Graaille

I should state up front that the only time you should hook it at any spare, is if you have a pretty good idea where the oil line and/or breakpoint is. If you are unsure for any reason, then it is better in the long run to use the straight shot, even on clusters with sleepers. For example, you are moving several pairs after each game in a tournament and after a move you leave a 2-5-8 in the first frame. You pulled your first shot and it skidded all the way and barely hit the headpin. Sound familiar? Now, because you did not make a good first shot, you can't really adjust off of that shot to throw a hook at the spare. If you move too far right, you might chop it. You don't know how far out the oil extends, so if you don't move enough, it won't get up to the 2-pin. In either case, you can't deliver the next shot with confidence, so your chances will be much better by just lining up and throwing straight at it. You can deliver this shot with confidence because you have practiced it countless times, right?

Okay. Let's get on to the spares.

These are spares that can be hooked at at least 50 percent of the time:
* 2-pin, 8-pin, 3-pin, 9-pin (It?s dangerous to try to go to school on these)
* 1-pin & 5-pin (You can go to school on these)
* 1-2-4 (for righties), 1-3-6 (for lefties)

These are spares you should almost always attempt with a hook (again, assuming you are confident where the breakpoint is):
* All multiple pin spares with a sleeper Ex: 2-8,3-6-9-10 or 2-4-5-8
* For righties (opposite for lefties) 1-2,1-2-8, 1-2-4-7-,1-2-7, 2-4, 2-4-7,5-8,3-5, 6-9,
5-7 split, 2-7 split, 3-9-10 split, 3-6-7-9-10 split

These are spares you should almost always attempt with a straight ball:
* (either hand)-7, 10, 4, 4-7, 6, 6-10, 6-9-10, 4-7-8
* (righties only)-2-4-5, 3-5-6,2 ?5, 3-6-10& 3-6,
* (lefties only)-3-5 & 2-4, 2-4-7

* All washouts
* 2-7 split (lefties), 3-10 split (righties) ,
* 5-10 split (for righties), 5-7 split (for lefties)

The only other split I want to discuss here is what I think is the most overrated split: The 2-4-8-10 for right-handers. This split is very makeable if you play it with a hook from the far outside. Try to hit it thin on the left. Today's balls will deflect more than enough for the 4 to hit the 8 and the 2 will take out the 10. I only see about 10% of bowlers try to make this spare. Unless you need 3 of them to win a match in the 10th frame, you should try to convert this one.

Another spare I feel deserves some special attention is the pro washout. The 1-2-4-6-10 for righties, the opposite for lefties. This is one of those 'leaves of the 90s' that we hardly ever saw before reactive urethane. I often see very good bowlers trying to go between the 1 and the 3. I think this is a mistake. If you play it this way, you can make a perfect shot and still miss it. You have to get a lucky bounce off one wall or the other to convert it. If you play it to the left of headpin (righties), you can be off just a little and still make it. The percentages are just too great to play it any other way. I know some will disagree, but that?s the way I feel.
Finally, I hope you have found something in these three articles to help you be a better spare shooter. Please try to have the same attitude about spare shooting that GBOTs do. Remember to ?save those doubles?. Try to make time to practice throwing it straight until you develop confidence in your ability to do so. Remember, you don?t have to be perfect. And lastly, remember it isn?t a test of your spare shooting versus mine or Walter Ray's or anybody else's. Your goal should be to be the best spare shooter and therefore the best bowler that you can be.