Pyramid Bowling: Pathogen Plague

Ball Specifications:
Gross Weight: 15lbs 2oz.
Top Weight: 3.75oz.
Pin Placement: 3 1/8”
Core: New Era 139 Type: Symmetrical
RG: 2.54
Diff: 0.032
Flare Potential: 3”-4”
Coverstock: Urethane
Factory Surface: 1000 Abralon

Layout:
Pin Buffer: 3 3/8”x 5” x 2.5”
Dual Angle: 60° X 3 3/8" X 50°
Weight hole: 1.75" below PAP on VAL Size: 1" X 3"

Ball Photo:

Click for larger image


Bowler Specifications:
Right-handed
PAP: 5 9/16”> 1 3/4”^
Ball Speed: 16mph off hand
Rev Rate: 250

Lanes/Conditions:
Brunswick Pro Anvilanes
41' THS Medium

Ball Review:
Pyramid Bowling's “Pathogen Plague” is their first urethane ball and it's a good class reunion for the old school bowler and a new subject of study for today's student of the game.

The Plague read the lanes early and made a smooth transition from skid to hook to roll, Which gave me a good controlled and predictable ball motion.

The urethane cover allowed me to stay in the track area much longer than a resin would, It gave me easy length down the lane and retained speed well and was real smooth on the backend and had good continuation through the pins.

The lower differential core produced about three inches of track flare. While you still can't miss massively in or out, I had more recovery than I expected and hold was good but don't expect it to go Brooklyn all the time like a resin ball.

One thing keep your leather shammy pad close by to wipe down the oil on the ball after each shot to help maintain consistent ball motion!

Carry was good on a flush hits, you had the classic ten in the pit strike with the ball dropping off the deck around the nine pin. Lighter hits bounced the pins around pretty good for strikes or easy spare leaves.

Playing tighter angles / straighter lines like with old urethane's should help you kick out the corner pins with this ball. If your going to start with this ball on the fresh, the 1000 oob surface is the minimum you should have.

The Pathogen Plague is a good solid Urethane ball and it's price point is real easy on the wallet.

Comments:
Is a urethane ball for the typical league bowler? Yes, While urethane is great for the high speed/high rev players who need to control the backend and for use on the dryer and short/sport patterns being seen more lately.

IMO a lot of regular league bowlers struggle with carry and holding a line to the pocket when using today's powerful resin balls on the typical house shot. Which the THS a lot of places is a lower volume oil pattern, That blows up real fast from all the resin balls being used and the higher rev bowlers chewing up the line.

A urethane ball like the Plague will allow players who have a hard time chasing the oil line inside to stay on their line longer and play more squared up to the lane through the night. Also lower speed players will benefit from the urethane coverstock because it will retain more speed and energy and this coupled with playing straighter/tighter angles will help with carry.