The Choice Part 3…

First Impressions
This is another huge ball. Super strong. Colors remind me of another huge ball from the lightning brand. Regardless, this is what you expect from a huge asym.

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 Ebonite Choice Solid 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: Abbey Road: 40ft, 24.2 ml, 3.7:1 ratio

Value
C+
My first thought is always how often do these big pieces get to be used on house shots vs how much they cost. I was probably too hard on the original Choice hybrid. Different bowler styles do benefit from these balls that just dig in and roll heavy.

Specs
The Ebonite Choice Solid uses the Mod-1 core inside the GSV-1 solid coverstock.
15 pound = RG of 2.49, diff of .054, mb of .021
14 pound = RG of 2.51, diff of .054, mb of .021
Coverstock finish:

Overall
THS: C
Sport: B+
The Choice Solid puts on snow tires. It is meant to cover heavy oil and preferably not crazy open angles. As with almost all big asym pieces, they are designed to control the midlane and give you definitive motion. If you’ve ever bowled on something where you weren’t sure if your medium ball was going to hook or not, that’s when these big pieces come out. In those situations, they give you confidence. I always prefer to see motion and adjust than to see little motion and have to finesse it to work. On the house, this just feels like too much ball. The Choice Solid digs in but also seems to bleed a bit too much energy. But you also can’t get very deep to find more oil as the core rolls pretty forward. Now don’t get me wrong. I actually really like this core. I think it’s fantastic in the Choice Pearl and the original Choice hybrid. The Mod-1 core rolls heavy and a little more forward, at least in the GSV-1 cover iterations we’ve seen thus far. All that means is that if you want to see that awesome hit of this core, keep the angles a bit more closed. Don’t try to cover a million boards. Still the biggest issue I had was feeling like the ball wants to go but never quite feels like it just hooks up. By contrast the Choice more definitively felt like it did that and that is likely due to some pearl in the cover, even though it’s finished at 2000 abralon.

I won’t keep repeating myself with each bowler since it’s pretty similar on the house shot. Bryan did see some good angularity from it. His assessment was that to his eyes, it was better than other solid asyms for him as he could get in without feeling like it will just puke. I can agree with that to some extent. It all depends on what you consider deep for your individual game. Bryan in fact was a couple of boards deeper than me and he did see a sharper setting motion.

James is only a couple of boards deeper so you can pretty much gather the limit of angularity the ball will want to generate. Digging cover, forward rolling core. Missing out is also a bit too soft for that reason. It’s also quite strong so if you miss in it’s not likely to hold.

Sport Shot
We tested on the 40ft Kegel Abbey Road pattern. For me, I had a better look here than on house. it gave me more breakpoint control. Here’s where you see a couple of shots that really drive. When the core has a chance to stand up, this thing really carries well. Again, open up the angles a touch and miss out a touch and you can forget about getting to the pocket.
The pocket was somewhat shrunk for James. The issue is that Abbey Road is a medium volume pattern and it does hook. So using a big piece here felt a little out of its element. He needed angle through the fronts with this ball which meant his breakpoint was small. He really couldn’t miss in or out and effectively get to the pocket.
Finally Bryan and it kind of the same. The ball felt a bit labored due to not having enough volume. So pocket shots deflected leaving corners but still couldn’t miss in.

Final Thoughts
The challenge is that this clearly will look better on heavier volumes but we try to stay consistent with our house shot pattern. Thus, we felt the ball is just too much for this pattern. It wasn’t too much in the sense it overhooks. If just winds up tricky to match the angle through the fronts to the angle it wants to generate on the back. In the end, find the pattern where you can close down your angles and you will be rewarded with that strong heavy drive of this ball. I really do enjoy the Mod-1 core and I expect this ball to look really good in those situations where such a beast is called for.