I am using a 15lb- ball. Can I use a 3lbs as a spare ball?

[atty_hen05]

Good day bowlers,


Someone is selling to me a 13lbs spare ball and it is very very cheap. Will it have an effect to my game considering its 2lbs lighter than the ball I usually use?

Thanks.

[Terrier]

I wouldn't consider it if you are accustomed to using your spare ball for certain splits. IMO, most people will have trouble picking up "double wood" (2-8 and 3-9) and "bucket" (2-4-5-8 and 3-5-6-9) spares with a 13lb ball, which is more prone to deflect off the front pin(s) than a heavier ball. If you throw your strike ball in these situations, as I do, then maybe this isn't a concern. On the bright side, a lighter spare ball may help with the baby splits (3-10 and 2-7).

Still, I'd be wary of the change in feel from one shot to the next. 2lbs lighter is going to feel different for sure. Alternating between the two feels may take away the consistency that might normally get you into a rhythm.

[JaMau24]

Terrier said it perfectly. To echo him, if you're using your STRIKE ball on double wood spares, and bucket spares, you'll be fine, but using your spare ball can create deflection and miss a lot of those spares. If you're just using it on 6 pins and 10 pins (and 3 pins and 9 pins if you use the spare ball on those pins) you'll be fine, along with any other single pins, or regular 2 pin spares like the 6-10, and as terrier said, it'll even help on the baby splits.

[atty_hen05]

Thank you for the replies. Much appreciated.
Actually, I only use a spare ball on a10-pin spare. If I can pick up the spare using my reactive, then why not.

[J Anderson]

Good day bowlers,


Someone is selling to me a 13lbs spare ball and it is very very cheap. Will it have an effect to my game considering its 2lbs lighter than the ball I usually use?

Thanks.

Personally, I like all my balls to have the same feel; the same weight, the same spans and finger pitches. Ideally, if I were blindfolded and you put all my bowling balls in front of me I would only be able to tell the left-handed ones from the right handed ones.

Most coaches also recommend that you find a comfortable weight and stick with it. Too often switching to a much lighter ball will screw up your swing.

That said, there are a lot of bowlers who swear that they can switch back and forth between weights with no problems or that going one pound lighter on the spare ball has really improved their percentage on shooting corner pins. Can't recall too any that use a ball that's two pounds lighter.

[Zaxmazr]

I don't think it would affect your game very much. Especially if it's just a spare ball with no reactive core.

[Mike White]

If the ball is too light for you, you can easily change the path of the ball with slight muscling of the swing.

If on the other hand, the ball is too heavy for you, it will change the path of your approach.

In either case, your accuracy will suffer.

If you have a weight that's comfortable, stay as close to it as possible for all the balls you may throw.

[MICHAEL]

Terrier said it perfectly. To echo him, if you're using your STRIKE ball on double wood spares, and bucket spares, you'll be fine, but using your spare ball can create deflection and miss a lot of those spares. If you're just using it on 6 pins and 10 pins (and 3 pins and 9 pins if you use the spare ball on those pins) you'll be fine, along with any other single pins, or regular 2 pin spares like the 6-10, and as terrier said, it'll even help on the baby splits.

I never really thought of it, but the deflection that happens with a lighter ball is just what your looking for with that pickup!! Good idea! I ordered a 8 lb ball!! LOL Seriously speaking I could see that ball defecting off toward the ten pin after hitting the 6! In most cases defection can hurt score, but in some spare pick ups, it could be a huge asset

[J Anderson]

I never really thought of it, but the deflection that happens with a lighter ball is just what your looking for with that pickup!! Good idea! I ordered a 8 lb ball!! LOL Seriously speaking I could see that ball defecting off toward the ten pin after hitting the 6! In most cases defection can hurt score, but in some spare pick ups, it could be a huge asset

A 15# plastic ball deflects just enough to work well on the 3-10 or 2-7 splits. Eight pounds and you could probably make the 5-10 by bouncing the ball off the 5 pin into the ten.

[MICHAEL]

A 15# plastic ball deflects just enough to work well on the 3-10 or 2-7 splits. Eight pounds and you could probably make the 5-10 by bouncing the ball off the 5 pin into the ten.

You know J, I bowled on a seniors league before I decided to go sanctioned! We had some bowlers that were in the mid 80s...! One I remember was a lady, with a yellow tweety bird ball! It was yellow with that cartoon bird in black on it!

It was a 6 lb ball. She was accurate as hell but had no carry on a pocket hit! She could pick up on occasion some of the most unbelievable spares I have ever seen!!!!! She did and actually did pick the 1-10!

But how she did it was sooooo cool.... she hit light on the right side of the 1 pin, it bounced off to the right, (she is right handed) and went directly to the 10 pin.... Laugh my butt off!!!! It was sooooo Fricken cool.... she was weak and fraile, but she knew bowling, and how to make that tweety bird yellow 6 lb ball do amazing things!!!

I do miss in many ways bowling with the seniors,,, and if it were sanctioned, I would still be bowing with them, but I had a couple 11 strikes in a role, and that 298 bowling with them that is not posted because of it being non sanctioned!

[J Anderson]

I do miss in many ways bowling with the seniors,,, and if it were sanctioned, I would still be bowing with them, but I had a couple 11 strikes in a role, and that 298 bowling with them that is not posted because of it being non sanctioned!

There's nothing in the rules that says you can only bowl in sanctioned leagues after joining the USBC. Or is your ice cold heart more enamored of awards and recognition than you would care to admit?;)

[e-tank]

imo its really up to you. I could tell you about how my gf uses a 14lb strike ball and a 12lb spare just fine for any spare and youll hear another story about how using a lower weight screwed up someones spare percentage or timing w/e. So pretty much id go for it if its cheap

[aussiedave]

Good day bowlers,


Someone is selling to me a 13lbs spare ball and it is very very cheap. Will it have an effect to my game considering its 2lbs lighter than the ball I usually use?

Thanks.It's fine if you want to throw it a lot faster to nullify any possible deviation. Just watch your control.

[MICHAEL]

There's nothing in the rules that says you can only bowl in sanctioned leagues after joining the USBC. Or is your ice cold heart more enamored of awards and recognition than you would care to admit?;)

There were some people on that particular league, including myself that thought at this point in my short bowling carrier, I should move on and let the seniors have some awards! LOL.... Mr Anderson, I would hold all the catagories, best game, series, ect. I am not braging at all but I was close to 300's even in my fist 2 years of bowling on those leagues... 298, 290s, and 289s 268s!

I thought to myself if I did bowl a 300 then what? NO ring, no record on awards.com??

I have too many good years, left in me at this point I hope.... (:),,, but when its time, I am sure I will go back to the seniors league! They are for the most part, GREAT PEOPLE to be around and lots of fun!!!

I bowl with the best of the best in this area at the present time, and enjoy the competition very much! I am still strong, and healthy enough to throw a good series, and high game! Due in huge part to help I get in the form of knowledge on this website, and people like my good friend Jason, and other fellow bowlers

I would not say that I am enamored with awards and recognition, but that would be a lie!!! LOL.... I FRICKEN LOVE IT!!! Honesty is one of my qualities also, unlike another bowling god on this site, I know!

I seem to have what it takes to fly with the eagles at this point in time, and believe me the view is GREAT From UP HERE.... LOL

My last 300 was 4/14/13,,, and now 6 months later, another one,,, Feels good!! (:) Twenty pins form a 800,,,, last Monday.... its going to happen,,, I can feel it in my bones.....

Why not bowl sanctioned for as long as I can keep up! I can only afford so many leagues a week in regards to time, and money.... with the way I am bowing at the present time, I will stick with sanctioned for the Glory, and competition!

I love the senior league I was on,,, and there will be time for that,,,,,,,,,, just not now. :rolleyes:

[i2icustom]

I am a new bowler and still haven't figured out what pound ball is ideal for me... What are the pros and cons of different weights of balls, and are you suppose to change the weight depending if its a spare? Reading these I thought they would answer my questions about bowling and now I have more! LOL :confused:

[MICHAEL]

I am a new bowler and still haven't figured out what pound ball is ideal for me... What are the pros and cons of different weights of balls, and are you suppose to change the weight depending if its a spare? Reading these I thought they would answer my questions about bowling and now I have more! LOL :confused:

The very best advice I can give you would be, go to a Pro Shop and talk to an expert! They will take care of you, and answer all our questions. Its hard to say what weight ball without meeting you and testing your strength, ect,,ect.. Write down all your questions on a piece of paper, and then shoot away!

[J Anderson]

I am a new bowler and still haven't figured out what pound ball is ideal for me... What are the pros and cons of different weights of balls, and are you suppose to change the weight depending if its a spare? Reading these I thought they would answer my questions about bowling and now I have more! LOL :confused:

The following link is to a good article on how to judge if a ball is too heavy or not.
http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/tip14.htm

[i2icustom]

OK Thank-you for your reply and advice Michael! Greatly appreciate it :) I'll let you know how it goes. :D

[i2icustom]

The very best advice I can give you would be, go to a Pro Shop and talk to an expert! They will take care of you, and answer all our questions. Its hard to say what weight ball without meeting you and testing your strength, ect,,ect.. Write down all your questions on a piece of paper, and then shoot away!

OK Thank-you for your reply and advice Michael! Greatly appreciate it I'll let you know how it goes. :D

[scruffwhor]

All my strike balls are 16lbs and my otb beer spare ball weighs fifteen. I use my striek balls for most spares and my spare ball for 10 pins and the like as well as most splits.

I'm pretty confident in my spare accuracy with my lighter ball. If the ball is cheap enough, just get it and give it a shot. If it doesn't fell right after a few sessions, scratch it and go up a pound or three.

[i2icustom]

The following link is to a good article on how to judge if a ball is too heavy or not.
http://www.bowl4fun.com/ron/tip14.htm

Thank-you! Great article I will play around with the 14! I was using 10-12lb at most! Hopefully this works out for me :P