Anyone here still use one ball on league night?

[Hammer]

I have used one ball as long as I can remember. Maybe it is because I bowl on THS patterns for the past 27 years. The best one baller score I ever had was a 276, all strikes except a spare in the 8th frame. I had a time where a friend and I practiced twice a week. I would bowl a few series over 600 a season. I hit a 710 series for three games once. Now at nearly 67 years old and osteoarthritis in my hips and knees I don't practice like I used to so my game is not as good as it could be. I find myself having a hard time going into my slide and getting a good balance at release. My hips and knees don't seem to want to work like they should to do it right. Getting old sucks. Any other non-arsenal guys here? :cool:

[circlecity]

I have used one ball as long as I can remember. Maybe it is because I bowl on THS patterns for the past 27 years. The best one baller score I ever had was a 276, all strikes except a spare in the 8th frame. I had a time where a friend and I practiced twice a week. I would bowl a few series over 600 a season. I hit a 710 series for three games once. Now at nearly 67 years old and osteoarthritis in my hips and knees I don't practice like I used to so my game is not as good as it could be. I find myself having a hard time going into my slide and getting a good balance at release. My hips and knees don't seem to want to work like they should to do it right. Getting old sucks. Any other non-arsenal guys here? :cool:

I just use 1 strike ball but I do have a plastic ball for spares. Does that count?

[noeymc]

depends what house at bz i use one ball at rebmans where its a little harder of a shot i use my spare ball for tens thats it tho other then that 1 ball but ill start useing more as i get them just so i can see how they react

[J Anderson]

I just use 1 strike ball but I do have a plastic ball for spares. Does that count?

I generally just use one strike ball for league and a plastic spare ball for league. I could get away with just one if I had to.

[Hammer]

I just use 1 strike ball but I do have a plastic ball for spares. Does that count?

I have the Blue Hammer urethane ball. I use it for my strike ball and my spares. I am left handed and when I shoot at a 7 pin leave I can throw my Blue at the 7 with just barely a hint of a hook. I stand far right on the approach and throw my ball between third and fourth arrows on the alley. My wrist is bent back some and when I let go of the ball I use a gravity swing and straighten out the tips of my fingers when I let the ball go. Doing that leaves the revs and hook out of the ball to get that nasty 7 pin leave. :cool:

[MICHAEL]

now that I can throw at the ten pin with my palm UP,,, the revs go end over end, I believe I can bowl a house pattern, and have a respectable score.... Might give it a try! Pull out my dads old green and white single bag bowling ball,,,( funny I never remember him ever bowling except for a short time back in the early 70s .. lol
I picke the 10 pin up using the V.G. all but one time Mondy. Palm up takes all the hook out of the ball for me if I throw it a little harder then my strike ball!

[sprocket]

I almost always use just one ball. I decide which one during warm-ups. I throw at right corner spares thumb in, same ball.

[Aslan]

Well...I hate to agree with my bitter enemy Hammer...but while I bring 2 balls with me on league night...I would say I use one ball 97% of the shots. My Frantic can strike and spare on wood lanes. And it goes straight on heavy oil synthetics...so no need for a "straight" ball.

I used to carry my Grandpa's conventional drilled Columbia300 Blue Knight urethane...more so for sentimental reasons than actually to use it...but maybe once per night I'd use it for a nasty split. If I needed to hit a pin "just right" to pick up a split...I'd pull out the 14lb urethane. But other than about once per night...I use one ball for strikes and spares.

I think you and I get away with that because our "strike ball" isn't a big hook asymmetric, high end beast. If I was throwing something with one of those drastic hooks....I could see needing a second ball for spares. But when you throw relatively "straight balls"...which I'm sure you do given your age and your use of a urethane ball...no need for a second ball.

Hey...good news is we're not clogging up the ball return!! AND...much easier on the shoulders and back not having to lug 30-50 pounds of balls around.

[Zaxmazr]

I bring 4 balls to my league night. (One strike ball on the top rack at a time, one spare on the bottom, other 2 in my bags until I need them)

ALWAYS good to have more than one weapon with you. Never know what the lanes are going to be like throughout the night!

[Stormed1]

I can throw any ball I have straight if I want to. I use a plastic spare ball because it gives me more "wiggle" room

[MICHAEL]

I do quit a bite now, using the V.G. Pearl,,, 10pin I can throw it palm up and it goes almost straight, and enough to put that bugger up!!
I am thinking seriously of just taking the V.G pearl on house pattern league night, alone with the DV8 misfit lemon drop! Fantastic ball for dried up lanes in my case! So yes and no!

I am only going to take tomorrow two balls instead of 5! I think I bowl much higher scores when I adjust, instead of keep pulling out balls...

tournaments a different story with sports patterns!!

[dnhoffman]

I posted this in the other thread, but it's probably more applicable here:
The more I bowl on THS patterns I tend to just play whatever ball seems to be carrying the most for me at the time. I suspect the psychological comfort it brings might bring me more relaxed and consistent bowling than any better piece of equipment ever could.

[Zaxmazr]

Not sure how anyone could ever use just one ball! Going from fresh to broken down takes a whole lot of adjustments for me!

[Mudpuppy]

Yes I just use 1 ball period

[Aslan]

Not sure how anyone could ever use just one ball! Going from fresh to broken down takes a whole lot of adjustments for me!

You do realize you can make adjustments other than switching to another ball though right? I move laterally quite a bit as a game goes on. With a stronger ball, this is even more important. I can vary my release slightly which makes my ball go straight rather than hook. I can slightly increase my backswing (slightly) to give it a little more speed, straighten it out, hit a pin further back in the rack, etc....

I've watched more than one person...both very good bowlers...play the "bowling ball merry go round" trying to find the perfect ball to do what they want on a given lane/given night...and they end up throwing away 1-2 games. In contrast, if they just use the strongest ball early...make slight adjustments...then switch to a lesser ball in game 2 or 3...if necessary...continue with slight adjustments...and bamm...problem solved.

I've seen people switching balls when they aren't even hitting their mark. How can you know your ball is even the problem if you're missing your mark??

[Mudpuppy]

You do realize you can make adjustments other than switching to another ball though right? I move laterally quite a bit as a game goes on. With a stronger ball, this is even more important. I can vary my release slightly which makes my ball go straight rather than hook. I can slightly increase my backswing (slightly) to give it a little more speed, straighten it out, hit a pin further back in the rack, etc....

I've watched more than one person...both very good bowlers...play the "bowling ball merry go round" trying to find the perfect ball to do what they want on a given lane/given night...and they end up throwing away 1-2 games. In contrast, if they just use the strongest ball early...make slight adjustments...then switch to a lesser ball in game 2 or 3...if necessary...continue with slight adjustments...and bamm...problem solved.

I've seen people switching balls when they aren't even hitting their mark. How can you know your ball is even the problem if you're missing your mark??

A lot of wisdom there. I won't argue 1 ball or multiple balls is the "right" way - what works for you is the "right" way but I will argue, alongside the exiled michigander agitator on the west coast, that you have to be mechanically consistent first and then consider a ball change or not. If you aren't hitting your mark or you are crossing your body or you are 10 tequilas into the night and seeing 3 lanes you have to realize it is you not the ball.

I used to throw 3 balls. I can't remember which balls but a dull, polished and a spare ball. I would start out dull when the oil was at its peak to get more hook and then switch anywhere from frame 8 of the first game to frame 4 of the second depending on reaction of the ball (when it started over hooking) to a polished ball. And of course I would shoot 7 pins and the like with the spare ball. Honestly I got sick of dragging 3 balls around so I switched to 1 ball and just learned how to shoot it better - i.e. normal 1st shot into the pocket and to flatten it out with almost no hook for a 7 pin. My average went from 185 to 209 with this switch. It worked for me so it was the "right" way for me. Now it could be coincidence that my average went up and if I had stuck with 3 balls maybe my average would have went to 215 in the same time frame. Maybe, maybe not. I don't live in the hypothetical world. And I am not stuck using just 1 ball. I could go back to 3 or 6 or 15. I didn't sign a 1 ball contract.

[Aslan]

the exiled michigander agitator on the west coast,

Bowl1820: Can I change my username to that!? Or is it too long?

[bowl1820]

Bowl1820: Can I change my username to that!? Or is it too long?

You can't change names. Only the Admin can and it won't happen it's been know to cause problems with the database.

This is a good example of site support question and why you should post them separately and in the support forum not in the middle of some other thread.

I just happened to read this thread or I might have never seen it.

[MICHAEL]

Other then house patterns, maybe there is something to staying with a ball that starts out well, and just keep making adjustments! I used the plugged twice, Virtual Gravity Pearl for all three games!

The old Iceman might have changed balls in the second game when it seemed not be carrying the 7 or 10 pin, which I had a handful of! The old Iceman would have went to the bag to find another ball, rather then moving up, or more to the left! Or even the wrist position which I am leaning has a lot to do with the amount of break in the ball!

These are things that are starting to sink in.

I have leaned 99 percent of this knowledge, from bowlversity on bowling ball com, and this site, ( along with some of my good bowling friend here in Kansas City Missouri!

Now if a ball is NOT WORKING IN WARM up, that a different situation!! The night of my 300/780, I started out in warm up with the IQ pearl, the ball that gave me the other 300! But it didn't have the look I wanted going into the pocket. So I pulled the V.G. pearl out, and with one throw, I knew it would be the starting ball of choice.
So I did use only one ball and my Sling Shot for spares, mainly the ten pen only.

[Aslan]

So I pulled the V.G. pearl out, and with one throw, I knew it would be the starting ball of choice.
So I did use only one ball and my Sling Shot for spares, mainly the ten pen only.

No Tri-Grip drilled Frantic!!???

For shame. You need to use the Frantic so other people will see how dominant it is and how cool people are that throw that ball....i.e. moi. :eek:

[MICHAEL]

No Tri-Grip drilled Frantic!!???

For shame. You need to use the Frantic so other people will see how dominant it is and how cool people are that throw that ball....i.e. moi. :eek:

I know, its almost to powerful for me, I need to get use to the Rev's and snap it has at the end!

Go to Facebook, and BP Proshop! I will get a link, and read about what real people are saying! We had a local lady bowler, throw a 300 last week with the Tri Grip... she gives all the glory to the Tri Grip.

Check out Bruce/James Face book page... link coming soon ... James uses nothing but the tri grip, and bowled a 300 not long ago... you will see the real people and comments ..... It is a much more powerful ball delivery in my opinion!