Author Topic: Secret Agent. (Read 7104 times)

BBock727 · « **on:** October 01, 2007, 08:00:59 AM »

I am about to buy the Storm Secret Agent from but I am not sure which Top Weight and Pin Position i should order. I have bowled for quite a long time but I am not technically savy. I am a lefty and throw the ball about 16-17mph with mid revs. My left foot starts just right of the middle dot on the approach and i swing my ball out to the 8-10 board. I average about 195-205 depending on the league, but I am always using old equipment and only use 1 ball.

I'll be using the ball in a new winter league at AMF Strathmore Lanes in Aberdeen NJ. While I am not sure of the pattern, this league does not have fresh oil (there is a league right before this one), its a pretty typical house shot.

I have a few questions:

1) I'm bowling on a lane w/out fresh oil, will the Secret Agent be able to handle this or will it burn up way too fast w/out oil.

2) What top weight and pin position should I order for my style? The proshop i buy from usually has 5 or less of each ball at 16lbs, so I am assuming if I dont ask for a proper topweight and pin position, they will just give me the worst combo.

3) Any ideas on what drill I should use? I havn't seen the drill chart yet and I really need to tell him EXACTLY what i want or I will mostlikely get a bad drill.

Fluff E Bunnie · « **Reply #16 on:** October 03, 2007, 07:45:12 AM »

I like the idea of a particle pearl, but Storm doesn't really have a midrange particle pearl right now. But Roto Grip has the Mystic...

I mean if I were bowling in a 2nd shift league, I would probably take the Mystic and something like the T-Road Pearl.

rocafellarocks · « **Reply #17 on:** October 03, 2007, 10:53:35 AM »

I would also suggest an Agent or T-Road pearl. You don't want to use something that is as strong as a Special or Secret agent. It won't get threw the heads cleanly and you will end up leaving a lot of corner pins if you can keep it on the left side of the head pin.

BBock727 · « **Reply #18 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:22:22 PM »

Thanks for all the info even though I might totally go against it. I dont get to buy many bowling balls and this will be the first and last time im in a 2nd shift league. While I understand that I will probably suffer for the next few months, I mostlikely wont buy another bowling ball this summer or next fall so Im thinking I am going to go w/ a ball that will work for me longterm rather than just on these conditions.

You all are very knowledgable and I understand what you are recommending, but I cant see a Pearl being part of my game after this league is over.

Dan Belcher · « **Reply #19 on:** October 03, 2007, 12:50:01 PM »

quote:
You all are very knowledgable and I understand what you are recommending, but I cant see a Pearl being part of my game after this league is over.

Just curious, but any particular reason why?

BBock727 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 03, 2007, 01:37:52 PM »

I am a pretty bad adjuster. I didnt play college but i did play highschool and i have been in leagues for quite a while. I usually around 215 with a new ball and recently between 195-205 with a ball which got pretty old. I swing my ball in all patterns even on PBA patterns that I have tried. I just dont have fun totally changing my game for the lane conditions. I usually make due w/ changes of speed, revs and board moves and while I'll never have a tournament avg of 230, i still have fun.

I feel that with a Pearl I'd have to totally reinvent my shot on drenched lanes, something im not so fond of doing.

In any event I am now looking at the Hammer Black Widow Pearl. From the reviews im reading it seems to be a more agressive Pearl that might fit the lanes and still fit my game decently. Dan what do you think of the BWP vs the other Pearls you mentioned?

Dan Belcher · « **Reply #21 on:** October 03, 2007, 02:16:02 PM »

I haven't thrown a Black Widow Pearl (or even an original Black Widow, or actually any Hammer ball), so I don't know for sure. I know however that in general pearl balls can have a tendancy to finish too late and leave 10 pins on longer oil patterns and when there's a lot of carrydown. However, using a matte finish like 1000 or 2000 abralon without polish will let the ball read better in oil and jump less off the dry, so adjusting the surface to match your lanes and your style may let you feel more comfortable with a pearl. And a pearl particle is also a good way to even out that reaction and give you a better read in oil while still providing strong but controllable backend motion and good pin action. It provides a reaction somewhere in-between a solid reactive and a pearl reactive. On the downside, it may be too much ball for drier lanes, particle/pearl particle balls may not last as many games as solid or pearl balls, and some people just don't match up well with pearl particles because of the extra midlane roll they generate.

quote:
I feel that with a Pearl I'd have to totally reinvent my shot on drenched lanes, something im not so fond of doing.

Now the question becomes how often do you actually see heavy oil, or even medium-heavy oil? Some houses flood their shot, some barely put down any oil at all. What kind of conditions do you face in general?

BBock727 · « **Reply #22 on:** October 03, 2007, 02:26:43 PM »

Id say my house floods w/ medium-heavy oil while they leave the outside pretty dry although i find my game way too inconsistent if i try to play the channel (Ill either hit too dry and go brooklyn or occasionally just slide straight down the edge of the lane. Even in the 2nd shift league I wouldnt say they are super dry, I definately have oil on my ball after each shot but i just know that there is a bunch of carry down and more oil towards the back of the lane.

Is the Blackwidow pearl a pearl particle? Im going to check now.

Joe Jr · « **Reply #23 on:** October 03, 2007, 02:31:20 PM »

BWP is Pearl
--------------------
My Vid
Formerly Brunswick Lefty & Richard Cranium

Quote from Conspirator300:
And yeah, I do know it all.. I don't spend 30+ hours a week learning more about bowling for my heatlh... I do it so I know more than all of you.. which I do. (besides the random few that are staffers/work in the bowling business.. which that population is decreasing little by little)

Fluff E Bunnie · « **Reply #24 on:** October 03, 2007, 02:33:32 PM »

I don't think the BWP is a pearl particle... Have you looked at the Roto Grip Mystic yet? Check into a Mystic by Roto Grip if you want a good particle pearl for "med heavy" (whatever that means to you) oil. It's a damn good ball.

Dan Belcher · « **Reply #25 on:** October 03, 2007, 02:39:36 PM »

quote:
BWP is Pearl
--------------------
My Vid
Formerly Brunswick Lefty & Richard Cranium

Quote from Conspirator300:
And yeah, I do know it all.. I don't spend 30+ hours a week learning more about bowling for my heatlh... I do it so I know more than all of you.. which I do. (besides the random few that are staffers/work in the bowling business.. which that population is decreasing little by little)

Exactly. It's meant to skid through oil and snap off the dry. You can sand it down to make it roll a bit earlier and be a bit less angular if that's the kind of reaction you want, but it's still purely a pearl.

That's the reason Fluff E Bunnie and I think pretty highly of pearl particle equipment for you -- it sounds like you don't want that pure skid/snap reaction you are more likely to see with a regular pearl ball. Pearl is not an outright bad choice and pearl particle is not an outright good choice, but it just seems like the pearl particle reaction is what'd you are looking for: versatility and control, but with enough length and hitting power to work relatively well on most lane conditions other than a flood or a bone dry desert.

never give up · « **Reply #26 on:** October 03, 2007, 09:34:13 PM »

I've been using my Agent second shift but after woman.
Ave. 247 with the AGENT after 5 weeks of bowling shot one week with
SURE FIRE had a 767 that week! This week the AGENT and SURE FIRE
was both BURNING UP! SHIFT got down the lane good but too sharp
of a hook at the break point! Now I have 240 ave. after 6 weeks.
I will take care of this next week with one of thses balls T-ROAD PEARL,
THUNDER STRUCK PEARL, or my JOLT PEARL..

--------------------
Midwest Regional Player
Sedalia, Mo
Mark Vansel

BBock727 · « **Reply #27 on:** October 04, 2007, 10:21:48 AM »

So this is where I am at right now. I went to the proshop yesterday and told they proshop owner that I am in a 2nd shift league w/ dry lanes and i need a pearl/pearl particle. (he didnt have the mystic btw). I was looking at the Hammer Black Widow Pearl there. He told me to wait until i bowled last night because they changed oil machines and are now flooding the lanes. He said he avgs 240-245 and uses a Black Widow Solid in a 2nd shift league.

I bowled last night with an old Hammer 3D offset which i found laying around my house (havnt used it in like 10 years). I avged 210 with it and it was still skid/flipping. I am still unsure what I am going to do but since you guys have all gave me great advice and wasted your time in this thread I thought id give you an update.

Im still very interested in the Black Widow Pearl and I think i might shy away from a storm ball for this league until im in a drenched 1st shift league.

Fluff E Bunnie · « **Reply #28 on:** October 04, 2007, 10:33:10 AM »

Well I can say that the Special and Secret are great balls for when there is oil out there so you are on the right track for those.

I know in my league I could still use a Secret after we are done playing (at least for a little while) because they put a pretty good amount of oil out. I just have to move in and wheel it out there.

toomanytenpins · « **Reply #29 on:** October 04, 2007, 08:49:29 PM »

the t road pearl is a good ball and should ,from what i have seen ,be a good choice for second shift shots. I have found that the secret is best when there is oil. Mine will just burn up in the dry .It will honeslty finish stronger and carry better when u keep it in the soup. I beleive it to be a true oil ball. not alot of movement,but consistent and predictable in oil. If i mooiss the oil line its a 10 pin
--------------------
my style, the art of bowling without bowling

Storm Nation · « **Reply #30 on:** October 08, 2007, 02:59:35 PM »

Depending on the carrydown, I would recommend the Special Agent as well. This ball is very versatile. I use one with the pin right over the bridge with a little extra polish. Our oil carries down quickly. If I make a mistake to the dry, at worse it's a ten pin. If I get it into the carrydown, it still has enough teeth to get out the half-ten.

STORM ON!

Dan

Author Topic: Secret Agent. (Read 7104 times)

BBock727

Secret Agent.

Fluff E Bunnie

Re: Secret Agent.

rocafellarocks

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BBock727

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Dan Belcher

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BBock727

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Dan Belcher

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BBock727

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Joe Jr

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Fluff E Bunnie

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Dan Belcher

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never give up

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BBock727

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Fluff E Bunnie

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toomanytenpins

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Storm Nation

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