Post by: admin on December 31, 1969, 06:00:00 PM
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.
Post by: Jeff Mop on December 01, 2000, 05:06:52 PM
Post by: Paul Meyer on December 05, 2000, 11:35:47 PM
Post by: Kelly Beasley on December 12, 2000, 09:13:59 PM
Post by: Drillmn300 on December 30, 2000, 11:38:04 PM
Drillmn300
Post by: jonh on January 05, 2001, 08:51:24 PM
Post by: 1fife on January 06, 2001, 11:34:32 AM
speed-average
revolutions-above average
pap-over 5 1/4 up 3/8
drilled the ball
pin out 3 1/2"
pin to pap-5"
cg to pap-3 1/2"
weight hole 2" below pap
shot bowled on
synthetic very wet/dry
wood tapered(christmas tree) thats get carry down
this is my favortite drilling and have put it on many balls
first off- not to hard to get this ball thru the heads, but once you do-it has a very angular backend. One of the strongest out there(for backend-not total hook).
This ball does squirt on the juice, so it not the number one go to ball on fresh oily lanes(unless the backends ar squeky clean) and if they are you may get the over-under thing going on.
versitility is not to bad and the price is very good. If a bolwer wants to get as much ball as they can for the money, the messenger line is tops out there.
rating
8 out of 10
Post by: BadGurl on January 16, 2001, 04:24:40 PM
Good Luck and Good Bowling!
Post by: ThatBowlinDude on January 28, 2001, 08:53:32 PM
Post by: BuddiesProShopcom - Bill on March 02, 2001, 02:12:20 PM
We have drilled about 40 of these ball, with everyone raving about them.
If you are looking for a ball to get through the fronts on the late shift, but still need some backend, then you can't go wrong with this ball.
The Center, that Buddies is located in, has a lot of 2nd shift Men's league, and they need something to get down the lane when the head burn up, and this is the ball of choice.
On a scale of 1-10, I would give this ball a 9. A great release from Columbia and great for those drier lanes. When you are looking for something between a Scout and a Ti Messenger, reach for this ball.
If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at Bill@buddiesproshop.com
Thanks
Bill
Post by: Mike Carlson on March 02, 2001, 02:45:39 PM
This is a great ball if you happen to run into moderate carry-down! Mine is drilled with a 75 degree (approximately 12:00) pin about 4 1/2" from my PAP.
Medium lenght, strong back end, great for when the heads are starting to break down and the back-ends are still a little tight. It rolls a little sooner than what I had anticipated, but it doesn't lose anything on the back end. I've left it in box condition because it fills a hole in my arsenal, I think with a trip to the spinner I might be able to get the ball to hook later, but I have other equipment for that.
A very nice ball at a moderate price..9++
Post by: birddog on April 02, 2001, 12:31:43 AM
i used it on light to medium oil playing down the 7board and right into the pocket this is a great ball for the money
10 out of 10
Post by: mrteach3 on April 02, 2001, 03:35:37 PM
This is a good one people. I drilled mine 4 1/2 X 4 1/2. It had a 3 1/2 inch pin to start with. The lanes were pretty normal as when I start with this ball, there is heavier oil in the heads and clean backends. After a game or so, the oil tends to carrydown pretty quickly.
This ball rolls truer than true. It gets great length with a nice strong breakpoint to the pocket. It doesn't do anything crazy on the backend, except for make it back to the pocket just about every time. I got a few out to the right that I though would be a two pin or light seven and it ended up smashing the hole. Even though this is true, it is very controllable and hits as well as anything I have thrown. For me, the ball fits perfectly between my Rock Star and Surge. I didn't think I would be able to find a ball that was better than my Surge, but this one might be it.
As an addition to this review. I am still very pleased with this ball. I have found that the one condition I have come across that it does not work the best on is with some carry down. The ball tends to get to far down the lane and therefore leave a lot of ten pins since the ball is entering the pocket too late. I usually solve that problem by picking up my Rock Star. Check out that review as to why it would solve my carry down problems.
Post by: Michael on April 02, 2001, 08:37:22 PM
Post by: drillwizard on April 04, 2001, 02:09:59 AM
PAP- 51/2 over 1/4 up
Ball is drilled right over label.
Pin in center of grip with cg kicked slightly left.
Exact distance is 51/2 X 41/2. Pin out ball 1".
Bowled on 7 to 7 shot with heavy oil in middle.
Fairly dry outside 4-5 units.
Ball is excellent in med-dry if you have good speed.
Let up and forget it its gone.
Not the best choice for heavy oil.
This ball gets through the heads good, with a sharp
but not overly sharp backend reaction. Excellent carry
Post by: DLJ on May 13, 2001, 06:14:15 AM
Bowl style: Cranker (med spd, high rev)
Pin: 3" pin out
Drill: 5 1/4" from PAP
A lot has been said about this ball already and it is never enough.
Great ball that provides great length and great recovery in the back ends. It is a very versatile ball. The type that can suit almost every type of bowler out there and it all depends on how you set it up, you will find a good use for it.
If you do not have one, get one. It is well worth the money spent and due to its versatility and predictability, you wont regret it.
Great ball from columbia.
Rate: 9.5/10
Post by: calzone on June 14, 2001, 01:25:21 PM
Post by: charles a saar on July 17, 2001, 05:20:04 PM
iwant to start off by saying this ball is not for everybody. this is a tough ball to control. there is no arguing the hitting powers, and pretty arc, and "tv ball" reactions. and anybody can get these results with this ball. however i caution people that have been out of the game for awhile that this ball is not for you, players with slower speeds this ball is not for you, if you are buying a ball cause you have money to spend this ball is not for you.
this ball is for serious bowlers only, that have a mastery of shots in their arsenal. if you are looking for a ball to improve your average then buy the messenger ti, as this ball will hurt your average before improving it. i say that cause if you are looking for the ball to raise the average then you are a novice and this ball is not for you. if you have a fair amount of skill, then you should be able to control this ball, maybe control is the wrong word, i should say throw this ball because you cant control this beast err i mean messenger. this ball is an awesome piece of work for people that know what they are doing with it. i throw it well, but another good bowler in the same house struggles. he shows the promise that the ball offers but cannot sustain it long enough for three games. not enuff experience. you definitely need to know when to say when with this one.
all that being said, at the price of the messenger line this ball is worth a shot. give it a chance and see if you can control the messenger ti pearl.
im out.
Post by: bowler0821 on August 24, 2001, 01:21:26 PM
So you need a great ball for that lighter oil shot go with the Messenger Titanium Pearl by Columbia.
I giveths ball a 10 out of 10, it is really a great ball.
Post by: LuckyLefty on October 19, 2001, 11:44:48 PM
See my review of this ball by clicking on Other Reviews,
then Eraser.
Regards,
Luckylefty
Too much for me unless the oil is medium and near 40 feet. At least for my shorter oil light oil shot.
For the high speed player seeking super backend this is a winner.
Post by: jonh on November 03, 2001, 08:59:43 PM
Post by: johnlicitra on December 04, 2001, 11:40:36 AM
Used it for the first time on appropriate lane conditions last night. Went long and flipped, just like it was supposed to -- and I don't use a lot of hand. Hits hard.
For me I found the ball to be extremely touchy and did not allow a large margin of error. I attribute this to the lane conditions at the time, so I suspect all those that had the experience of "went wide and it came into the pocket, went inside and it held the line" had lane conditions that helped the ball along. Then again, IMO this is true for any ball you roll.
I would say this is a good -- not necessarily a great -- ball, and is a good addition to anyone's arsenal who is looking for something to play on light to medium oil with dry backends.
Post by: BrianN on December 23, 2001, 08:32:23 AM
Mine is 16#, 4 x 4, pin right of the ring, 3oz top and the CG above the centerline and out, mass bias in the strong position. Side weight is +5/8, and it needed a fair-sized weight hole. The concensus seems to be that 4 x 4 is an optimal layout for this ball.
I think the TiMP is a great ball for the middle range of conditions - light to medium oil. It is best on fresh backends. Under these conditions, it doesn't just "flare", it "leaps". It is capable of making its own backend, so I actually do not mind it on a bit of carrydown. With flying backends, however, I find it unplayable. I walk into a center hoping there will be enough oil to throw it.
The best thing about this ball is the way it hits and carries. It's the hardest-hitting ball I've ever owned. In the 3 1/2 months I've thrown it, I can't recall a light hit that didn't carry. It spoils you because you come to expect the rattling wall shot and the big swish even from deep inside. The tradeoff,
however, is that I tend to leave some shocking 4s and 9s. When I get into trouble with this ball is when it starts to get up in the kitchen a little. A little low is definitely better than a little high with the TiMP. It hits so well, I am always reluctant to put it away.
In my hands, it likes to be swung out a little bit. Probably my best line with it is standing 32, swinging the ball over 12 in medium oil. If there's enough oil outside, I transpose everything right 5 boards - stand 27, throw over 7. Straight down the boards, the backend is sometimes a little too much. I throw it too hard and ring 10s all night. It rewards the bowler with good speed control, penalizes the bowler without.
It's annoying to throw on really wet conditions. Knowing what it's capable of makes me want to over-turn it, and it just skates in the oil then jumps on the backend. It's also impossible for me to throw in the dry without over/undering.
The TiMP has vast potential. As I said, I'm not completely satisfied with it. I plan to buy another one for next year and make a few tweaks. At least part of the jumpiness is my own speed control issue. Hopefully, dropping down a pound in weight will help out with this. Also, in order to play it down the boards without such a struggle, I plan to try a slightly more controlled layout and take the side weight down very low.
My overall rating is a strong 8:
Control: 6. From the standpoint of control, it is really kind of an exaggeration of resin's worst features. Very sensitive to the state of backends, speed and angle of attack. You will definitely want a separate spare ball.
Versatility: 7.5. Light-medium oil covers probably 75% of what people actually see. However, this ball isn't much use on dry or anything wetter than medium.
Hit & Carry: 11. Just like the amps in Spinal Tap.
Post by: bowl_r_masta174 on January 03, 2002, 01:37:00 PM
Post by: wxdude on January 09, 2002, 02:51:22 AM
Needless to say...research from these reviews was well worth it because in my first league week with this new ball, I set a new personal high and went on for a 590 series. Had balled drilled with Columbia's B-type pattern (found on their pattern leaflet that comes with the ball) and my house has long oil and a fairly dry backend.
Throw it between second and third arrow...and ball screams back into the pocket with LOTS of action! Ball is also very forgiving...in that you can get away with an accidental shot thrown too far inside hitting pocket or quickly crossing over to the brooklyn side. However, unusual splits are left with this one (i.e. 3-7-10, 4-9, etc.)...but avoid dead-on head pin hits and you're fine.
Also interesting to note is the ease with which spares can be hit with it despite a fingertip drill...thought it would pull away from 10-pin more, but it worked out flawlessly.
Being a Columbia fan, I am VERY pleased with this ball and would certainly recommend it to anyone bowling on medium-oily lanes. Might want to avoid drier lanes with this one because of its agressive snap on the back end as it made drive into the pocket well before you'd like. Overall...this ball gives you a fairly wide margin for error and is a keeper, especially considering its price.
Post by: TrackBowler300 on January 24, 2002, 01:24:26 PM
Post by: johnlicitra on February 08, 2002, 08:16:24 PM
Anyway, when I go straight down the 5 board and hit a reasonably dry back-end the ball just tears off to the left and just absolutely destroys the rack. It's almost scary. If I don't put enough speed on I'll go brooklyn -- and absolutely destroy the rack
The only time it gets ugly is if you chop the headpin, but watta you gonna do? You throw a bad shot and you're going to get an ugly leave from time-to-time.
Even my wife commented on how amazing this ball was.
I suspect a Storm Eraser would be similar, but this is a great ball. Get one.
Post by: Ball_Tester on February 18, 2002, 01:58:49 PM
Right Handed Tweener
15.0 to 16.5 mph (typically, but dependant on shot)
Above avg. Hand
I have punched up a few balls of late that have suprised me on how strong they are and this one falls into that category. I thought that this ball would be a little longer and not quite as strong on the back as it is (I punched this ball back when it was first released before I had seen many on the lanes).
I stacked this one under my ring finger. This ball is clean through the head and makes a huge move once it hits any dry. The hit is outstanding, but because the ball can be so jumpy you need to know when to put it in the bag. This is not the type of ball you want to throw on wet/dry. This ball also does not like carrydown. You will leave the back row all day long if you do.
Heavy Oil - I would not recommend throwing this ball on heavy oil, unless you have a ton of hand. The ball is just too long and won;t have enough time to recover.
Medium - This ball covers the range of mediums well. Provided they are not too wet/dry the ball will perform well. If the lanes are wet dry you need to be extremely precise with your speed, targeting, and release.
Dry - This ball can be played on dry, but be prepaired to open up the entire lane. Like I stated early this is because the cover is more agressive than one would think.
Overall, outstanding ball but extremely condition specific.
Ratings (1-20)
Hook: 16 - I thought this ball would play a little straight, but it is actually fairly aggressive
Control: 10 - the hitting power of this ball is great, but can be difficult to keep in the pocket off extreme dry.
Length: 17 - This ball has good length making it a good ball to bring out during a second shift or later in a tourney.
Backend: 18 - One of the stronger moves on the back that I have thrown lately.
Versatility: 7 - This one can be played on a range of mediums, but is very touch coming off the dry and on carrydown.
Overall: 16 - On the right condition I would rate this one much higher, but on the wrong condition much worse.
Post by: Avirago on February 27, 2002, 01:31:39 PM
Post by: GaryT on March 10, 2002, 04:58:33 AM
buy this ball beware. Let start with the positive things about
this ball, and than the negative.
1. It has good length on wet/dry condition, depending on
your hand and ball speed.
2. It hits like a Mack Truck, regardless if you are hitting
the pocket or going Brooklyn.
3. You don't leave corner pins with this ball. ( 7 or 10)
4. This ball does not cost an arm and leg.
5. This is a good transition ball, you can watch the skid, roll
and hook.
6. It is a good practice ball before league play, I use it to
push down the oil before league start, especially if the lanes
are short oiled.
Negative:
1. This ball is lane specific, if you only have this ball in
your arsenal, you better be on the right condition.
2. This ball does not hook, it flips hard too hard for most
bowlers. If you can't play deep, throw out wide don't use
it on extremely dry lanes. Now you can take some of the side
weight out, but if you take too much out the ball becomes tame.
3. This ball does not like a lot of carrydown, it goes pass the
pocket.
4. You cannot use this ball on heavy dressed lanes, it is too
squirrely. If you like running straight up the middle, this ball
will overreact when it hit the pin deck. You will go Brooklyn
or straight through the head.
Overall, this ball is like a Dodge Viper, it is very speed
and lane specific. On a scale of 1 to 10, this ball gets a 6.
Like a Dodge Viper, if you got a family of 5, and this is your
only means of transportation, you are screwed.
Post by: UKBALLEXPERT on March 10, 2002, 11:23:12 AM
Post by: ebonitekid on March 30, 2002, 09:35:19 PM
Post by: UKBALLEXPERT on April 14, 2002, 10:51:32 AM
Post by: TDC57 on April 15, 2002, 11:43:17 PM
Post by: BowlingFanatic300 on May 08, 2002, 04:47:16 PM
On me, 18-19 MPH, a whole lot of revs
Ball - Pin out 3", drilled long and strong (Columbia's max flare drilling)
This ball is an absolute animal on the backend and is the hardest hitting ball I have ever thrown. When I first bought this ball, it hooked so hard that I could only use on heavy oil. I'm talking the condition where everyone else is up the boards with Apex's. However, after developing a decent track, the ball began to tame down and became a great skid/snap ball for me. In fact, it became so good that I shot 804 (234,280,290) with it after just 3 weeks. The only problem I have with it now is its tendency to slide too far on oil, while still turning 90 degrees on dry. It has become very condition sensitive.
9/10 Originally a 10 out of 10, however its tendency lately to become condition sensitive has slipped it down a notch. However, it still crushes the pins like no other!
Post by: UNObowler01 on May 09, 2002, 11:53:00 AM
The first was a 15lb., pin out 2.5, 3 oz. top. Drilled "rev leverage", 4 x 4 with the cg in the positive thumb quadrant. X-hole to take statics back to 0. This ball was very smooth in transition from skid to hook, but wasn't really the reaction i was going for when I drilled it.
The 2nd was a used one I got off of a friend. Its drilled in a 3 x 3 leverage drilling. I drilled it a few months ago, but it has sat in the pro shop where I almost ever since. Drug it out last night for scratch league, and I was very impressed.
The TiPearl cleared the heads really well, and was making a very smooth, powerful roll to the pocket. I was playing 20 out to 10, and rolling through the pins like they werent there. Waxed my first opponent with 245 and 225 my first two (had two shots I left in that hit soft, 5-7 spits
). Next guy never had a chance either, 238 and 222. I was definitely liking my ball reaction. As long as I kept everything else constant, the ball did exactly what I wanted, which was stand up and arc at about 40-42 feet. If I left it in a few boards, it did a very good job holding the line, and in most cases I was only left with a 4 pin. Very predictable, very controllable. I'll give it a 8, loses points because it doesn't snap like a pearl, and won't get the job done on heavy oil.
Post by: LILBEAS on May 15, 2002, 09:00:54 PM
Post by: Traumatize on May 29, 2002, 08:12:15 PM
Overall i am glad that i got off my lazy butt and put some work into this ball because it was well worth the $60. I would recommend this ball to bowlers that want to learn to "hook" the ball, or for bowlers with more hand looking for a medium oil, fresh backend shot. I wouldn't recommend this ball for longer patterns or heavier oiled patterns as i have seen a few of my friend's messengers squirt way past the breakpoint and barely recover at all.
Overall this is another great ball from columbia, and i really want to try to pick up a new messenger ti b/s/p.
<Traumatize>
Post by: rockman725 on May 30, 2002, 08:45:29 PM
Post by: 300roller on June 06, 2002, 08:56:42 AM
On me, 16-17 MPH, low tracker high revs.
Ball is 15 lbs drilled stacked leverage pin under ring finger. This is close to a max leverage drill with my short pap of 3 over 1 up. The ball works great for med oil and can be used on dry playing a deep inside line. My highest league games have been 278 with the first 8,4 pin and 10 pin on the fill ball in the 10th. I also shot 265 last night playing the same line as the 278 game.
Standing 32 targeting between 2nd and 3rd arrows out to 8-9 bd and just crushing the pocket. I tried this ball on heavy oil and it slides to far and if you hit the pocket you leave snap and weak 10's. This is the best med condition ball I've ever owned and for $75 out the door its the best bowling investment I've made in sometime.
Post by: bandaid on September 15, 2002, 08:49:57 PM
ball is good on medium oil. It doesn't like heavy
oil or dry conditions.
I bought it in the afternoon, that night I had
278-680series with a 168 start.
Post by: rensuchan on December 08, 2002, 05:40:50 PM
Overall, I think this ball is good for getting through the heads, and it makes a strong backend turn. It will be good for a shot where the outsides are open, or on a fresher, short pattern. I think it would overreact on broken down lanes, and underreact on flooded lanes.
Post by: purduepaul on December 29, 2002, 12:49:26 PM
Post by: Waialae_House_Bowler on January 01, 2003, 01:28:19 PM
Put this ball away when there's fairly decent oil because this ball goes pretty damn long even when it's dry! But when the lane breaks down and begins to open up you can go ahead and let this tiger out of the cage!
On shots where you need something to get through those dry heads or shots where the lane dictates that you have to cross quite a bit of boards then open up and have some fun with this bad boy!
For those of you that have been struggling with those 2nd and 3rd shift conditions and for those of you who've been looking for that ball that'll finish when you play deep inside, this ball is what you've been looking for. Enjoy!
Post by: Loki on February 25, 2003, 03:51:04 PM
Hope yall like it.
Loki
Post by: megapixel91 on March 20, 2003, 02:09:48 PM
Post by: Deadtecball on July 10, 2003, 10:37:20 PM
Post by: James on August 07, 2003, 10:14:45 PM
Post by: sleeper68 on April 08, 2004, 04:05:25 PM
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.
Post by: PhireX on August 12, 2004, 10:11:41 PM
Bought this baby last night, got it drilled stacked with a weighthole, the pin is about 1/2 inch right of ring (I think I got that all right?)
Anyway..from a beginner/amateur point of view, this ball is very good all round. I'm a very average bowler, i actually average about 140 to give you an indication...however this ball would just find it's way to the pocket, no matter how i released it...even on a seemingly bad one...
it picked up a very nice looking pattern in the mid, my last ball didnt have a pattern on it (blade particle, but the pattern had rubbed off and the ball was 1 colour all round) almost 90o even when I didnt try..this thing just wanted to turn in
Used on med-dry lanes, probably with a bit of carry down from the socials .. havent had a chance to bowl on fresh yet but ill give it a go this weekend
I love this ball, it's not too strong or not too weak, just right, and gives GREAT BACKEND by the way..heheheheh, I can see myself finally shooting my first deuce with it (yeah laugh it up)
--------------------
It's always funny until someone gets hurt- then it's f#$%ing hilarious!!!
Post by: bowling9883 on May 08, 2005, 02:56:29 PM
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Why is Track such an expensive brand? You get the bang for your buck.
Post by: budcotten on January 04, 2006, 02:27:53 PM
bowler stats
lefty
twineer
250-300rpm
years bowling 9
ave about 200
ball speed between 16-18mph
ball stats
cg centerd between fingers
pin about 2 inches down from ring finger
no weight hole
16lbs
drilled for dryer lanes
i think this ball is a good ball for most bowlers because it gives u some room for error which is good this ball also does not work well on oil it does not drive very hard and i tended to leave 5 and 9s when i cam in contact with heavy oil over all i give this ball an 8 i am also picking up a wepon of mass bios and the one ill have thoose balls soon till then good luck to all
Post by: Rant4BSUBroncos on April 03, 2006, 05:23:32 PM
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.
--------------------
3 Strikes and a Split
Rant4BSUBroncos
Post by: Richlynn27 on April 07, 2008, 10:26:41 PM
Anyway, I got it off ebay as a second. 3 oz top and a 1/2 inch pin. Got it drilled up with the pin right of the ring finger just off label.
I took it out tonight an the first game I struggled moving right to reach a break point,and shot 188. Then the fun began. By the next game I was lined up.
I started with the first 4 then pulled the ball in the 5th and left a 4-7 and clipped th 4 around the 7. I continnued to finish the game by striking out for a 266. Long story short.. the next game I started with the first 11 and left a pocket 4 pin in the 12th for a 299. Yes that was 18 strikes in a row, a personal best.
This ball carried light, high, and flush and best of all I hardly had to adjust all night after I got lined up. My only regret is that the season is basically over.
Post by: BR_Douche on May 02, 2010, 01:35:55 AM