Just a quick update:

Situation has resolved itself somewhat. 


Realized I had way too much tape in the thumbhole, which was restricting me on delivery. Corrected that and also have determined the ball seems to work better in relief or out of the bullpen.

If I begin with it either in league or open bowling,  it seems erratic (or I’m erratic WITH it). But when struggling with another ball  the Hater is a good change in relief.   Not sure WHY, but that seems to be the case.

Roto Grip Optimum Idol Pearl Ball Review by PJ Haggerty

The Optimum Idol Pearl from Roto Grip is one of the newest releases in the HP3 line and it’s been a staple in my bag since it came out.  With its bright pink MicroTrax pearl coverstock and AI core as the engine, the Optimum Idol Pearl continues to pull its weight alongside the previous Idol.  With an RG of 2.47 and differential of .056, this ball wants to dig early, often, but also never slow down.

I’ve drilled one so far and really like it.  It’s mapped out as 5.5 x 4 x 2.5.  This puts the pin nearly above my middle finger with a kicked CG.  I’ve had the most success after a pattern blends out and I need something to create a left-to-right shape.  Even though it’s lower on the RG scale (2.47), the beauty with that pearl coverstock, is that it still gets through the front of the lane pretty easily without bogging down.  It’s been a perfect ball to go to after my Ion Max as well as my Summit Ascent need to be put down. 

From a surface standpoint, the Optimum Idol Pearl has been really good with some lane-shine.  I haven’t touched the surface at all and have had no issues.  If you start to see too quick of a response time or any type of inconsistent reaction, I’d recommend changing the surface to 2000 or 3000 on a spinner at your local pro shop.

Go drill one!

Definitely a gap filler in my arsenal. I drilled it 50x4x30. Cleaner then my Phaze 2 with more angle. A very usable reaction bowling on older HPLs with lots of friction. Allows me to stay in the same ball the whole league and in fact gets better as the night goes on when i can get left with it. A great complement to the other 2 Summit releases.

The Storm Summit Ascent features the highly successful R2S solid reactive coverstock and combines it with the Centripetal HD AI core.  At 15 pounds the RG is a low 2.46 with a differential of .056.  The Summit Ascent gets into an early roll with its low RG but the R2S solid coverstock is still clean through the front part of the lane.  This ball won’t wow you with how much It hooks, or how sharp the backend reaction is, but this ball will keep you in the pocket the majority of the night.  This is my new benchmark ball.  It just provides that predictable ball motion that makes it easier to navigate through the transition and the AI core provides the extra pin carry for when you have those off pocket hits.  It is much cleaner and more angular than the original Summit.  This ball is a must for league and tournament bowlers alike. 

Storm Road Warrior

Layout: 5 1/8th x 5 1/4th x 2. 

Ball specs: R2S Deep coverstock with the Inverted FE2 Core with the new A.I. outer core technology. Box finish is the all-new Power Edge polish.  Mine – I hit it with a fresh 2000 grit pad then reapplied Power Edge to make sure the peaks and valleys of the coverstock was the freshest I could have.

 

All the next release in the Storm Thunder Series is the Road Warrior. A follow-up from the The Road that was released earlier this year to much fanfare, because of the legacy of the Hy-Road lives on with new A.I. technology enhancing the very popular Inverted FE2 core. 

 

Wrapped in the newer R2S DEEP coverstock, coupled with the all-new Power Edge polish, the Road Warrior has enhanced overall length down lane which works better on medium to lighter volume oil patterns. The A.I. technology adds predictable transitions in ball motion across all skill levels of bowlers, which intern gives a ball that can cover all aspects of anyone’s game and lane play. 

 

I went with a longer pin to PAP drilling than I normally would have on a piece like this. My Road was a stronger pin to PAP layout and I not a real fan of it. It was a little too early in mid-lane motion and a not very forgiving for me in the backends, If I just “missed” it a little, I had no run for error. Now with adding R2S DEEP to the cover combo that was on The Road, I noticed an instant difference in length and responds on the friction, it was not as early as I thought it would be but still had a TON of POP going through the pin deck. I found after a good bit of time on the lanes using the all-new Physix Blackout, and I was getting a little worn out, and the Blackout would start to move a little sooner than I would like, I hopped right into the Warrior without any change in angles and starting position on the approach, it added that extra length I needed but without a “hockey stick” reaction in the backend. The Warrior will be a step-up for me from the Physix Blackout in my league bag, which it will replace my Hyped Pearl which I have used for several years. Thanks for taking time to read my ball review and feel free to reach out to me at bigrotogripfan@gmail.com for any additional information. Check with your local pro shop teams to see when the next Storm Matchmaker Live! Event will be in your area.