The Messenger Titanium Pearl is Columbia's newest addition to the
Messenger family. The ball features the same core, with Columbia's Titanium
ceramic core, as the original Messenger Titanium with a pearlized Super-Flex
shell. The pearlized shell creates more length to get through the heads
easily with a sharper turn at the break point for more back end reaction.
The Messenger Ti Pearl has a medium-low Rg (2.527) and the differential Rg
is .043, which creates 4-5 inches of flare. The Messenger Titanium Pearl is
Black/Gold multi-color pearl with peach engraving. The available weights are
12-16 lbs.

Are you bowlers dumb... The key point in bowling is technic. If you have a pro-active ball on a dry lane. EXTEND and stay at the freaking 35 board. Anyway I love this ball specially on extra extra oily lanes. Nothing much to say, I'll give it a 8.5/10

Columbia Messenger TP 15 lb.

I bought this ball about a year ago and really loved it at first. The ball seems to do well in medium lane conditions, but seems to be too susceptible to any kind of lane condition change. If the lanes are anywhere from medium-oily to oily...in order to get a strike I have to "baby the ball" down the lane with very little power behind it to get the ball to hook at all. Once the lanes go medium all is well...but when the lanes get dry the ball can hook a bit too much. I find myself changing my standing positions and trying to compensate other ways too much to really be comfortable with the ball. If you bowl primarily up the board on a medium oil lane, the ball will slap back hook and you are bound to get a strike nearly every time. However I like to open up the lane a bit and this ball doesn't seem to like that, even though I do get some strikes this way.
I am looking into getting the Columbia Throttle Up which has more hook and, according to the ratings, should be less susceptible to lane condition changes. Any suggestions are welcome.

I have owned this ball for over year and threw it in my closet a while ago. It hits like a bowl of mushy potatoes being thrown at some concrete. You have a better chance carrying the ten pin with a frisbee. DON'T EVER BUY THIS BALL! Oh yeah, and if you even touch oil, your ball will slide like an ice skater in 1500m race. The hit is never enough to carry to ten consistently. I actually managed to pull out my highest series(770)with this ball. Don't know how. I was a newbie then on a ultra dry shot.
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Why is Track such an expensive brand? You get the bang for your buck.

I am truly sorry to see the Messenger is being retired.  I just came back to bowling and was talked into buying this 16# ball.  I am a tweener and had it drilled to go fairly long and strong.  I have pulled my league average up from a 162 in late October to a 191 at the end of March. It has been months since I rolled less than a 570 series.

I feel in complete control with this ball with the lanes dry to med oily.  I understand bowlers' complaints concerning heavy oil, but I have always been able to move further right and crank it over the 1st arrow. In the last four weeks I have broken my highest ever scores with a 247, 251, and 257.  I see constant improvement and am excited to see what another year on the lanes brings.

I recommend Columbia and the Messenger series.  By the way, I recently bought a Professional on line and had it drilled the same way.  The M80 coverstock seems to provide 3-4 more boards of hook on oily lanes but definitely does not like dry lanes.
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3 Strikes and a Split

Rant4BSUBroncos

A couple of weeks ago I was out playing bowling and found this ball on the ball rack during the glow bowling night.  The rubber finger holes fit fine and since I don't use a thumb, I was able to throw this ball and seemed to strike at will.  I had 2 games over 180 and asked the guy working the counter if I could buy the ball and take it with me.  $75 later I had my own ball and took it home with me.  Fast forward to 2 days ago... I was telling my friend about my new ball and how well I bowled and he asked me if I wanted to play on his team during his finals night.  I couldn't turn down this opportunity so last night I showed up, rented my shoes and proceeded to the lanes with my new ball in hand.  During the practice session I knew it was going to be a good night.  With the lights on I could actually see where the ball was going and felt more comfortable sliding up to the black line.  I started off really well and it seemed like I could throw this ball anywhere.  A couple times I almost threw it in the gutter but it swerved all the way back and I got a strike.  Another time I threw it righat at the headpin and it just went straight for another strike.  I had a 226 the first game which was the highest game I have ever played.  It seemed like whenever I would hit the heaping the pins would just stay low and sweep the rest out of the way and it would be strike.  The second game was about the same and I had a 219.  After this game my buddy and the team I was playing for was extremely happy.  I guess they figured out that the won the league so the rounds of shots and natty lights started to flow.  The last game was really bad but it probably had more to do with the alcohol than it did with the ball.  It seemed like the ball started to hook left as soon as I let it go and no matter how far to the right I went, it kept going left.  Oh well, I ended up with a game of 145 but overall I had a great time and will definitely try to get on a team next year.  I'll definitely keep this ball and would recommend it to anyone.  When you hit the head pin with it, they all fall down.  This ball truly hits like a truck when you hit the headpin.