Ebonite Whirl Wind Reviewed by: proshoptraining.com review by Jeff Ussery 08/09/2006 00:00

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Click Layout Image to Enlarge

Pin to PAP Distance: 4 1/8"
Preferred Spin Axis to PAP Distance: 7 1/4"
Balance Hole: None
Surface Preparation: Box Condition

What I Was Looking For in this Ball and Layout:

Looking for a ball to lazily arc going down the lane, I chose to layout this Whirlwind in a simple "over the label" type of layout. I wanted the ball to get through the front easily and just arc all the way down the lane.

What I Ended Up With in this Ball and Layout:

No surprises in the front end reaction of the Whirlwind. I've yet to see a lane condition that I can't get this ball through the heads. As I found with the No Limit, the Big Bang reactive coverstocks get through the heads easily and delay transition for the middle and backend of the lane.

Here is where the key lies in the ball reaction I was hoping for. I wanted a ball that reacted soft off of the end of the oil pattern. I used a more aggressive pin position than normal in combination with an extremely long PSA location. By moving the PSA so far away from my positive axis point, I've created an incredibly smooth backend reaction in the Whirlwind. I also purposely chose a layout that would not require a weight hole, as I didn't want to open up the flare rings too much on this ball.

The Whirlwind performs exactly as I wanted and exactly as advertised. This is a great reaction for most players to go to in league situations or in the middle of longer format tournaments. The Whirlwind is one of those balls that I feel I can go to when the lanes are tougher and I'm really not seeing my ball reaction very well. In overall hook, the Whirlwind is certainly stronger than both of the Black Ice balls I've reviewed. But it is also an obvious step down in total hook from the One and Time series balls.
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Ebonite Whirl Wind Reviewed by: DPluimer 03/13/2007 23:42

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.
Pin above ring finger at 1 o'clock.
This is my first fingertip ball and the Ebonite Whirl Wind bowling ball is the first ball I've owned in 16 years. I picked it up on Saturday and rolled 5 games, averaging 125. After a warm up game, I rolled a 230, 131, 201 = 562. I start the ball about 4 boards in and it breaks very gently about 5-6 ft before the pins.
I clearly don't know much of the technical jargon or much about bowling, but I know this - the Whirl Wind is a good ball.
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Ebonite Whirl Wind Reviewed by: proshoptraining.com review 2 by Jeff Ussery 11/01/2006 00:00

1 of 1 people found this review helpful.

Click Layout Image to Enlarge

Pin to PAP Distance: 4 7/8"
Preferred Spin Axis to PAP Distance: 4"
Balance Hole: 1 1/16" x 2 1/2" Deep - 2 1/2" Below PAP on VAL
Surface Preparation: Box Condition

What I Was Looking For in this Ball and Layout:

Truthfully, when I drilled this Whirlwind, I was simply looking to try out another one of these fine balls. My first Whirlwind has been fantastic, and I decided to try another one with a layout that was significantly different than the layout in my first ball. While I've said before that it's always dangerous to simply throw holes in a ball with no goal in mind, I was pretty confident that I would end up with a nice overall reaction.

What I Ended Up With in this Ball and Layout:

Anytime you're dealing with a medium differential core in a highly polished coverstock, you'll find that the ball clears the front of the lane extremely easily. My Whirlwind does exactly that. On all of the synthetic surfaces I've thrown this ball on, this Whirlwind gets down the lane very easily and sees almost no friction early in the ball reaction. The length from this ball is almost identical to my first Whirlwind.

I used a 4 7/8" pin to pap distance in this ball; a common distance for my equipment. If you look across my arsenal on this website, you'll find that I use a lot of 4 3/4" to 5 3/4" pin distances. These pin locations delay the reaction and stand the core up closer to its high rg axis as I release the ball. Given my physical game, these pin distances tend to work well for me. In the Whirlwind, this 4 7/8" pin distance creates approximately 3" of track flare.

I used a 4" psa to pap distance for this Whirlwind. My first Whirlwind used a large 7 1/4" distance which created a very smooth arcing motion. I wanted to see a different shape down lane than the first ball, so I used a much more aggressive 4" location. When this ball clears the end of the lane pattern, the strong psa location dominates the ball reaction and creates an extreme skid/flip shape. The ball holds its axis rotation for a long time as it travels down lane and then quickly changes direction as the ball enters a forward roll. The weight hole I've added below my positive axis point on the vertical axis line also contributes to the reaction I get from this Whirlwind. I used a large weight hole to remove excess side weight. The goal of the balance hole was to make the breakpoint move even more dramatic.

This Whirlwind performs just as I would expect for my game, and it is certainly different than the first Whirlwind I drilled (reviewed on August 9th). Notice from the ratings below that I have the length very similar to my first Whirlwind, but the breakpoint move is significantly sharper. This sharp move at the breakpoint gives a ball reaction that is a little more overall hook and forces me into larger launch angles.
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Other Products Reviewed by proshoptraining.com review 2 by Jeff Ussery

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Ebonite Whirl Wind Reviewed by: Allpro300 09/25/2007 11:56

Oh my goodness, the Ebonite Whirl Wind bowling ball goes out to the one one board near the gutter and comes back and CRUSHES the pocket, great ball for dry lanes. My first series with it was 745.
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Ebonite Whirl Wind Reviewed by: becomingcloser 05/17/2007 11:36

I'm just getting started in league bowling, and I've never been very good. My first three games out with the Ebonite Whirl Wind ball increased my hook, made me more consistent with my spares, and raised my average. Needless to say, I'm pleased for the price. Ball goes long for me with a lot of backend pop.
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