Need a spare ball, was thinking a Hammer Blue in 14lbs...

[kx90]

Definitely need a spare ball. I can clean up spares on the left side of the lane (7 pin, etc.) but the stuff on the right side I have been finding it difficult with the hook on the Terror. If I only need to throw at the 10 pin or other variation on that side once per game then it's not easy to get a good read on what to expect.

I currently have a 16lb. Hammer Blue (urethane) that I used back in my Y.A.B.A days (late 80's early 90's) but since going to a 14lb. ball with my DV8 I now need to switch to a 14lb. spare ball too.

My first thought was to just buy another Hammer Blue in 14lbs. and be done with it but, now I'm wondering if I should look at what other options there are.

So what say ye? :)

[billf]

If and only if, you have the ability to flatten out your wrist for a straight(er) ball then get a urethane. If not, get a plastic ball (Zombie spare :cool:)

[ssclary]

I use urethane ball for a single 10 pin spare. Sometimes my old school black hammer and my seismic desperado LE. I can get it with a reactive ball, but its not a sure thing. I flatten my wrist and create a little more angle by moving left 10 boards with my feet. Works well for me, I can get it 9 out of 10 times with a urethane. Never had any luck with the plastic and in my opinion they feel like junk in my hand.

[kx90]

After I got my Rhino Teal the Hammer was relegated to spare duty and that's all I really needed it for back then. I had no trouble flattening out the wrist, I'm sure I can still do that which is the reason why I figured I would just get a lighter weight version of the same ball since I'm comfortable and experienced with it already. Plus if I run into some really dry lanes I can always bust out the Hammer and leave the Terror in the bag (I really don't want to need to carry 3 balls). :)

[75lockwood]

Getting a spare ball would be a good idea, i plan on getting one very soon, in the mean time in order to completely kill the hook on my marauder i break my wrist down, and almost throw a back up ball, the ball doesn't hook left to right, but it kills and hook i would have had

[striker12]

i got a spare ball and i only manly use to to hit splits all over the lane but when im going to hit 10pins i started useing my track 716T because i straighten out my wrist and i can put my revs on it still and it dose not hook as much but the thing i do is i open the angle of the shot to hitting the 10pin but i do aim dead on the 10pin i just to the right side of the 10pin just in case it hooks on me it will still hit the 10pin and if it dose not hook it will skim the 10pin and still knock it over.

[Hammer]

I have a Blue Hammer urethane ball and have no trouble going after the 7 pin without hooking at it. What I do is break my wrist a little and when I release the ball I straighten out my fingertips and let my thumb and fingers get out of the ball at the same time. This way I do not put any lift on the ball so no hook. It slides through the heavy part of the oil and goes pretty straight. When I need a strike shot I can hit it with revs and get a nice controlled arc to the pocket. I am left handed and got this ball for the dry conditions on THS at our bowling center. So for me it is good as a spare ball and strike ball.

[ssclary]

I have the new Blue Hammer, its the ball I used for about six months. Really like how predictable it is, especially while I was learning to throw a hook. It was one the first fingertip balls I had bought new and had drilled to my hand. Once I leaned how to hook(still learning consistency actually), I then started working on flattening my wrist to throw at the 10 pin spare. I can use the blue hammer, but I found better success with the old urethane Hammers. The only time I switch to the old hammer is for the 10 pin spare. I can just use the ball I am throwing for strikes to pick up the other spares.

At the house where I bowl league and the majority of practice. The lane oil is too much for the blue hammer, I have switched to a medium oil ball. I still use the blue during third games and some burned up conditions.

[kx90]

Another question: What would be the difference between say a Hammer Blue and a DV8 Misfit?

Would the Misfit have too much potential to hook versus the Hammer Blue?

[scottymoney]

As Bill said before if you are looking for a spare ball you might as well just get a plastic ball.

Getting a misfit would just be adding more hook rather than getting less. It is all about if you can throw it so it doesn't hook. Use the perfect scale on bowlingball.com and you will be bale to compare but if you are just looking for a spare ball just go get a plastic ball.

[kx90]

This is my latest thought process on this:

I've never had a problem using the Hammer to get the 10pin and other similar type spare shots by reducing the revs on the ball.
If lane conditions make it difficult to control the Terror then I can always switch to the Hammer or whatever I end up with.
So I'm leaning towards a urethane/low hook potential ball to be a dual purpose spare/dry lanes ball.

Right now I only carry two balls with me, the Terror and my old 16lb. Hammer urethane.