Here's the story.  Two years ago I finished with a season ending average at 233.  My best season ever.  Then last season on the first night out, every ball I threw hooked at my feet.  It felt like I was pulling EVERY shot 5-7 boards at the arrows.  This went on for weeks.  I was unbelievably frustrated.  Then, my intro to motiv.  I bought the ascent pearl for the dry, (figuring it would work well in this house that has cut the amount of oil they are using drastically, especially in the first 15 feet.)  I also bought the shock as a step up (and different shape for more normal conditions) and an octane for when I need hook on slicker conditions.  Ascent worked well but lacked hit because the pattern was a little long for this ball even though it was light in volume. But it did clear the heads.  The Octane reacted well as long as I moved way in and forced it through or over the heads which lead to inconsistency on my part.  The Shock was way more ball than I thought and is actually 7-10 boards stronger than my octane.  Can't throw it here.  Short story long, I drop my average 23 pins in one year.  I didn't bowl any tournaments all year until the team event (which I bowled with 2 different teams, and skipped singles and doubles) of our association tourney and the state tourney because I had already paid for my entry.  I'm a lousy bowler all of a sudden and don't know why.  City tourney rolls around and low-and-behold there is head oil.  I shoot 763-757 in consecutive team entries (octane).  I bowl with my son at a different house known for being a shorter pattern but also dry and shoot 785 with no warm-ups (ascent pearl).  I go to the state tourney and shoot 2104 for all events with some bad breaks and a few missed spares that I normally make (octane and ascent pearl).  Now I know it's not as much me as I thought.  Not having any head oil is annihilating the averages of the higher rev bowlers. This season, nothing has changed.  Shock is way too strong, octane is too strong for me to play my "A" game and ascent pearl doesn't have the hit on the back end that I need (3 pocket 7-10s in one game proved that).  So I am desperately needing a ball that clears the head easily and hooks on the back.  Here's where I need your help and here's where Motiv is needling me.  I'm debating between the panic and the tag.  All of a sudden the Octane Burn comes out to confuse me even more.  In our area I have seen one tag, one panic, and zero Burns in person.  I need a ball that absolutely skates then hooks.  I'm concerned about getting one of these three balls and having it be too similar to my octane.  I would like it to be a step down in terms of  strength but it needs to be cleaner and longer.  My head is telling me to get the tag for this situation, but I would like to know what MOTIVnation has to say about the mess I'm in. 

The Tag with a length drilling should work. Also, the Octane Burn with a length drilling gets through the heads nice. The Panic is pretty strong, so I wouldn't go that route personally.

The Panic might not be the right choice. I bought it for what you are hoping to beat and based on the the rating in Bowlers Journal. Well, should have went by what Motiv had it rated. They had it being earlier than the Primal Rage and take my word for it, it is!

The Panic might not be the right choice. I bought it for what you are hoping to beat and based on the the rating in Bowlers Journal. Well, should have went by what Motiv had it rated. They had it being earlier than the Primal Rage and take my word for it, it is!

Wow , the Panic is that strong?

In your story you said you have to move in when throwing the slightly more aggressive stuff and it worked except for inconsistency in your game.

I would practice more on doing just that. Develop that part of your game instead of trying to patch it with a ball.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

In your story you said you have to move in when throwing the slightly more aggressive stuff and it worked except for inconsistency in your game.

I would practice more on doing just that. Develope that part of your game instead of trying to patch it with a ball. Where are other players throwing the ball who are successful? How many opens are you having per set?  Splits, single pins,  and multi pin spares success?

I'm left-handed and typically start farther inside than just about any left-hander in our area.  I usually score better bellying the ball from inside.  In the part of the story that you are referring to, it wasn't moving right that created inconsistencies, it was having to force the ball through or throw the ball over the dry heads that is creating the problems.  The issue is that there is very little head oil and my octane wants to set up very early unless I loft the ball about 4-6 feet down the lane regardless of how deep I get.  It honestly feels like it is impossible to throw it far enough to left unless I get it much more airborne that I'm sued to.  The lofting part is what creates inconsistencies for me.  I set the ball down relatively early. (usually can't hear the ball hit the lane) So when I have to loft it my ball speed and the amount of lift I get starts to vary.  Playing 3rd-4th arrow doesn't bother me as long as I can release it naturally.  The ascent pearl definitely gets through the heads but doesn't hit even from a straight angle, and the Octane pushes me to the right, gives me great shape and recovery but wants to hook way to soon.  I totally understand (and agree with) what your saying about learning to play other parts of the lane, but no matter where I'm at on the approach the same problem persists.  Also, this situation seems to be specific to just this one house. 
     This being said, I did have some success with a venom toxin with a matte finish on it last night.  I was able to throw it with enough speed to clear the heads and still get a consistent read down lane due to the surface.  I'm glad it was only three games however.  5 or 6 games throwing it that hard and I would have been in trouble.  When it comes to tournament play, the later games are where I make my money being left handed.  Maybe this kind of describes my conundrum a little or maybe I just need to take up golf or ultimate frisbee. 

bowlingman817

I want to make clear that the Primal Rage is far stronger at the backend than the Panic but the Panic definitely starts grabbing the lane earlier.

I clearly figured that the rage was stronger than the panic. I was just wanting to know if you are saying that the panic was a lot more ball than you expected.