Do you use Plastic or High Performance BALL for SPARES??

[MICHAEL]

I know jason is learning to throw the plastic for all spares, He explained that the reason was to eliminate the various oil patterens from the equation! That makes sense to me, but I find being a right hander, that my strike ball, (high performance ball), is much more forgiving on most spares including ones with sleepers. On sleepers I always aim off to the right of target, and I have a wider range of error do to the hook. I know with the plastic, it seems, with a sleeper, you better be RIGHT ON STRAIGHT~ So in the long run is it better to practice with plastic, and go right at the pins, or play your hook into the spare shot!
What do most pros do?

[bowl1820]

When shooting spares, you should use a combination of both balls and practice with both.

The plastic spare ball is great for single pin spares, but a hooking ball sometimes can better for double wood spares.

Example the sleeper while you can pick it up with a straight ball, there is a risk of deflection off the front pin. The same can be said about the Bucket leave (2-4-5-8 or 3-5-6-9). With these a hooking ball would do better, because they wouldn't deflect as much.

Spares like splits can go either way, like the baby split (3-10). A straight ball can be better here, it depends on deflection.the ball Hitting the 3 and deflecting into the 10. While you can pick it up with a hooking ball, you run the risk of chopping the 3 off or hooking inbetween the 3 & 10 (the ball will fit in between the pins).

[MICHAEL]

That's my thoughts on the subject also! But does Jason have a point!? Is it better to learn the plastic BECAUSE of the UNPREDICTABLE path on Sport Oil Patterns! I am learning that spares can be tricky when throwing your Strike ball/High performance, on other then house patterns! I know on house patterns the combination of plastic and High performance ball works great. I Have noticed that Belmonte,,, throws a white plastic ball on ALL spares. So I guess the answer is practice with both!! thanks! question: Have you ever seen Belmo (not sure of the spelling) throw anything but a white plastic ball for spares? ((((((NOT that he has to throw that many (:)! )))))

[MICHAEL]

Good point on the 3/10 I discovered that yesterday while bowling with Jason!! Its better to throw a non hooking ball, stand left and throw across the lanes and have it deflect off of the 3 pin toward the 10! I learning this sport! I can honestly say after working two jobs most of my life, Teaching in the Iron works, and putting up buildings/bridges/towers ect... That I find MUCH PLEASURE it my discovery of the Science of Bowling!!!

[billf]

Belmonte used the white plastic "Team Storm" ball last year. Either the year before or maybe the year before that, he threw a yellow plastic ball.
Watch the TV finals for the past few years. In the finals you won't see the top pro's hooking at spares other than double wood (2-8,3-9,1-5). Jason is correct, going straighter and with plastic takes the oil pattern(s) out of the equation. This is especially true if you have never bowled that pattern before. I stopped hooking at spares just over 18 months ago and my conversion percentage and average have gone up.

The double wood spares, I will at times hook the plastic. It can cover fewer boards and makes them easier to pick up. I've tried them straight but the deflection usually gets me unless my speed is high.

[Etrain]

i use a plastic for my right side spares like my 9 and 10

[MICHAEL]

Thanks bill,,,, that makes sense to me!! I appreciate your taking to time to school this late starter!! (:)

[kev3inp]

It depends on what spare it is. I use my plastic ball for all single pin spares on either side of the lane, 4, 6, 7, 10, and for baby splits. For double wood I have to hook at it to pick them up. For example, the 2, 8, I move 4 boards right with my feet and hit my strike ball mark. (I'm lefty.) For the other side double I move 5 left and hit my strike mark, since I kind of expect it won't hook as much through the oil in the middle.

[striker12]

i normaly only use my plastic ball for when im throwing at splits and the 10 and 7 pins everything els ei use to strike ball but i change how i throw it soo i dont get a big hook but a little one and something i will throw my entry lvl ball (c300 freeze) soo i get alitte hook at the 10pins but it jsut comes down too witch ball i want to throw and how the lanes are cause if there too much oil like heavy heavy oil on the lanes i cant throw my plstic ball or it will slid right when i throw at the 10 pins and slid left if i throw it at the 7 pins

[MICHAEL]

I agree Striker12, each spare shoot depends on many things, and my decision is based on THAT day, and THAT alley condition, and what combination of pins I am going for. Sometimes I use plastic, but more often then not I use my strike ball. NOW if I started playing sport oil patterens,,, I might change my thoughts on which ball to use, and it might be SAFER to learn the straight plastic shoot, on many that I would usually use my strike ball! But then what do I know!?? I am learning!!

[JerseyJim]

I pretty much use plastic whenever shooting spares. I might go after the bucket, 2-4-5-8 with my strike ball, however why do I want to put the extra mileage on my $200 ball, when I can do the job with a $90 polyester ball?