LANE CONDITIONLength: 41'
Volume: Medium
Type (THS, Sport Pattern etc): THS
COMMENTSThis time we had the chance to try the new 900 Global Covert OPS. This is the latest release from the successful OPS series and being my first time using the Break asymmetric core I was curious and excited to see how this ball would roll for me.
We tried this ball on our typical house shot oil pattern (Kegel, Main Street, 41') and I felt really comfortable with the Covert OPS while doing the review. The ball is definitely stronger than I thought. It took me a couple of minutes to figure where to stand and where to throw the ball. I started laying the ball down on 15 and crossing 10-12 at the arrows and trying to stay inside 5 at my breakpoint. The ball is cleaner and it has a strong backend motion, definitely more than I was expecting since this ball has a solid coverstock and a rough finish (ICE "C" Pad)
The first thing I always try to find in a ball, regardless of the pattern, is how big of a margin of error this ball will provide me. Obviously to find the right ball for the right pattern you have to know where you are bowling and what reaction you need to succeed. On a house shot I usually like to start with a strong solid ball that will help me blend the pattern to fight the over/under or the over walled patterns.
I feel the Covert OPS is a great option to use on fresh. It has a predictable, smooth motion and a strong move down the lane. The ball is not early, is not angular, it is the perfect balance of both, making it a great benchmark ball.
When I missed a little left of my target, the ball offered me great recovery, but I had to be careful with my speed. When I missed left and my speed was slower than usual, the ball went high and I left some splits. When I missed inside the ball never wanted to hook too early and the ball was able to makes its move in the oil. As long as I kept my speed, the Covert OPS provided me a big margin of error.
I compared the Covert OPS with the Inception DCT. The DCT is definitely stronger and it is more suited for heavier oil conditions, it is earlier and smoother than the OPS. The Covert OPS is cleaner through the fronts and it has a stronger downlane motion, making it a great complement to the DCT when you need to ball down. The Covert OPS is a great complement to the Inception DCT.
The Covert OPS is also a great option for low rev and speed dominant bowlers. The ball offers easy revs and a smooth, predictable motion while at the same time retains energy really well to provide a strong move down the lane on most medium-heavy oil conditions.
For the tournament bowler, this ball is a great benchmark ball. As I said earlier, it is not earlier, it is not angular, is just the perfect balance to be the first ball out of the bag to see how the pattern is going to play.
Overall, I feel that the Covert OPS is a versatile piece, easy to read and really easy to get used to. It will be useful for a lot of bowling styles and a great weapon to be used in a wide variety of patterns.
Thank you for watching!
