...and now a look from the left side.
PAP: 4 7/8 over 3/16 up
290-300 rev rate
I drilled the Prodigy 4X5 with a 5" pin. CG swung 35 degrees. With a long pin to CG layout, the pin is almost directly above the bridge, 4 3/8" above grip center.
I also was looking for a reaction similar to the tried and true Special Agent with the similarities in the (low RG) core design. The Special Agent was one of the best long sport pattern balls I've ever used and the Prodigy lived up to expectations and then some.
My first outing for the Prodigy came on a Kegel Long and Winding Road sport pattern on a worn wood surface. Because of the condition of the wood, the head area was very beaten up and therefore difficult to get anything clean through the front part of the lane. I was able to move all the way out to the gutter and the Prodigy was the only ball in the bag I could get to consistantly peel off the edge without hooking too early.
The second go was on a house pattern on an old Pro Anvil surface at our state tournament. Lots of hook in the mids, and once again the Prodigy cleared the fronts easily with a strong but controlled mid lane move, and a very continuous roll in the back end. No hook/stop look here. I was standing on 35 (yes, right of the big dot) looking at 18 at the arrows and 12-13 at the breakpoint and had a great look that held up well through the day. Finally, by game three (team event-10 on a pair), I switched to a Hy-Road with a similar layout to finish.
The third setting was doubles/singles on a house pattern on an old HPL surface. The shot was quite a bit tighter than the day before but again the Prodigy's versitility came through as I had a great look about 10 boards left from the day before. The only negative to the day was the amazing amout of back row leaves I piled up (7's, 8's, 9's and 10's). Our pair set up quite a few bad racks so that may explain some of that.
Big picture, the Prodigy is one of the most versitile pieces I've drilled, easily on a par with the Furious and the Hy-Road. The R2S pearl shell with Mica responds well on a wide variety of surfaces, reads the mids well and gives a strong continuous roll through the pins. Obviously, very heavy oil might hamper this ball a little but a Reign of Fire or Virtual Gravity takes care of that. For me, the Prodigy will fit very well between the ROF/VG and the Hy-Road/Fast/Furious. Thank you Storm for helping keep an old guy's career going and for putting great equipment out for myself and my customers.
Kurt Gengelbach
Storm PBA Regional Staff
Originally Posted by finfish
