Roto Grip Idol Synergy Review

The Idol Synergy features the clean and responsive eTrax hybrid cover and powerful symmetric Ikon core. The eTrax formula has been featured on the majority of HP3 and HP4 balls the last couple years in a few different forms and strengths, but only one other time as a hybrid in the Halo Vision. The clean and responsive nature of the cover formula in combination with Roto’s heavy rolling and dynamic stronger cores like Ikon in the top end of the catalog creates a balanced reaction that offers both stability and lane control with plenty of steam left for a strong move down lane. The Ikon core comes in at a 2.49 RG and .052 differential in 15 pounds and creates a very recognizable round and even ball motion reminiscent of the Centripetal core from the Marvel series. The Idol and Idol Pearl have been popular choices among many of the pros, being involved in big money and major tournaments over the last couple years, and the Synergy takes the Idol idea and injects a little caffeine. With 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest, I rate the Idol Synergy a 6 on hook, a 7 on length, and an 8 on backend.

The new Idol Synergy brings back the Ikon core with the E-Trax Hybrid coverstock. I was a big fan of both the Idol and Idol Pearl because of its continuous nature and versatility. I was very excited to receive this ball as a staffer. The Synergy fits perfectly between the Idol and the Idol Pearl by giving a cleaner reaction then the Idol but a more controllable shape compared to the Idol pearl. I can see myself using this one a lot on medium conditions and house patterns where control is still needed but the lane surface has some hook to it. Don't be afraid to add some surface to this ball to give it a more controlled reaction which will increase its versatility even more.

I drilled my Idol Synergy the same as the original Idol, 4 inch pin with a 20 degree back angle. This ball has the eTrax hybrid cover with the Idol Ikon core with an RG of 2.49 and a Diff of .052 at 15lbs. The reaction of the synergy is much like the Phaze 3 except the synergy has more backend end. This ball would work well with the original Idol, same smooth reaction just longer.

Bowlers Info: RH tweener, PAP 4-1/2 x 7/8 up, 365 RPM, 17* of Axis tilt, 60* of Axis Rotation Ball Layout: 50 x 4 x 25 Finish: OOB Since the introduction of the Idol and the Idol Pearl, it was only inevitable that RG would release a hybrid version. Ta da!!!!! This ball is exactly what we Idol enthusiasts were hoping for. In comparison to the Phaze 3, this ball is smaller, cleaner, later with an aggressive backend. I drilled my Synergy with a strong 4” pin position placing it up and right of the ring finger. As with all polished finishes, I lightly hit this ball with 3000 to get it to read the mids earlier. I felt I can really open up a lane where there is still a bit of oil in the fronts but need bigger pop on the backend where a pearl is just to clean creating over/under. This is going to be another house killer and is a lot of fun to throw! So if the Idol was too early or Phaze 3 is too big, then this will definitely fill that gap where you need a strong symmetrical hybrid to run up the score! Chris Martinez Storm Amateur Staff www.stormbowling.com

Maybe the most anticipated of the three new releases, we present to you the Idol Synergy! In my opinion, every ball in the Idol line is a winner and this one is no different. The Synergy is the cleanest of all Idol’s and therefore creates the most shape down lane. It is similar to the Idol Pearl in that the covers are shiny and clean through the front, but the Synergy is quite a bit more in overall hook. If you enjoy throwing the Idol Pearl like most other people, the Synergy will allow you to move further left and still be able to go through the pins effectively. I have my Idol Synergy drilled exactly like my Trend, and the Synergy hooks more down lane than that. This ball is going to be great for house shots and later in tournament blocks!

Best of both worlds! How do you take two of the best bowling balls ever made and make one better? By putting the 2 together. There’s a reason the top tour players in the world have Idols in their bags. The smooth and controllable solid magenta Idol is absolute money on tricky conditions while the pearl Amethyst Idol is best on slightly beat up conditions. The blend of the two covers produces exactly what you need. Easy skid thru the front half of the lane, great read in the middle part of the lane, and a smooth but punchier backend reaction. The versatility of this ball is what makes it stand out. The polished box finish gives you plenty of skid up front and backend down lane, while putting a little surface on this ball makes it read the mid-lane and arc more without having to force it. Easy and playable on all your medium lane conditions and mostly all your typical house shots but versatile enough to alter the surface and use on challenge/sport shots. Total versatility and playability for a wide range of player styles. Ron D’Ambrosio Storm Amateur Staff #StormNation #SquadRG #Rdamballreviews

Good deal for a Christmas gift, he loves it and he can't wait to use it for league.

TX, United States

What more can you say about the historic Roto Grip Idol line? Since the introduction of the original Idol in 2018, the success of this line has been almost unmatched. Fast-forward 2 years and we now have the widely asked about Hybrid version of this ball. I drilled mine 5 x 5 x 3 and let me tell you that I instantly fell in love with this ball. It is as clean as the Idol Pearl in the front part of the lane and hooks just as much as the Idol Solid. It is actually close to a Phaze 3 shape wise but it is just stronger. This ball will be very versatile on either the fresh or later in blocks.

The Stats …. Coverstock Name eTrax Coverstock Style Hybrid Coverstock Type Reactive Weight Block Ikon™ Core (Symmetrical) Color Amethyst Pearl / Magenta Solid Finish 1500-grit Polished Finish Method Can be Sanded Durometer 73-75 on D-Scale Flare Potential Medium - High BOWLER STYLE: RH - Power Stroker Rev Rate: 320 Ball Speed: 15mph. PAP : 4 ⅞ - ⅜ UP My Thoughts…. As anyone that knows me, I focused the past couple of years on just STORM balls. I am going to be a more influential member of the SPI team. I recently got my first ROTO GRIP ball and you can find the review on the Rubicon on this website. 2021 I will be reviewing both STORM and ROTO GRIP balls. In my area, Storm and RG balls are huge sellers and I get to see many of the Utah balls going down the lane. The one ball that I had my eye on is the Idol’s and with the new 2021, I ordered the RG Idol Synergy. With this ball, I tested it against the Storm Trend as I feel/see the balls are close. The Synergy is as clean but did seem to be stronger off the spot than the Trend. When your first ball out seems to be burning up and you need a ball to hold the line I see the Synergy taking over. The 1500 grit polished ball gives a great skid in the heads and smooth down the lane. Throwing this ball I can see why it’s a preferred ball of the top pros. #Storm #RotoGrip #VISE #Logo Infusion Staff Member (coupon code HIRSCH 20% off)

As with the rest of the Idol line the newest addition is a winner. If you take the original and the pearl and put them together how could it possibly be bad? Super clean for me. It just looks like its going fast. More punch on the backend then I even expected. My best description would be Phaze3 like....... but better

Introducing the brand newest addition to the HP3 line Roto Grip Idol Synergy! This ball has the eTrax Hybrid Reactive coverstock wrapped around the Ikon Core that is seen in all the other Idols! Storm and, Roto Grip hit a homerun with this ball as it fits right in between the Idol and, the Idol Pearl! For me this ball has a very similar motion as the Idol Pearl except the Synergy has a little more backend and, comes into play when the lanes start to transition. This ball is going to be my go to ball when I'm looking for my angle to the pocket

Ball Specs: Roto Grip Idol Synergy Cover stock eTrax Hybrid Reactive Weight Block Ikon Core (Symmetrical) Color Amethyst/ Magenta Finish 1500 polished Layout 3.5 x 5.5 w/2” buffer Bowler Specs: Right Hand. PAP 5” Over 1/2 up Rev Rate 300. Tilt 20. Rotation 50. Speed at release 17 Review: The new Roto Grip Idol Synergy was designed to fit between the Original Idol and the Idol Pearl. The Idol line has been very good and I was very surprised the Original Idol was being discontinued. I am sure Roto is working on a worthy replacement. In the meantime, the new Idol Synergy has hit the scene. I have drilled a few of these up for my high rev guys or no thumb bowlers and I think that is a the best match for box surface. The Synergy also seems to do well on medium dry conditions at box surface. The ones I have drilled for myself and those of us with more common rev rates felt the Synergy went too long on what we bowl on here in our regular houses. We solved this issue with surface adjustments 2000 or 3000 makes it read the lane nicely and brings the ball alive in my opinion. 3000 seems to be the best for me. Good read and backend. The ball hits very good as long as we did not take the surface below 1000. At box this ball was longer than my Electrify Hybrid but with 3000 it fits nicely under my Phase 2. The Synergy is very nice on a typical medium house shot as long as you’re not afraid to tweak the surface a bit. Summary: The Idol Synergy is great at box for higher rev rates. The cover tunes easily for different styles. The Synergy reads medium house shots very well. Glenn Wendel PBA Member Storm Pro Shop Staff

As with the rest of the Idol line the newest addition is keep in my bag. If you take the original and the pearl and put them together how could it possibly be bad? Super clean for me. It just looks like its going fast. More punch on the backend then I expected it to have. Stop by your local pro shop and pick up!

Layout: 50 x 4 11/16” x 30 The Idol Synergy has become my go-to ball since it came out; in fact, I have used it almost exclusively since the day I drilled it. It has a strong backend reaction, but it isn't quite as skid-flip as I had expected it to be. It gets through the heads super easily, and has just enough of that Idol-like midlane traction that allows it to be able to handle a decent bit of oil. If I had to put a title on it, the Synergy feels like a benchmark ball that has an extra bit of backend hook added. It is a perfect combination of strength and reliability for medium-heavy to medium-dry oil lane conditions. It pairs well with the Rubicon, which covers heavier oil patterns than the Synergy is designed for.

PAP 3 ¾ over 1” up ball speed 17 rev rate 475 Drilling-50x5x50 Well well well, the Idol Synergy off the press looks amazing so far, to me this one really feels like the Axiom Pearl and OG Idol made a baby!!! The Synergy is so clean through the front picks up quick around 30ish feet and is crisp an quick off the spot. Really bridging the gap for me from the Axiom and Phaze 3. Where the Axiom wants to start picking up to quick and the Phaze 3 is to smooth around the corner. The Idol Synergy allows me to stay where I was with the Axiom Pearl and I get another 2 feet of length and really the same amount of overall hook down lane. Quickly becoming my first ball out of the bag!

PAP 4 ½ over and 1 up ball speed 15 rev rate 275 Drilling-60x4x30 Right out of the box The Idol Synergy was calling my name, absolutely beautiful ball. I drilled the Synergy with intent of bridging the gap between my Axiom Pearl and Phaze 3. I have with the same layouts on each. On the medium length oil patterns I am able to start with the Axiom Pearl and when I need to ball down I can go right to the Synergy. With a small adjustment I am able to stay in play and stay in the same area. This really helps me stay to my game plans and see my arsenal much better. The key for me there is using a couple core layouts on different bowling balls to allow me to have better cohesion with in my bag.

IDOL SYNERGY The Idol Synergy features the eTrax hybrid cover that was also on the Halo Vision but with the Ikon core from the Idol line (RG=2.49, Diff=.052). I have absolutely LOVED all of the Idol balls to date so I was excited to try a hybrid Idol for sure. I drilled my Synergy 4.5” from my PAP with a 2” pin buffer. I wanted a little bit of length out of this ball but I wanted to take advantage of the smooth strong Ikon core as well. I think the Idol Synergy fits exactly what I think of when I think of a hybrid symmetrical ball. It does not pick up the front part of lane nearly as fast as the OG Idol but is clearly stronger and fast response down lane without going sideways. I see the Idol Synergy being great for what flatter patterns start to transition or as a great benchmark piece for lower speed players.

I drilled up my IDOL SYNERGY with a short pin layout of 35 x 4 x 55. This put the pin in the ring finger. This is one of my favorite control type drillings. I touched the surface up with a 3000 pad to get the gloss off. My IDOL SYNERGY is very controllable with this layout. Maybe a little too controllable as I have other pieces like the MVP ATTITUDE, WILD STREAK, and IDOL PRO that are good for keeping my target in front of me. I really think that I should have went with a pin higher drilling like maybe 4.5 inch to pap with a 25-30 val angle to give it more down lane move. I see some use for this layout but have not seen a flat enough pattern in awhile to use it on. I will definitely be drilling a second with a stronger pin position and pin buffer to take advantage of the good push and back end other people throwing this are telling me about.

Ball Specifications: eTrax HyBrid Reactive RG: 2.49 Diff: 0.052 Layout: 5 1/8” Pin to Pap x 3 ¾ Pin to MB x 4” Pin Buffer I am probably one of the only Storm Staff members that never owned the original Idol but I did have an Idol Pearl (which I absolutely love and have been very successful with the ball). When the Idol Synergy was released, I knew that I had to order one. I put one of my favorite pin down drillings, which placed the pin in the middle below my fingers, with the CG kicked out left. From the layout my expectations of the motion would be able to play a little more direct and have a smooth roll when it saw friction. Just as expected I was able to play direct at the start of league but when there was some break down and I had to move in the ball still retained enough energy to go through the pins. If you liked any of the Idol series, this is definitely a ball that should be in your bag. Glen Deutschendorf Storm Bowling – Pro Shop Staff

PAP 5 7/8 over and 3/8 up Layout 5x4x1.5 I’ve rolled all of the other Idols with varying levels of success so I thought we should give this one a try as well. Really nice piece as it seemingly combines the best of both the solid and pearl Idols. Fairly clean through the fronts, but not afraid to pick up and continue through the pins. While it is not going to handle the heaviest of patterns (not what it’s intended to do) if you have slower ball speed, I think you can use it on some heavier medium patterns. Proven core with the hybrid cover equals lots of versatility. For me, I get a nice 1-2 punch with this piece and the X1. Roto Grip has done a wonderful job with their last two releases. If you are an Idol fan, check this one out. I don’t believe you’ll be disappointed.

The Idol Synergy has Shelf appeal. It's Purple and blue colors are a throw back to the original Idol and the Idol pearl. After drilling it I quickly realized that it had the comfortable Idol motion. I have had many of the Idol series, including multiples of all of them. This one will be the same case. The Synergy will give you effortless length (even more than the pearl) coupled with a strong motion down lane. I actually hit mine with a little surface just to knock the cover down and to get the ball to slow down a bit in the back. I used a fairly traditional layout for me in 50x5x30 to get the motion I was accustomed to. Other balls in heavy rotation: Trend- 50X5x30 Emerald- 50x4/14x 65 Hyroad Pearl- 50x4-1/4x 65 Rubicon-60x5x15

The Idol Synergy is in the HP3 Line for Roto Grip. This ball has the eTrax Hybrid Reactive Coverstock that is wrapped around the Ikon Core seen in all the other Idols. My Synergy is drilled with the pin above my bridge - which is about 3 inches from my PAP. This ball fits right in between the OG Idol and the Idol Pearl for myself. I also think the Synergy is similar to the Idol Pro, but the Pro has more of a solid cover, as the Synergy has the pearl cover. The Idol Synergy is a great bowling ball to have in your back when you need that hybrid coverstock - when your solids are too much, but the pearls just aren't early enough either.

I personally a big fan of the Idol line, although I never had the original Idol. I loved my Idol Pearl and I am one of the few who is in love with my Idol Prol. The Synergy is very clean through the front part of the lane and is the strongest shape down lane for me. If you need a strong symmetrical ball, I highly recommend this. I already have two honor scores with it and I've only had it for less than 3 weeks. Sean Riccardi Storm Staffer

Weight: 14 lbs. Pin Length: 4 ” Drilling: 65 x 3 x 20 Pattern Length: 40 ft. Pattern Volume: Light to Medium Pattern Type: THS Right Handed The IDOL SYNERGY has the proven, symmetrical Ikon core weight block in the popular HP3 line, wrapped in the eTrax cover stock, which is a Hybrid reactive core. The box finish is 1500 grit polished, but as always, can be altered to suit a variety of lane conditions. It is an attractive Magenta/Blue swirl color. I have used the IDOL SYNERGY on a 40 ft. kegel house pattern, and a modified House tournament pattern. I’ve thrown the IDOL SYNERGY at the 1500 grit, polished box finish, and haven’t made any surface changes. I’ve found this to be a very good starting ball on fresh back ends. Once the carry down comes into play, I can migrate outside a bit more and keep the ball playing well, or I pick up my Rubicon, for the earlier roll, and still good finish. This is a high end ball at a medium price point. It has earned a spot in my bag every time I shoe up. It gets through the heads extremely clean and flips pretty hard off the break point. I highly recommend the SYNERGY, and add a star if you were a fan of the original IDOL ball. Carol Teel Roto Grip Amateur Staff Member

Idol Synergy- 1/17/2021 10:19 AM RADIUS OF GYRATION 2.49 DIFFERENTIAL 0.052 Type of Bowler: Stroker PAP: 5 ½ over 1 ½ up Ball Speed: 16-18 (speed dominate player) Rev Rate: 285-325 Hello, everyone I am Rodney Gilmore here from Greater Ozark Open Pro Shops in Springfield, MO. It has been a long time since I have thrown Roto Grip equipment. I have recently drilled up and idol and really like the ball and the motion. I was not sure what to expect with the Synergy about watching sever other video ball reviews. I have to say I am pleasantly surprised. I laid the ball out 45x4x30 and left it factory surface out of box 1500 polished. I really like the ball motion this ball with this layout. It is extremely smooth with a lot of backend. I have used the ball on some wet/dry conditions and it really blends out the pattern for me well. I am a straighter play up the boards but now thanks to Storm and Roto grip I can move in and get the balls to turn the corner. The Synergy for me is very predictable and continuous and does not jump off the dry. I like this ball and it will be in the bag for sure.

The Roto Grip Idol Synergy is the perfect blend of the Idol Solid and Idol Pearl in the HP3 line. It reads the mid lane decent like the Solid but has more length overall and has the backend of the Pearl. This is the definition of Hybrid. Its very smooth and controllable and I don’t see it jump off the dry like some pure reactive pearls do. This ball is really good and I see this in my bag on sport and house. Hitting Power is great like every Roto Grip Ball I’ve thrown. I can play pretty much any line because it recovers smoothly from anywhere and blends the pattern out. My PAP is 5-1/8 and 1/8 up. Usually around 15-16mph, I’d probably be classified between a tweener and a cranker.

I have liked hybrid covers and was excited to drill this ball out. The 1500 grit polished cover is the first time in years I've had this in a hybrid. I will admit I expected this ball to be a bit stronger overall. However I'm not disappointed with it at all. Ball motion is smooth throughout the lane. Very clean in the front and I haven’t had that "jerky" motion off the spot you see when a ball is this clean down the lane. I was very impressed with how it reacted on a shorter high volume lane pattern on the fresh. The ball motion stayed true and did not go crazy off the spot when it saw the dry. My PAP is 3 ½” H -5/8” V. I use the dual angle system for layouts and on the Idol Synergy I went with 40x3 ¾”x20. I am RH and mostly a tweener who tends to spin it some. Slightly above average ball speed as well.

Core: Ikon Cover: eTrax Hybrid Finish: 1500 Polish RG: 2.49 ) Diff: 0.052 ME: Right-Handed Tweener Speed: 12-13 mph Rev Rate: 315 PAP: 4 7/8 Right 3/8 Up Ball Layout: Pin over ring 5 inch pin to pap 1 1/4 Pin Buffer The Roto Grip Idol line has been the dominant force of their HP3 line. These balls remain a favorite among touring players for a reason. The smooth mid-lane read and predictable backend motion makes them match up to many conditions. For me even the Idol Pearl was mid-laney and smooth. This matched them up better for sport conditions for me. As much as I've loved the predictable motion, I personally wished for a cleaner/quicker version of these balls that I could rely on for covering boards on house shots where I see less oil up front and a more cliffed condition overall. The New Idol Synergy is just what I'd hoped for. The synergy keeps the great shape with a faster response to friction. When the lanes burn up it keeps coming around and more importantly for me, I can still get it down-lane. It may seem surprising that this version of the idol seems to be the cleanest considering its hybrid cover. I've found a few ball in the past which were similar, most notable the Storm IQ Fusion. The fusion for me was miles cleaner and quicker than the IQ pearl and unsurprisingly ended up being my favorite release in that line. The synergy is the answer for rev dominant and speed challenged players who want the what idol pearl gives the guys who throw it harder.

Roto Grip Idol SynergyLayout: 4 X 3.5 X 3.5 Storm Vector LayoutRev Rate: 325 rpm, 7 degree of axis tilt, 40 degree of axis rotationTesting Information: 41-foot THS (medium volume)Kegel Machine – Brunswick AnvilaneThe Roto Grip Idol Synergy uses the eTrax Hybrid cover in conjunction with the proven Ikon core. I think this ball is a hidden gem that got forgotten about with all the new releases. The Synergy has made several appearances on the PBA shows lately so there is something special about this ball.During our testing, the Synergy was a touch stronger than our Idol Pearl and touch weaker than the Idol. This is exactly what we thought. All three had different motion characteristics. The Synergy also handles surface adjustments easily if needed. We had a night in league where the laneswere very slick. My teammate put some surface on his Synergy during practice and got lined up and put up some big numbers. I wouldn’t be scared to drill one if you need to replace either of the original Idols or want a ball shape between the two originals.Visit your local Storm VIP Pro Shop to order yours.Continue to bowl up a Storm!#Stormnation #OwnIt

The $250,000 ball! In my opinion, one of the most underrated balls in the line currently, and that’s the Idol Synergy. The Idol Synergy has the same core found in the entire Idol line, wrapped in the eTrax Hybrid coverstock. Kyle Troup showed the world how good that ball is! Very clean and controllable, but has no problem handling oil and giving the players a good amount of backend. For me, the best time to use the Idol Synergy is when my Trend becomes too early and not enough downlane. I feel like these balls compliment each other well when you’re looking for a cleaner option that allows you to keep your angles closed and still having plenty of continuation through the pins. There’s 250,000 reasons to get this ball; why don’t you have one yet! Go get yours at your local Storm VIP Proshop!

Roto Grip's Idol Synergy is exactly what it sounds like - a synergy of the Idol and the Idol Pearl, but with some fresh applications involved! The eTrax cover returns, this time in a blue-and-magenta hybrid formula and with a polished surface, alongside the usual Ikon core (low RG, high differential, symmetrical, rolly) from the rest of the Idol series. Rather than purely splitting the difference between the Idol and Idol Pearl, this one feels closer to an Idol Pearl in length but with a smoother AND more continuous/arc type response to friction. This leads to the Synergy actually looking very very good in situations where there's more friction on the lane, as Kyle Troup recently showed by using this ball to win the 2021 PBA Players Championship! The range of use is pretty impressive, and if you want a do-it-all ball for decent length and control this should definitely be on your list.

The all new Idol synergey gives you the best of both worlds between the original idol and idol pearl. The synergy is a combination of the two! This is by far my favorite idol of the 4 they made. This hybrid is good on fresh, also good to move left on the burn. This HP3 ball is a must in the bag! Don't miss out on this gem.

One of the newest additions to the Roto Grip HP3 line is the Idol Synergy and wow, it’s impressive. I’ve had a lot of success with the original Idol and Idol Pearl, and the Idol Synergy provides us a different shape that can be used on multiple lane conditions. Between the first two Idols that were created, the Synergy is the cleanest and provides the quickest response time. I’ve drilled one Idol Synergy so far and really like it. I drilled it with the pin in my middle finger and a good size shift of the CG. This maps out as 5 ¼ x 3 ¾. I also cracked the surface with a 3000 pad to smooth it up and take the factory shine off the cover. I’ve had the most success with the Synergy on medium-longer patterns with a decent amount of volume, especially when those types of patterns break down and blend out. The Synergy still digs in the mid-lane very nicely but provides a response time that’s quick and controllable. If you need a ball to compliment your Proton Physix, UFO, or Axiom, the Idol Synergy is a great choice for your bag! Go drill one!

The new Idol in the Roto Grip HP3 line is the IDOL Synergy. The original Idol is still one of my favorites. So I was looking forward to this release. I threw it during one of our Storm Matchmakers and thought wow this ball has a ton of backend. Thus I decided to drill mine pin down drilling ( 4 3/4 x 4 1/2 x 4) to help blend out the roll with higher axis tilt. The Synergy with Etrax Hybrid cover is the cleanest of the Idols and the highest response off of the friction. But still has that good strong Idol mid lane roll that were used to. I think the higher speed players might have to cut the cover a little or use it more when the lanes break down a little. The Synergy has been a great league ball for me so far. I also have been able to use it on the medium to some short sport patterns. Very good addition to help out the HP3 line! Brian Watson Storm Pro Shop Staff PAP 4 up 1 1/8 MPH 16-17 RPM - 400 Tilt - 17

I wasn’t to excited for the idol synergy to be honest. I felt I had a few balls that could do the same thing but as always I try all the new releases to give feed back. With this one it really took me by surprise as soon as I threw it I knew my first thoughts about it we’re going to be very wrong. I could not believe the energy this thing stored in the back end. It quickly became the first ball out of my bag for league and could sometimes throw it all night. Think this will be a great asset to all types of bowlers bag and not just cater to one type of style . This core really revs up midlane helping you play many different entry angles which I love in symmetric balls.

The Idol Synergy is the 4th release from Roto Grip that uses the Ikon core. This version has a coverstock called eTrax Hybrid reactive and is finished to a 1500 grit polish. The amethyst pearl and Magenta solid color combination seems to really blend the original Idol and Idol pearl colors together. The Synergy has a 2.49 rg and a differential of 0.052 in 15lbs. I drilled the Idol Synergy with a 4.5” pin and a 4” pin buffer. Comparing the Synergy to an Idol pearl with the same layout, the Synergy reads the lane a few feet earlier and covers more boards with just as strong of a backend reaction. The Synergy is cleaner through the fronts than the original Idol, with a stronger backend move. If there was ever truly a ball that fit right in the middle of it’s solid and pearl counterparts, this is it. The one thing to take note of with the Synergy is it can be a bit sensitive to oil either being removed from the surface between shots or left on the ball. If I use my shammy with every shot, the Synergy has a strong late midlane move and plenty of hook and roll through the backend. If I don’t wipe the oil off the ball, after a few shots, the Synergy is not as strong when encountering the backends, and rolls more controllable. This can be a good thing as you go through a longer tournament block, you can manage your surface and actually stay with the ball longer without needing to switch as soon, just by managing the oil on the cover. During the start of the block when the lanes are fresh, keep the oil wiped off. As the lanes start hooking more and it gets later in the block, leave the oil on the ball to help control the motion. I like the Idol Synergy. The combination of late midlane read, and backend reaction gives me a unique reaction shape that the other Idols didn’t have. Stop by your local VIP pro shop and drill an Idol Synergy. Own it!!

Idol Synergy by Roto Grip. Drilled the Synergy 4x4x2 since my original Idol was drilled that way thinking this would be a natural step down. The first few shots the ball blew right through the break point that the Idol had been coming off of so I moved a little right to square my angle up. My next shot the ball jumped through the head pin. Before I threw another shot I decided that the factory finish might be a little too shiny so I hit the cover with 2000 grit abralon. The next shot I moved left a couple boards with my feet and the Synergy was much smoother but finished with plenty of energy on the back end. I found that my Synergy is cleaner through the fronts, about 2-3 boards straighter, and a great compliment to my Idol. Both balls are tournament balls that I can use either on flatter patterns or house patterns as a 1,2 punch. It's hard to find a better 3 ball combo (Idol, Idol Synergy, Idol Pearl)in the mid price range.

This ball has the exact backend force to create the pin action needed to get em all on your first throw!

This ball is SPECIAL. The definition of VERSATILE. I was late on the hype train for this one but after it got discontinued I had FOMO so I bought one. I absolutely cannot understand why the dc'd this ball. Bought 2 more because it's that good. I was afraid of overlap with my Zen. Although the shape is similar, where they read the lane from front to back is different enough to carry them both. It is a ball that is playable on most conditions for most bowlers. Can play inside, swing it out and it comes back. Can play inside, stay in the oil and it handles it. Can play the "track." I don't think this is a ball that can be easily "replaced," so get it while you can!

NC, United States