Do most of you have your "base" or starter ball you always start with on THS patterns

[NewToBowling]

Since most centers have THS for many leagues and open bowling do most of you generally have a starter ball you always use first. This would be the ball you know is a good base to start with. And is this usually your strongest ball and balling down as the night goes along?

[ChuckR]

Since most centers have THS for many leagues and open bowling do most of you generally have a starter ball you always use first. This would be the ball you know is a good base to start with. And is this usually your strongest ball and balling down as the night goes along?

I start with a Mastermind Genius as the 2 houses I bowl at put down fresh oil near starting times. At Red Rock I go to my UpRoar for the second 2 games on a second pair of lanes. This sounds good, but didn't work this week as the team we bowled against and followed had enough lefties that the lanes didn't break down enough for the UpRoar.
The house and what they do and when to the lanes before league helps determine what to start with.

[mc_runner]

I generally throw the same ball to start with in practice, if the reaction isn't there or it's behaving oddly, not carrying, etc... I'll switch and use the other one to start. After buying my new ball (IQ Nano) I haven't had a need to use anything else in game 1.

[Aslan]

I used to have a chart that I'd use for each of the 3 lines I'd try to play. With that system, I'd start with my most medium of 5 balls on each line, decide on a line, then either ball up or down depending on what I was seeing.

However, early on my coach switched me to a progression system where you determine which ball hooks SOONEST (vs MOST) and start with that one. The coach also suggested starting with a line that generally works versus my 3-line strategy…but I kept the 3-line strategy. I don't often try all 3 since my rev rate is too low and the balls are drilled for arc more so than snap, so taking advantage of much left of center is usually not an option…but I usually try at least 2 different lines…usually one around the 7-board and one around the 11-board.

[Amyers]

I bowl in three different house so for me it depends on where I'm at. Venture has the heaviest oil so I start and can usually finish with my virtual gravity. Dunbar I can use the asylum or the vg really just depend on how I'm throwing the ball if it's a good night for me speed wise it'll be the vg to start and switch to the asylum the third game. Galaxy older wood I start with the asylum but I'm going to have to purchase something less agressive for the transition there but haven't yet.

[SRB57]

I start with my Roto Grip Outcry (Medium) and adjust from there. I then go to my Roto Grip Hyper Cell Skid (Stronger) if more oil and Roto Grip Scream (Weaker) if are drier. It seems to work well for me. Steve

[RobLV1]

Lately I've been trying something a little different, and it's been working out pretty well for me. If one lane is tighter, I will often use a less aggressive ball to start, and play a little more to the right. If one is hooking more, I will use a more aggressive ball and play in deeper. The idea is to use the differences in the bowling balls to play the lanes the way that they want to be played, rather than using the differences to try to bring the lanes closer together. As the lanes begin to transition, I will often ball up as I move deeper on the tighter lane, and ball down as I move deeper on the hooking lane. My arsenal varies from center to center, but a typical mix includes two solids like the Mastermind Intellect (aggressive) and the Blue Ringer (less aggressive), and two pearls like the Melee Jab (aggressive) and the Platinum Ringer (less aggressive). This is a strategy that the higher rev players absolutley cannot understand, but it works pretty well for less powerful players who need to use what the lanes give them rather than trying to over power them.

[NewToBowling]

I guess another way to put it is, is there a ball that is the old standby. One that you would feel comfortable if you could only use one ball. There are specialty balls and THE BALL. Or some of you may have all specialty balls.

[RobLV1]

For years bowlers have asked me which ball is my favorite. I always answer the same way, "Whatever ball is currently in my hand that will carry the corners." There's no place in bowling today for sentimentalism regarding bowling balls. The ball that you used to shoot 300 yesterday may not work at all today.

[J Anderson]

This is a strategy that the higher rev players absolutley cannot understand, but it works pretty well for less powerful players who need to use what the lanes give them rather than trying to over power them.

Is it that they really can't understand, or just that they don't think they need to understand what you're doing and how it might affect the line that they are playing?

[Aslan]

I guess another way to put it is, is there a ball that is the old standby. One that you would feel comfortable if you could only use one ball. There are specialty balls and THE BALL. Or some of you may have all specialty balls.

No. I have a ball I'm most comfortable with because I've been using it the longest and have thrown a lot of my higher scores. But mainly it's my favorite because it fits my hand the best.

[RobLV1]

No. I have a ball I'm most comfortable with because I've been using it the longest and have thrown a lot of my higher scores. But mainly it's my favorite because it fits my hand the best.

As you are always setting goals for yourself, I think a good one would be to have all of your bowling balls drilled so that they feel the same. Having one ball that fits your hand better than the others is just asking for trouble.

[vdubtx]

The house I am bowling dictates which ball I start with. Tuesdays it has been the Disturbed, Thursdays it is Hyper Cell. Difference being the lighter volume and high friction house Tuesday. "Flooded" lanes on Thursday.

[Aslan]

As you are always setting goals for yourself, I think a good one would be to have all of your bowling balls drilled so that they feel the same. Having one ball that fits your hand better than the others is just asking for trouble.

That will get taken care of when I switch arsenals. This was my first arsenal...I never thought I'd use more than 1 ball when I started bowling. As I've pieced this arsenal together, I've made a lot of changes and experimented with different grips and the VISE IT grip. It's NOT a perfect arsenal...I think it really lacks a strong heavy oil ball...especially with my lack of rev rate. And when you factor in drilling layouts and surface modifications...there's far too much overlap and too little difference between balls. So, moving forward, I totally agree.

Specifically, I think I'm gonna switch away from Tri-Grip. There's something about the way the thumb is angled that is giving me problems in terms of getting the thumb out of the ball. The Slingshot isn't as bad as the Encounters...but none of them are perfect. The span and thumb angle of the Rhythm that Mike W. drilled up conventionally, before I decided to try tri-grip...actually has the best fit. I tried to mimic that fit with the VISE drilled ball, but it's not exactly perfect.

Back when I was "gripping" the ball...it never mattered as much because the thumb holes were big...and my thumb was always getting stuck (because I was gripping)....which meant even WIDER thumb holes. Now that the thumb fit is so snug...I have a better feel for more minor things like thumb angle.

But yes...mudpuppy cliff notes version...that'll be taken care of.

[NewToBowling]

My thumb shrinks over the course of a game. Every time I go bowling before my first roll I usually end up having to "force" my thumb into the hole. Do this 3-4 times quickly before I get on the approach for first throw and from that point on the thumb goes in smoothly. I don't have any issues of thumb getting stuck or falling out after that.

I do get blisters/calluses on the outside of my thumb so I always use the thin VISE Hada patches on outside of thumb. Otherwise I will blister pretty badly. But otherwise no hand, finger, thumb, or joint pain whatsoever.

[Amyers]

My thumb shrinks over the course of a game. Every time I go bowling before my first roll I usually end up having to "force" my thumb into the hole. Do this 3-4 times quickly before I get on the approach for first throw and from that point on the thumb goes in smoothly. I don't have any issues of thumb getting stuck or falling out after that.

I do get blisters/calluses on the outside of my thumb so I always use the thin VISE Hada patches on outside of thumb. Otherwise I will blister pretty badly. But otherwise no hand, finger, thumb, or joint pain whatsoever.

If you have thumb blistering without Hada patches your gripping or your pitches are off.

[NewToBowling]

I'm definitely not gripping so pitch is probably wrong. But ball does come out clean but there is rubbing there.

[Amyers]

I'm definitely not gripping so pitch is probably wrong. But ball does come out clean but there is rubbing there.

I would have your pro shop look at it something's not right if it's causing blistering

[Tony]

On wed league the lanes are flooded with oil and I nearly always start with the Roto-grip Hyper cell skid, Depending on the night, other bowlers and other factors I might be able to use it the whole night. Other times about end of game 2 start of 3 I switch to the gold rhino, if the lanes are getting too dry and I've adjusted deeper than my comfort level or if I'm not getting good hits and carry on the skid.

[Hampe]

Since most centers have THS for many leagues and open bowling do most of you generally have a starter ball you always use first. This would be the ball you know is a good base to start with. And is this usually your strongest ball and balling down as the night goes along?I do have what's a called a benchmark ball that I'll use first if I'm playing in a new center or on a new pattern I'm unfamiliar with. If it's a center I play at often I'll generally already know which ball will work best to start off with, or if I know the pattern will be very long or short, then I'll start out with a ball other than my benchmark ball.

But no, it isn't my strongest ball....it's a medium oil ball with a symmetric core. I used to start with my strongest ball and ball down as the lanes broke down, but I've recently (last season or two) started using a medium oil ball to start with and ball up and move in when the lane breaks down instead. It seems to work better.