polished.
At this point in time I've only had about 5 games with this ball so another review will be forthcoming when I've had a chance to throw it some more.
I wanted something to play the dry track areas we get here in Queensland and I think I have found it. It lets me move into the dry track area when other players are moving deep in search of oil. Please note for my type of style the ball is not an out & back ball or even a ball I can belly a little otherwise it doesn't recover.
However playing down & in or even pointing up this ball is great. The ball goes long and makes a nice move to the pocket, again like my review on the AMB Solid I don't get the huge boom when the ball hits the pocket but the pins just disappear off the deck.
With its current drill specs the ball is not meant for oil, you might get away with a little oil in the heads but any more than that and it will simply skid through, however in box condition you would probably get away with some more oil.
For me this ball isn't the ball I go to first out of the bag, but definitely my go to ball for drier conditions. All in all another winner from Visionary.
Thanks to Visionary, Max & Lee from Bowling Balls Australia and Zane Que for another great ball layout.
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Dale Stewart
Visionary Test Staff
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Imagination is more important than knowledge - Knowledge is limited,
Imagination encircles the world ~ Albert Einstein
Post by: bwlrjmp on April 28, 2006, 05:47:12 PM
Drilled: Pin beside ring w/ the CG 1/4" to the right and the MB about 1/8" to the left
Pin: 3"
Cover: 800 Wet Sand
Went in knowing that this ball is supposed to be weak. Wanted this ball for up the boards. Not quite the what I was looking for. But, I am still very pleased with this ball. The coloring is great. I get a very good mid line read with an aggressive, but controlled backend move. The cover is strong and with the very low differential I fined that I can play a wide array of lines. The only down side is that if there is alittle oil on the outside the ball just will not make the turn. Great ball for when the lane dry up or when there is a wet/dry condition.
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J. Pedersen
Visionary Test Staffer
Post by: Juggernaut on September 01, 2006, 01:35:03 PM
Ball weight-15lbs
Pin out- 2-3
Topweight- Unknown
I got this ball used from a stroker who had it drilled for nationals. Got it home and it wasn't enough ball for him. I needed a lower flaring ball, so I traded for it, and am I ever glad.
The ball is set up with the pin directly over the ring finger, the cg on the grip centerline above the midline, and the m.b. is touching the left side of the thumbhole ( I am a righty). This gives me about a 4 X 5 drill. I also polished the cover with finesse-it.
This ball clears all but the driest of heads with surprising ease. Even when my other balls tell me the track is burning out, the Centaur still gets through clean. The odd thins is, even though it gets through the burned out heads, it still reads the breakpoint great! Haven't figured out just how it ignores the dry heads and reads the dry breakpoint, but I don't really care how as long as it does!
Ball picks up a strong roll pattern without all that "snap/flip" you see from some other ball, and finishes strong enough to get out the corners on a VERY regular basis.
After bowling several sets to get used to it, my three series in league have been:
1. (278-246-205=729)
2. (277-248-268=793)
3. (185-254-258=697)
Averaging 246.55 and that's not counting the last two practice sessions with it where I shot 739 and 756!
If you need a lower flare, control type ball for drier shots or wet/dry control, give this thing a serious look. I did and it has more than paid for itself in high pots and brackets!
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"The difference between stupidity and genius is that genius has its limits."
Albert Einstein
Post by: jockeyjoe on March 29, 2007, 04:14:53 PM
Post by: dukeofearl on September 17, 2007, 08:16:23 PM
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there are no magic balls, only MAGIC bowlers!
Post by: Moose Nugget on September 26, 2007, 10:32:37 AM
Centaur came in with 3.5 pin and 3.33 top. Layed out 4 x 135* basic label drill with no weight hole.
This is my third Visionary Ball and it's another great product. This ball is so predictable and provides a great read on the lane. It's the best med-light oil ball I've thrown and really shines on short to med length patterns. I know exactly when to move or put it away. Carry down will cause you to move right as the Centaur will wiggle downlane and not quite finish which should be expected with a weaker solid reactive. The cover adjusts easily and reacts well to hand position changes, rev rate adjustments, and never over-reacts to friction. Overall the Centaur is an outstanding ball on its intended conditions.
Visionary is a solid ball company and really deserves a look if you are searching for ball with predictable motion and long lasting coverstocks. I have found the Frankie May is one of the best balls on the market. The Centaur is another great ball for its intended conditions.
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Todd
Redline Bowling Services
Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota
Post by: dukeofearl on October 18, 2007, 10:15:17 PM
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there are no magic balls, only MAGIC bowlers!
Post by: Jturley46 on November 20, 2007, 07:45:33 PM
15-17 MPH
300-325 RPM
tweener
PAP – 5 1/8†over, 1†up
Visionary Green/Blue Centaur
Pin – 3â€
Top Weight – 3 oz.
Surface – 1500 polished
Drilled – 4.5†PIN to PAP, PIN above ring finger, MB left of thumb, CG on grip center
Tested on a 38' THS. Ok I figured since this ball was such a low flaring ball that this would be a fairly weak drill. I intended to use this ball for light oil/spares, wrong. This ball hooks way more than I anticipated it to hook. It goes fairly long and has a fast, strong snap. I was playing 15 at the arrows to 5 at the break point on FRESH oil, although its not what I intended it for, it makes a great medium oil ball. Im going to try and sand it up to a high grit like 4000 abralon, and then apply polish to see if I can get rid of the snap, but if your going to drill it for light oil than be careful not to drill it too strong.
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Visionary Test Staff 2005-07
Post by: d bowler on February 24, 2008, 10:55:51 PM
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STATE CHAMPION
state of confusion.. that is
Post by: tommymo on July 20, 2008, 05:41:21 PM
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Becoming a father isn''t difficult, But it''s very difficult to be a father.
10/21/05 Kaitlyn Emily and 02/01/07 Meghan Alexis, Daddy''s little girls!
R.I.P Kevin Trombley 11/26/05 You were taken too soon!
Visionary Test Staff Member 07/08
Frankie May Gryphon
Immortal Pearl
Ogre Pearl
B/G Centaur
Post by: jefftaker2002 on August 18, 2008, 07:16:47 PM
6in Pin To PAP
Surface taken to 4000 ab then polished.
Ball 2:
3 1/2in Pin To PAP
Surface light polish
Both ball did just what they were design to do. The Polish on both was simply to delay the roll due to the high amount of friction i would be using them on. Carry was explosive to say the least. only thing i noticed was with the way i had both balls set up is that with my release these balls had trouble coming back when lanes broke down and made me move in to middle of lane or deeper due to burning up.
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Glenmore Bowl employee
About 350 RMPs ( Guestimate )
High Track- (* Dont Know My PAP *)
17 MPH ( Guestimate )
Post by: wishy on October 31, 2008, 05:00:55 PM
Post by: Mr Old School on August 05, 2010, 10:50:43 AM
, it crushed the pocket! I'm really surprised by how this ball was so laid back, then charged at the pocket! This ball made me feel like walter ray, or norm duke! straighter up the board, then a violent turn to the pocket! This ball help me from rolling bad games. This is one of those speciality balls that everyone needs in there bag! Thank's Visionary--------------------
Mr. Old SchoolIf you can''t swing it, Your probally throwing brunswick!
Visionary test staff
Post by: Jshick001 on January 11, 2011, 02:15:39 PM
LANE CONDITION
Length: Best on Medium to Short Oil
Volume: Best on Medium to Dry
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): Great for any pattern especially after the lanes have broken down
COMMENTS
Likes: I got this ball drilled over the label with the pin at 12 o'clock (over the fingers). I have found that it is a smooth rolling ball, that doesn't jump hard on the backend. This ball needs plenty of dry boards to turn, but is great for late blocks in leagues or tournaments, or for short oil. I have also found that the hitting power and carry is tremendous when the ball has a chance to pick up a roll.
Dislikes: My only dislike is that I can't find a ball that reads the lanes like this in heavy oil.
PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS
Post by: mroldschool on June 06, 2013, 02:50:00 AM
Length:40' or so!
Volume:not enough
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): ths...with less oil!
COMMENTS
I bought this ball from eBay new, it was a blem or so it said! A 15 pound with a 3 and a half inch pin, and a top of 3.2 oz. It was drilled with the pin under the fingers closer to my imperial finger, with the cg kicked out to the right! I thought that this ball was not going to be any good unless on dry lanes! But to my surprise on a slicker lane condition playing the 1st arrow the ball smoothly got to the breakpoint, and rolled up hard on the backend to destroy the pocket! Again this held true when I entered the bluegrass state game this past year! I rolled on some tuff conditions that day. I bowled in t he handicap singles, the other ball screamed in the backend...I lost out, then it's the regular singles, in which I won last year! Moving left and using the blue/green centaur i rolled games of 227,246, and 235 for a 708 series. and best of all, I defended my singles crown! What a great ball.....
Likes:Never tried it in box condition, used a 2000 grit abralon pad and ebonite's factory finish! Watching it glide, then making it's turn to the pocket!
Dislikes: your kidding,...right :o
PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS
Post by: batbowler on May 15, 2014, 07:18:25 PM
Length:41'
Volume:24 units
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc):modified stone street
COMMENTS
This has to be one of my favorite light/drier lane balls. The layout is 45deg x 3-3/8" x 30deg, which places the pin above and right of my ring finger. I have a weight hole above my pap on the val. I can play straighter lines with this ball when I have to start moving left, I just get this ball out. The hit is classic Visionary that hits hard with great carry. If you loved the old Faball/Hammer, then you'll love Visionary.
Likes: It should be Loves! This is one of the best balls ever sold for lighter oil or short patterns.
Dislikes: I only have one!
PICTURES AND/OR VIDEOS