SWAG Black Dragon Bowling Ball

If you want a ball that makes you look more consistent and hit harder, the SWAG Black Dragon is the move. For me, it reads the midlane strong and smooth, which means I’m not guessing where it’s going. It blends the pattern, keeps me in the pocket, and gives me that heavy roll that drives through the pins instead of deflecting. What sells me is the carry. Light hits fall. Flush shots explode. It keeps the corners low and gives me confidence to stay aggressive. If you’re serious about striking more and controlling the lane instead of fighting it, the Black Dragon deserves a spot in your bag. Strong. Predictable. Built to score.

When I need to see the lane and control the pocket, I reach for my Swag Black Dragon. For me, it reads the midlane smooth and steady, then makes a strong, predictable move downlane. It’s not jumpy — it’s that heavy, continuous roll that keeps the pins low and the corners from standing. What I trust most is how it blends the pattern. If the lanes get tricky, this ball helps me stay in play and keep striking. When I want control with real hitting power, the Black Dragon never leaves my bag.

The Dragon is a big, asymmetrical ball that complements the Judge very well. Quite a bit cleaner through the heads, the Dragon makes a very quick and strong direction change when it finds friction. Despite that, though, the Dragon does not overly jack knife and still retains a controllable shape with strong backend continuation through the pins. Similar to the Judge, it is a very versatile ball for how strong it is, but definitely has a slight decrease in board coverage and strength in the cover, making it a great piece for rev dominant players. The Dragon comes out of box at 1500 sanded, for a relatively smooth motion. However, if you really want to see this ball come to life, hitting it with higher grit or polish and giving it a bit of shine really leans into the shape complements. Hitting it with lower grit sanding will smooth it further to start, but as it lane shines, it will stabilize and settle into a very solid 2-ball slot.

Since my last review, I've dropped to 14 lbs, and my 14 was drilled a bit differently: 50 x 4 1/4 x 30 It's a pretty remarkable difference from the 50x5x30. As expected with the shorter PAP in the 14 lb, the ball has an earlier break point, and for me that has worked MUCH better with my tendency to be more speed dominant. It rolls consistently, and gives that predictable reaction we all love.

Rev Rate: 475 Speed: 18.5 Drilled: 55x4 1/2x40 I am astonished at how continuous this ball is off the end of the pattern. Most Asym solids lose their motion as the night goes on for me, but not the Dragon. The deeper i get the better it gets, without losing any drive through the pins. If you are looking for a bowling ball for heavier oil conditions that is going to read the midlane and get through to the end of the pattern without using too much energy the Dragon is for you. Not only will this ball be in my bag for league night, but you can bet it will be in the tournament bag at all stops.

I was expecting this ball to be one of the super strong balls that would dig early and be very forward down lane, but I’m definitely surprised. This ball digs but still is a more rounded shape and gets through the pins super well! Definitely more of a benchmark type of asym but will be more versatile for many conditions!

PAP - 4 3/4” right, 1/2” up DAS - 50 x 5 x 30 Right-handed I threw on a typical house shot, medium oil, about 42”. I’m more speed dominant, throwing about 15.5mph, with a medium rev rate. I typically play down-and-in, targeting between 5 and 15, depending on lane condition. The ball read earlier than I had expected given it was a fresh shot and the ball was drilled to go longer for me relative to my rev rate and speed. As long as I kept my speed in-check, threw over 10, the ball just walked into the pocket. It rolled in a smooth arc for me, not angular, although it finished with a nice bite right before it hit the pins. Given how early it read for me and the drilling pattern, it seems that for me, this ball would be best for heavier oil. If you had more revs, this ball should be very adaptable to playing deeper, and give you a smooth, controllable, predictable motion to the pins.

If you are looking for that big flare and big hook ball, then look no longer. Critics said Swag could not get a ball to compete on the heavy sport conditions, but this one exceeds exceptions. This new Era of Swag Bowling should not be overlooked.

I was absolutely amazed by the reaction I got out of the Black Dragon the first time it went down the lane. If your looking for a heavy oil control ball, this is the ball for you! When the oil is fresh, it works extremely well playing with tighter angles but the best thing about this ball is the coverstock and core come together to give you a ball that will allow you to move left as the oil begins to transition. The motion it creates on the lane is very predictable and the shape it creates at the breakpoing is very strong and continuous. On a medium volume house shot, I was immediately playing around 3rd arrow and I was easily able to follow the transition left. On a heavier volume house shot, I was able to play tighter angles to start and this ball had no issue churning through the soup. Moving left after the shot opened up was easy with how well this ball sees the mid-lane and reacts at the end of the pattern. What are you waiting for? Get your Black Dragon today and soar above the competition!