How many of you use your plastic ball for ALL spares?

[jab5325]

Most people I've seen use a plastic ball to shoot corner pins on the side from which they throw (lefty/me using one to shoot 4s, 7s, etc; righty using one to shoot 6s, 10s, etc).

I developed a nasty habit of missing things on the right side using my strike ball. Sometimes, it would hook too much, other times it would hook too little. I had it in my head that I have to "throw it slow" and "make it hook across the pattern" to pick up the 6 or 10....and have it end up in the gutter.

So, I trying to take hook and oil out of the equation, I've been tinkering with throwing my plastic at all spares (sans the 2, 3, or 5). I don't know that my percentage is all that much better....but as I bowl on different patterns and in a sport league, I really think this is the best way to go.

What do you throw? How do you do it? What's your mark?

Any lineup/setup tips for a lefty to shoot straight at the 6, 10, etc. with a plastic ball are greatly appreciated.

I'm just frustrated because though I've been bowling well lately, if I could increase my spare percentage, I'd be averaging 200+. I've left several 240 games on the table this season with missed spares.

[NewToBowling]

I don't bowl in sport leagues so that may explain my answer but I only use spare ball on 10 pin (and maybe 6). All others I still use strike ball.

[Tony]

I don't currently use my plastic ball for anything other than 10 and 6-10 / right hand bowler.

I did go to a coach who suggested that I should use the plastic balls for left corner spares also and I tried it for a short time but
in my case I ended up missing more often than with the strike ball.
I determined the primary cause for this was my muscle memory that caused me to often take the plastic ball and proceed to throw it in the same place as
I would have normally thrown the strike ball. This of course caused the ball to stay right of the target pin with no hope it would hook into the pin.
If given more time and practice it might have worked but I switched back and started using my strike ball again.

[AlexNC]

I have used plastic on all my right side spares for a while. I have been working on transitioning to using it for all spares. I have had some success using a system mentioned by Susie Minshew where you essentially only have 4 shots, using only 2 targets: the 10 board and the 17 board. It has been mentioned already in a thread somewhere here.

[jab5325]

I have used plastic on all my right side spares for a while. I have been working on transitioning to using it for all spares. I have had some success using a system mentioned by Susie Minshew where you essentially only have 4 shots, using only 2 targets: the 10 board and the 17 board. It has been mentioned already in a thread somewhere here.

I vaguely remember the discussion, but don't recall the thread at all. Do you happen to have a link or remember the name?

[SAbowler]

Most of the time I use my Super Natural to shoot at the 10 and sometimes the 6-10. It's not a plastic ball (it's sort of urethane), but it's also not very hooky unless the lanes are super dry. Everything else, I use my strike ball.

[JerseyJim]

I use plastic on 99% of my spares the only exception would be the 2-8, or 3-9. I feel more confident hooking the ball into those spares. Read Rolf Gauger's article on the Triax Spare system It's improved my spare conversion rate by quite a bit. http://wiki.bowlingchat.net/wiki/images/f/f2/Triax_Spare_System.pdf

[fordman1]

Never liked the feel of plastic. Even when everyone was going to the yellow dot I stuck to my LT 48. Now for the 10 pin I use the
pitch black.

[AlexNC]

I vaguely remember the discussion, but don't recall the thread at all. Do you happen to have a link or remember the name?

You can read about the system I referenced and a couple others here (http://www.strikeability.com/learn_07.php).

[ep1977]

I shoot all spares with plastic. Right handed

[bowl1820]

Being right handed

For the most part I use my plastic spare ball for 10 pins and other right side spares. Though I will use it for left side spares depending on the situation/conditions, But mainly my strike ball for left side spares and double wood.

The system I use is what I call the "Walter Ray" system, A guy was asking WRW about shooting spares one time on his site. Walter told him what he did, so I gave it a try.

Basically it was you pick one spot on the left to shoot all right side spares from, one on the right to shoot all left side spares. Then just adjust your target based on what spare it is.

Now I've made some minor changes over time, adding in some of Rob's Shadow pin spare system.

Heres what WRW said

Walter Ray-
"I have my own method for shooting spares. I like to shoot my right side spares from the same starting spot on the left side of the lane and adjusting my target depending on the spare. Likewise I shoot my left side spares from the same starting spot on the right side of the lane and adjust my target accordingly. I will adjust my target for 10 pins depending on the approaches."

[RobLV1]

Learning to use your plastic spare ball for all non-double-wood spares is one of the easiest ways to raise your average. The reason for this is two-fold. First, you are throwing the ball straight, so chopping off a pin or two for the two-four-five or the dinner bucket is less likely, and you are not having to gauge the amount of hook as you cross the puddle in the middle like you do when you use your spare ball at the seven or the four. Secondly, the more comfortable you get throwing that spare ball at everything, the less intimidating ten pins become.

One word of advice: for best results put some surface on your spare ball to keep it from hydroplaning as you go cross lane. 2000 abralon works prettey well for me.

[Amyers]

Learning to use your plastic spare ball for all non-double-wood spares is one of the easiest ways to raise your average. The reason for this is two-fold. First, you are throwing the ball straight, so chopping off a pin or two for the two-four-five or the dinner bucket is less likely, and you are not having to gauge the amount of hook as you cross the puddle in the middle like you do when you use your spare ball at the seven or the four. Secondly, the more comfortable you get throwing that spare ball at everything, the less intimidating ten pins become.

One word of advice: for best results put some surface on your spare ball to keep it from hydroplaning as you go cross lane. 2000 abralon works prettey well for me.

If I surfaced my plastic ball at 2k I could hook the lane. what's the point of using plastic at all at that point. I regularly polish my plastic to keep it from hooking although that's a problem mostly on wood which you don't see a lot of in Vegas lol

[Amyers]

I use my plastic for all my right side spares. I will use it for my left side ones if I'm bowling on a difficult pattern but I'm better at them with my strike ball so I use it on THS. I target my left side spares across the second arrow and just move my feet to adjust for the pin I want to hit.

[bowl1820]

About sanding a spare ball This is a excerpt from a Bill Spigner article:
http://www.billspigner.com/pdf/1001_Bill_BD.pdf

"Also with the amount of oil in the middle of the lane, a hard, shiny, plastic ball can have a tendency to over skid and actually hydroplane out. If you miss a little right for righthanders (or left for lefthanders), the ball has a little turn and will push to the right even more. Today, many players will actually take the polish off the plastic ball so it has a chance to roll, which helps control the direction of the ball in the oil."

[Hot_pocket]

Never learned to use my spare ball for all spares even though now I can see the benefit of being able to. The pattern I bowl on now it would come in handy, but unfortunately I don't have enough time to practice spare shooting and won't try during league play. I do find it interesting that people sand spare balls, I don't think I need to because I just flatten my hand out and barely put any fingers into when I throw.

[RobLV1]

Never learned to use my spare ball for all spares even though now I can see the benefit of being able to. The pattern I bowl on now it would come in handy, but unfortunately I don't have enough time to practice spare shooting and won't try during league play. I do find it interesting that people sand spare balls, I don't think I need to because I just flatten my hand out and barely put any fingers into when I throw.

I realize that I'm going for the record of saying the same thing in more posts than ever before, but the reason that 99.9% of the top bowlers in the world use plastic or urethane spare balls is NOT because it makes spare shooting harder!

[jab5325]

Thanks guys.

I'm going to keep practicing--finally found a coach willing to help me. He's not USBC certified, but has done a lot of good with bowlers young and old in our area.

Last night, I had a rough, rough night in a sport shot league (Chameleon pattern last night) that I subbed in. Shot a 136 in game 1. Games 2-3 I had a lot of terrible, terrible leaves.

But as the night went on and I was using my plastic for all spares, I got closer and closer. I missed 1 7-pin where I dropped the ball, and made a 6 and 10.

For the 7, I was standing on 35 and throwing 2 boards left of the middle arrow.

For the 6 and 10, I was standing on 15 and throwing over the third arrow from the right.

I missed a lot of multi-pin spares and had my share of splits. The Chameleon is an interesting pattern.

Being a lefty, I started standing 2 boards right of the middle dot. My outside game sucks, but the only way I could get to the pocket was playing straight up the second arrow, with speed, using a Storm Rocket. As that broke down, playing further outside with the Rocket was useless because it couldn't get back to the pocket. Moving inside almost got there, but had a lot of light hits.

So, I switched to the Bad Intentions by the start of the second game. Started out with 3 near perfect strikes with it, standing by now 3 boards right of middle dot and throwing over second arrow with some speed. I then tugged two shots in a row and had two opens.

By the end of the second game, the BI was hooking too early, so I went to the Saw Blade. I'm not used to that ball, and honestly, I think the PSO screwed up the drilling. The span seems off. About 3 frames into the third game, I gave up and went back to the Rocket....standing on the last dot on the right trying to throw out to 2nd arrow. I couldn't do it consistently and had a lot of problems. I had 2 washouts that game from leaving the ball out too far.

All in all, a frustrating night. I need to get more consistent.

[BrianG]

I do not use a plastic ball for spares but I use an old ball that has seen better days and won't get more then a board of movement and I just break my wrist and throw straight at the pins.

[Perrin]

Thanks for the links guys.

I have a team member that is in process of switching off of the system she was taught for spare shooting... one where you have a spot for each corner pin but for other spares you work off your strike line.... just adjusting your target without moving your foot position.
anyway I'll send these two systems and let her decide which she likes better. although I do like the Triax systems chart you could print and laminate then use it as a pocket guide on the lanes :)

[Tony]

Although a lot of guys don't use a plastic ball on opposite side spares throwing on a house shot I'm sure
that I and many others would find that shooting spares on sport patterns is a whole different animal. I can see using the plastic ball much more on those harder patterns.
It's great that you found a coach to work with you !

[manke]

I just flatten out my hand and use my the ball im using.

[vdubtx]

I am starting to make the transition to make all of my spares with my plastic. Previously was only on any combination of 3-6-9-10.

[swingset]

I shoot anything from the 3 pin to the 10 with plastic spare. Headpin to the left is done with my hook ball.

In sport leagues or tournaments, I use plastic from the 2-pin to the left (over to the 7).

[Blomer]

I only use plastic ball for right side spares mainly 10, 9-10, so memes 6-10

[jab5325]

I am starting to make the transition to make all of my spares with my plastic. Previously was only on any combination of 3-6-9-10.

It's definitely a "transition".

According to Pinpal, I'm only about 60% overall since I started. But, things are picking up. The triax system seems to have helped me, or at least given me a good base.

So far though, I really like shooting only plastic at spares. It takes lane conditions almost completely out of the equation. The problem I always had, when shooting stuff on the right side, was dealing with the carry down from right-handers. It made for many a 10-pin missed left.

[Aslan]

I started out using the 3-6-9 approach (no spare ball).

I then switched to a 4-8-12 approach (no spare ball).

One of the big steps towards raising my average was abandoning that old fashioned spare shooting system and getting a plastic ball and shooting all corner-pins (4,7,4-7,6,10,6-10) with the plastic ball including the occasional 4-7-8 or 6-9-10.

Even though, as it's been mentioned, that has been and is still the dominant approach to spare shooting...recently there have been some rumblings that perhaps a plastic/urethane ball should only be used for the side of your dominant arm (right for righties, left for lefties) as the ball often will "help" pick those pins up versus the dominant side where the ball hooking reduces your chances. In other words, as a righty, it may in fact be easier to pick up left side spares using the built in hook of the ball...that same built in hook that makes plastic/urethane crucial on the other (right) side.

For center leaves and splits I most often use my strike ball...even for single 8-pins or 9-pins.

I'm not sure where I stand presently. It took a LOT of getting used to; to go from throwing a strike ball all the time to throwing plastic at all corner leaves...so reintroducing the strike ball for left side leaves....I'm not so sure.

For example, one leave I have particular trouble with is the 2-5. Now, why on Earth would I have trouble with such an easy, easy leave? Simple answer. Since it's a "middle leave", I move 4 boards right from my strike shot and that 'should' pick it up. BUT!...on longer patterns or patterns where the oil is heavy in the middle....sometimes that strike ball just kinda slides...doesn't wanna bite...and I end up chopping the 5-pin off the 2-5.

And bowlers use plastic for that very fundamental reason...that there will ALWAYS....by design...be a built in variability when using a ball designed to hook. Always. Flat hand, behind the ball...doesn't matter. You can REDUCE the variability and might even be good enough at it to be an elite bowler (Norm Duke)...but it's like trying to emulate WRW...if you're the 1 in a million guy that can duplicate his ability...you're the best non-2 handed bowler in the World. But you have a 99.9999% chance that by emulating WRW you will suck....because you're NOT WRW. All those who want to point to Norm Duke as a reason to throw a strike ball (and I can say this because I've argued that point in the past and recanted)...then be as good as Norm Duke FIRST....then go ahead and use his spare shooting system. Good luck with that.

As to my system for shooting spares, I use Missy Parkin's strategy which is a lot like what was described for WRW. For the 10-pin I have left foot on 35 and throw over 17. For the 7-pin I stand left foot on 15 and throw over 15. For 6-pins and 4-pins...it's just a 2-board move in with my feet...same target. So, it's the same general system...I just move my feet slightly versus moving my target slightly.

Just adding the plastic ball and adopting a system like above...I went from a 40-75% spare shooter at single pins...to a 70-80% spare shooter. Still don't have the MAD SKILLZ of a Norm Duke (who I heard once went 3 years without missing single-pin spare) or a WRW or a PDW where you're picking up 95-99% of your single-pins...but, work in progress... :rolleyes:

[TonyInPortland]

I use plastic for 10, 6, 6-10, 3-6-10, 3-6-9-10, 3-6, plus 6-7-10, big four, greek church, strike ball for everything else. A few years back I tried using the plastic ball for all single pins, but I missed too many 2, 8, 4 & 7 pins. I am thinking about trying it again, in practice, next summer.

[Perrin]

I use mine for 10, 6, 6-10, 9, 3-6-10, 7, 4-7

trying to convert to using it for most spares.

missed way too many easy spares by throwing strike ball at them at nationals last year.

[mc_runner]

I'm using it more now. Any combination of split on the left side I"m throwing plastic at. In league, I still use plastic primarily for right-side single pin spares, but in practice, I use all plastic for all single pin spares to get more comfortable.

[AlexNC]

As I mentioned before, I do use plastic for all my single pin spares and most combos that aren't double wood.

I should have mentioned that I used to use it only for right side spares and then used my strike ball with the 3-6-9 on left side. The conditions at the house I bowl at are inconsistent and vary greatly from week to week. I found myself getting into trouble with 3-6-9 on left side with the changing conditions, and would often miss right. I experimented going 4-8-12 but ultimately decided to take lane conditions out of the equation and switch to plastic.

[larry mc]

10 pin only

[angel]

have get me plastic ball any one knows of a kind to get

[Amyers]

have get me plastic ball any one knows of a kind to get

It really makes no difference on the spare ball brands. Pick whichever one you can get cheapest in a color you like.

[jab5325]

It really makes no difference on the spare ball brands. Pick whichever one you can get cheapest in a color you like.

+1

As much I love Hammer stuff, the "HAMMER TOUGH" spare ball is just as good as anything that's much much cheaper.

[Langdoj]

I use the same ball i use for strikes, i just dont put any revs on the ball and i throw it straight. I had a plastic ball in the past but prefer this way as I am not lugging around an extra ball just for spares and my spare percentage is the same.

[rocketman1964]

I use my Storm Natural urethane ball for all spares except for ones with double wood.

[Lancerdad34]

I have had the same issue the last couple of times out. I have been using plastic ( I am a lefty too) for the 6, 10 as well as the 4, 7. all season and have made most. Missed barely left on two 10's because I believe the oil was heavy in the middle. I may go back to using my strike ball for the right. Good luck to you!

Brian in MI


It's definitely a "transition".

According to Pinpal, I'm only about 60% overall since I started. But, things are picking up. The triax system seems to have helped me, or at least given me a good base.

So far though, I really like shooting only plastic at spares. It takes lane conditions almost completely out of the equation. The problem I always had, when shooting stuff on the right side, was dealing with the carry down from right-handers. It made for many a 10-pin missed left.

[Cajun]

Last time I used my Ebonite Maxim for a spare my thumb stuck and I launched the ball 25 feet down the lane....... Embarrased to say the least... I need to get the insert reamed

[JasonNJ]

have get me plastic ball any one knows of a kind to get

I like the Storm Mix, it performs exactly like a plastic ball but is a pearl urethane so it's more durable and less prone to cracking.

[NewToBowling]

I have abandoned my spare ball. I only ever used it on 10 pins. Now I use my strike ball and adjust hand. I definitely feel more comfortable with strike ball at the 10. I convert it more than not. With my spare ball it was a crap shoot. Either I converted or missed by a mile. Now I'm more consistent and if I miss it's by inches.

I know this isn't the preferred method and I would probably pay for it playing on sport or any other hard lane conditions, but for now it works for me.

[Aslan]

One thing I've noticed is that people talk about how they use a strike ball for their corner spares...because they miss with a plastic ball.

That's the equivalent of saying, "I can't accurately throw a ball straight...so I use a ball that hooks and hope it hooks just enough."

If ya can't throw a ball straight...and hit a single-pin...then you know what you have to work on...accuracy/consistency.

Saying you can't hit a target....so you'll just throw the strike ball is the equivalent of saying "It doesn't matter where I stand on the approach....because I drift +/- 6 boards." You've identified a problem...the next step is fixing the problem....not adding more problems to the equation.

Ray Zalinsky: Went a little heavy on the pine tree perfume there, kid?
Tommy: Sir, it's an taxicab air freshener.
Ray Zalinsky: Great, you've pinpointed it. Step two is washing it off.

http://cdn.hark.com/images/000/361/632/361632/original.jpg

[NewToBowling]

One thing I've noticed is that people talk about how they use a strike ball for their corner spares...because they miss with a plastic ball.

That's the equivalent of saying, "I can't accurately throw a ball straight...so I use a ball that hooks and hope it hooks just enough."

If ya can't throw a ball straight...and hit a single-pin...then you know what you have to work on...accuracy/consistency.

Saying you can't hit a target....so you'll just throw the strike ball is the equivalent of saying "It doesn't matter where I stand on the approach....because I drift +/- 6 boards." You've identified a problem...the next step is fixing the problem....not adding more problems to the equation.

Ray Zalinsky: Went a little heavy on the pine tree perfume there, kid?
Tommy: Sir, it's an taxicab air freshener.
Ray Zalinsky: Great, you've pinpointed it. Step two is washing it off.

http://cdn.hark.com/images/000/361/632/361632/original.jpg

Hey, gotta do what I feel comfortable with. And for me it's working better as mentally I'm more confident with strike ball. But I throw at the 10 pin a lot faster and with a broken wrist that it goes straight anyways. Was never fully comfortable with spare ball. Call me weird.

To me I have to do what I'm comfortable with, I have no grand illusions of joining the PBA so I'm happy with where I'm at.

[Amyers]

Hey, gotta do what I feel comfortable with. And for me it's working better as mentally I'm more confident with strike ball. But I throw at the 10 pin a lot faster and with a broken wrist that it goes straight anyways. Was never fully comfortable with spare ball. Call me weird.

To me I have to do what I'm comfortable with, I have no grand illusions of joining the PBA so I'm happy with where I'm at.

I know a few high end bowlers who use their strike ball for 10 pins but I also know a few who miss more than they should. If you can hit your target with the strike ball you should be able to hit your target with the spare ball with out having to master a different swing and release. It may be in your head NTB or you may find your more comfortable with your spare if you add a little surface to it so it doesn't squirt. It has to be easier to throw a plastic ball than it is to try and keep two different arm swings and releases down.

[jab5325]

Keeping an even foot/armswing tempo is what's important for making your target on spares. So many people take a plastic ball and try to heave it as hard as possible at a 10-pin (or 7-pin), but miss wildly because their timing is all out of whack.

Try the 3-6-9 spare system. It makes using plastic balls a breeze. Learning to shoot straight at a spare takes one variable (the oil) completely out of the equation, thus will lead to an increased percentage over the long run.

[NewToBowling]

I know a few high end bowlers who use their strike ball for 10 pins but I also know a few who miss more than they should. If you can hit your target with the strike ball you should be able to hit your target with the spare ball with out having to master a different swing and release. It may be in your head NTB or you may find your more comfortable with your spare if you add a little surface to it so it doesn't squirt. It has to be easier to throw a plastic ball than it is to try and keep two different arm swings and releases down.

And that is why I got the spare ball in the first place. But in the end I never really felt comfortable with spare ball. I'm just not a straight shooter :)

I'm actually VERY comfortable now shooting at the 10 pin with strike ball. I don't sweat it like before. Just mental I guess.

[JasonNJ]

For me, I started shooting all my spares with my spare ball about 6 months ago and it was a struggle. I was probably only 60% single pin spares for a while and I kept flopping back and forth between using my strike ball because of the frustration. About 2 months ago I finally committed to only shooting spares with the spare ball and now overall I'm 80% on single pin and improving.

But personally, I think you should shoot whatever way you think you best with. Norm Duke doesn't use a spare ball and he has said he just doesn't like the different feel of a spare ball. Although he is probably a bad example since he is one of the best bowler of all time.

Regardless of what you choose to do, the one common thing is practice practice practice.

[Aslan]

I know a few high end bowlers who use their strike ball for 10 pins but I also know a few who miss more than they should. If you can hit your target with the strike ball you should be able to hit your target with the spare ball with out having to master a different swing and release. It may be in your head NTB or you may find your more comfortable with your spare if you add a little surface to it so it doesn't squirt. It has to be easier to throw a plastic ball than it is to try and keep two different arm swings and releases down.

I'd say 100% of the time when hear these excuses...and I hear them a LOT...it's just excuses. If you are accurate...you can throw a spare ball and always, always, always it will hit the pin. The ONLY way to mess it up is to miss. Now, there's multiple ways to miss...sometimes I hit my target and still miss because I've drifted or I square my shoulders to the foul line, etc... But it's physically impossible according to the laws of the universe to miss using a plastic spare ball when you throw it directly at the pin. Unless the lanes are SOOO dry...and I mean...no oil applied in the last 2 weeks to a month...it's going to hit the pin.

That being said...I'm not "hatin"...when I miss single-pins...I too am tempted to throw that stupid plastic ball in the garbage. And I make the same excuses everyone else does (i.e. It doesn't 'feel' the same, I need to have a little bite at the end, I don't like switching balls, it messes with my rhythm, etc...) But, if I'm being honest, those are just excuses to try and talk myself into doing something I know is incorrect because I don't want to admit the truth...that I still am not skilled enough to pick up single-pin spares at a 90-95% rate.

There is some truth to using a plastic ball only for 6, 10, and 6-10 (for righties)...because left side leaves the ball is actually hooking in that direction anyways...and maybe it gives you a little more miss room than throwing straight at them. But at the end of the day, if I can't throw a plastic ball straight and hit my mark...then that's something I need to fix.

Hey...do whatever ya want...if it works better...then you're the exception to the rule and that's cool. Just be honest with yourself...because the day WILL come when you miss a crucial single-pin conversion trying to hook the ball into the pin...and then you're going to feel even worse because not only did you fail to execute...but you kinda tricked yourself into the entire situation. I deal with that all the time...when I get married to a 'system'...and then go up on the approach thinking, "You realize you should probably make a 2:1 move left. Your 'system' says to throw this shot first...but you know it's going through the nose." And then, 3 out of 4 times...it goes through the nose...and I only got myself to blame.

I bowled with a guy on my old Tuesday league. He threw 1 ball...an Ebonite Cyclone...he had great form...very consistent...great spare shooter. His only weakness...he absolutely refused to get a spare ball. He is a lefty...and he probably converted 1/3 of his single 7-pins...and he left it a LOT! He should have been averaging over 200...but he was always in the 180s. Finally, after I left the team he texted me and said, "I finally broke down and got the plastic spare ball...now I rarely miss the 7-pin!" Now he's averaging just shy of 200.

Not saying everyone should listen to me...of matter of fact...I'd say it's more of an exception than a rule...but it's still nice to be right sometimes!!

[NewToBowling]

I'd say 100% of the time when hear these excuses...and I hear them a LOT...it's just excuses. If you are accurate...you can throw a spare ball and always, always, always it will hit the pin. The ONLY way to mess it up is to miss. Now, there's multiple ways to miss...sometimes I hit my target and still miss because I've drifted or I square my shoulders to the foul line, etc... But it's physically impossible according to the laws of the universe to miss using a plastic spare ball when you throw it directly at the pin. Unless the lanes are SOOO dry...and I mean...no oil applied in the last 2 weeks to a month...it's going to hit the pin.

That being said...I'm not "hatin"...when I miss single-pins...I too am tempted to throw that stupid plastic ball in the garbage. And I make the same excuses everyone else does (i.e. It doesn't 'feel' the same, I need to have a little bite at the end, I don't like switching balls, it messes with my rhythm, etc...) But, if I'm being honest, those are just excuses to try and talk myself into doing something I know is incorrect because I don't want to admit the truth...that I still am not skilled enough to pick up single-pin spares at a 90-95% rate.

There is some truth to using a plastic ball only for 6, 10, and 6-10 (for righties)...because left side leaves the ball is actually hooking in that direction anyways...and maybe it gives you a little more miss room than throwing straight at them. But at the end of the day, if I can't throw a plastic ball straight and hit my mark...then that's something I need to fix.

Hey...do whatever ya want...if it works better...then you're the exception to the rule and that's cool. Just be honest with yourself...because the day WILL come when you miss a crucial single-pin conversion trying to hook the ball into the pin...and then you're going to feel even worse because not only did you fail to execute...but you kinda tricked yourself into the entire situation. I deal with that all the time...when I get married to a 'system'...and then go up on the approach thinking, "You realize you should probably make a 2:1 move left. Your 'system' says to throw this shot first...but you know it's going through the nose." And then, 3 out of 4 times...it goes through the nose...and I only got myself to blame.

I bowled with a guy on my old Tuesday league. He threw 1 ball...an Ebonite Cyclone...he had great form...very consistent...great spare shooter. His only weakness...he absolutely refused to get a spare ball. He is a lefty...and he probably converted 1/3 of his single 7-pins...and he left it a LOT! He should have been averaging over 200...but he was always in the 180s. Finally, after I left the team he texted me and said, "I finally broke down and got the plastic spare ball...now I rarely miss the 7-pin!" Now he's averaging just shy of 200.

Not saying everyone should listen to me...of matter of fact...I'd say it's more of an exception than a rule...but it's still nice to be right sometimes!!

I've finally learned that I can't do everything "textbook". I get that there are things that you really should follow but certain rules "can" be broken. I drift, I have a big crossover first step, I use strike as spare ball.

It boils down to comfort level for me. I've tried the "textbook" thing and honestly some of them just don't work. I've reverted back to what I feel comfortable with a heavy mix of "textbooK' bowling techniques.

No, this won't get me to the PBA but I'm really out here having fun and try not to think too much on the approach. It's a balance for me and it works. At the end the of the I'm not technical type, I go by feel for the most part.

I never played it off as an excuse, just making a statement.

[Jubalplow]

I use a spare for the 10 every time and most single pins, for mutli pin spares or 7 ill use my strike ball

[LyalC52]

with the volume of oil used in the houses I bowl at; I want a ball with some bite
I feel the plastic balls skid off line too much
I use my strike ball or a weaker reactive for all spares