I have been using my Prodigy for a couple of weeks, on many different patterns. Everything that I am seeing from this ball, points to an updated, stronger Agent series ball.
I drilled my Prodigy pin over ring, cg on my grip line(5"x5.5"), and OOB surface. As a comparison, I have an Agent with the same drilling, with VERY few games(actually, the Prodigy probably has more games than the Agent up to now), and a pin over Virtual Energy, mb in thumb (basically the same layout), as well as an Invasion, with the same drilling as the VE.
So far, the only pattern I haven't had success with, has been the Cheetah. The ball is just too angular down lane, with the pin over drilling, and the unmarked mb being in my initial ball track. For my style of play, this drilling allows the ball to clear the heads, make a strong move down lane, and still continue through the pins without alot of loss of energy.
Now to discuss different patterns. I used the Prodigy, and the Invasion, during a regional a few weeks back bowling on Chameleon. I started with the Invasion (OOB finish, bowling on AMF HPL lanes), since it gave me a good control of the down lane motion, and allowed me to stay straighter through the fronts, and control the pocket. As the day went on, about the third game, I made a switch to the Prodigy, and made a move right, and gave the ball a little more room, as the Prodigy saved more energy down lane, and had a stronger backend reaction on the softer AMF surface. I was using the Invasion going up the boards, playing left of 5 at the arrows, and moved into around 6 board at the arrows, but still fed the ball to the same break point. The Prodigy carried very well, and really opened up the pattern for me, allowing me to qualify second on our squad. Sunday, found the Prodigy to be a little too strong up front, and forced me too far into the middle of the pattern, sending me to the bag to end up using a Reign of Fire at 2000 abralon (high speed of a two speed spinner) to get down the lane, and keep my angles in front of me.
Next, using the Prodigy on a house pattern of 39 feet in length bowling on DBA lanes, standing 25 targeting 15 at the arrows, gave me plenty of recovery, and a strong consistent roll back to the pocket. As the oil depleted, I just simply chased the pattern in, looking for more head oil, with the Prodigy showing no signs of early roll out, or loss of carry.
Now to compare the Prodigy to my Agent. The ball motion of the Prodigy is very similar to the Agent line. The Prodigy handles oil much better, due to the improved R2X cover, than the Reactor cover found on the Agent and Double Agent, and also stronger than the R2S found on the Secret, and Special Agents.
The Prodigy is also a very good complement to my Virtual Energy (green scotch-brite finish on the VE). It clears the heads much easier than the VE. When I need a defined break point, I will use the VE, and as the pattern breaks down, and I can open up the area created by the VE, I can go to the Prodigy, and know that I will have more of a continuos backend reaction, as compared to a sharper, more defined ball motion of the VE. This also allows me to chase the pattern in a little deeper, and not have roll out.
I really like the new Prodigy, however I will still miss the Dimensions. The Prodigy will offer the bowler a unique ball motion going through the pins, reminiscent of the Second Dimension, but will find more traction in oil, due to the box finish, and an earlier move on the lane in 15lb equipment, as rg and diff. numbers do not change as much with the new core shape of the master line, as compared to the continuum core of the Dimensions when going from 16 to 15lbs.
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Tommy Gollick
Storm Regional/Pro Shop staff
Red Crown Pro Shop Harrisburg, PA
stormbowling.com