The Web Gets Shiny…

First Impressions
I really like the way this ball rolls. This Spheroid core is just about a stalwart.

Our Testers:
Tamer Elbaga (Lefty)
Style: Tweener
RPM: 375 rpm
PAP: 5 & 3/8 up
Average Speed: 18.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: low
Axis rotation: medium/high
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 65 x 5 x 40
Intent: Medium/long roll with a medium transition at the breakpoint

James Kasee (Righty)
Style: Power Player
RPM: 425 rpm
PAP 4 1/2 & 1/4 down
Average Speed: 19 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: 19 degrees
Axis rotation: 60 degrees
Test Equipment: 15 Pounds
Layout: 65 x 5 x 40
Intent: Medium/long roll with a medium transition at the breakpoint

Bryan Hoffman (Righty)
Style: Higher Tilt Stroker
RPM: 280 rpm
PAP: 4 1/4 & 1/8 down
Average Speed: 17.5 mph (at release)
Axis tilt: high
Axis rotation: medium
Test Equipment: 14 Pounds
Layout: 65 x 4.5 x 35
Intent: Medium roll with a slow transition at the breakpoint

Thanks to Jeff Smith and Pure It Bowling for drilling our equipment.
Buy the Hammer Web Pearl at PureItBowling.com.
Thanks to Limerick Bowl in Limerick, PA.

“Keep in mind that coverstock accounts for 70% of ball reaction, but the core creates the dynamic shape of the reaction. Your driller will alter the shape to suit your game.”

Test Pattern:
THS: 40ft, 23ml
Sport: Winding Road: 39ft, 22.45 ml, 2.93:1 ratio

Value
B
This ball is in upper mid performance line and seems worth the bucks to me. It’s going to be usable on many medium conditions.

Specs
The Web Pearl uses the Spheroid (symmetric) core inside the Aggression pearl coverstock.
15 pound = RG of 2.48, diff of .048
14 pound = RG of 2.52, diff of .047
Coverstock finish: 500/1000 powerhouse factory finish polish

Overall
THS: B
Sport: B
I will start with the core. I do love the shape this core creates. The Spheroid has been around for a bit going back to 2014 with the Bad Ass and Bad Intentions, then the Rhodman balls, now the Web balls. Bottom line is this is a benchmark shape that I believe will stay around for a while like the Inverted Fe2 or V2 core. It has that length, rounded midlane shape, and boom down lane. This fits in with balls like the HyRoad Pearl and GB3 Pearl in terms of reaction shape. I would say it’s not quite as strong in the roll phase but that should give you an idea. Alternatively, watch how often the Rhodman Pearl was thrown on the PBA and PWBA tour and you’ll get an idea of how good this core is. Ultimately, this so called boomy move is one of my favorite rolls. Basically when it starts to hook, it all kind of blurs into this continuous motion that keeps going. The one frustration for me is a bit of finnicky reaction from the factory shine. We had a similar situation with the Rhodman Pearl. It seems ideal to crack that factory polish and just get a more consistent reaction downlane. With the factory polish on the house shot shape, you sometimes lose drive downlane. House shots don’t have a clean break to dry boards like sport shots do.
Compared to the Rhodman Pearl, overall ball reaction shape is almost indistinguishable. My assumption is this will inevitably retire the Rhodman Pearl.

James was up next and the Web Pearl seems to always get to the pocket. He sees the same rounded boomy shape I described. The Aggression pearl coverstock is strong but clean. The length though is a byproduct of the house shot walled shape where there is lots of oil inside 10. So that heavier oil in the middle of the lane allows the ball to get downlane and the Web Pearl is booming but relatively smooth down lane. Again, even for James, I believe cracking that factory shine will help the Web Pearl drive more. I would just like to see the ball finishing a bit more through the 8-9 with less deflection. Essentially, your ball track shape is akin to the rounded core shape.

Finally Bryan and as he saw with the Rhodman Pearl, the Web Pearl is just not enough ball for him. His normal house track around 10 to 8 just didn’t seem to shape at all. It looks fine and then doesn’t do much downlane. With that said, he made an adjustment to use more friction. So he started pushing the ball 9 at the arrows to 5 at the breakpoint. All of a sudden, the Web Pearl lit up for him. Now he saw the good drive through the pins. He was just a bit surprised how weak it played for him. I think this is a smooth core that doesn’t give more than it gets. That makes it reliable. The Rhodman Pearl was pretty close with a little rounder move but that’s because he did crack the polish on it.

Sport Shot
We tested on the 39ft Kegel Winding Road pattern. What this ball can do is probably more obvious in the sport shot. I find the shot 19 to 9 and that’s fairly deep from the left side. The ball here is angular but smooth. However, now you get the ball starting up earlier because the cover is not weak and it sees friction and starts to dig in. I just kept working my way in until I found the amount of oil I needed.
For James it was an OK look but I would say on the over/under side. The pattern needs to be broken down a bit as it is relatively quick off the dry even while it appears smooth so if you’re not precise, it overhooks and if you try to push it, you’ll push it straight through the breakpoint.
For Bryan, it was a bit of a struggle. From more direct, it was too strong. Open up 2 boards and it wasn’t strong enough. He found a decent shot 11 to 7 so again using the friction but he felt a bit trapped.

Final Thoughts
I believe the Web Pearl will be a successful ball. It’s got the makings of what we know works with the Spheroid Core and the Aggression Pearl cover. If I didn’t know that taking the polish off would make this ball good, I might’ve been worried. However, with this more or less replacing the venerable Rhodman Pearl, I imagine the Web Pearl is going to get some love.