For those who practice......

[Aslan]

It sounds like you've become to reliant on oil keeping for ball off the nose.

If your spare ball hooks that much, try increasing your launch angle (left to right release) to bring the destination from the 7 pin to the pocket.

The point is, I'm trying to work on my spare shooting to improve my league performance. Sure, I can move my target inside a board because the ball is going to hook...but a plastic ball ISN'T going to hook on league night...so I shouldn't have to practice a shot and a target that when league night comes around I have to change. It defeats the whole point.

People say to practice smart and effectively and not just bowl to score...yet when we try to do that (like practice left side spares)...we can't.

Oh, and I forgot...this is actually funny!!:

So, I'm practicing my left side spares. First shot at the 7-pin (usually hooked into the gutter). Second shot at the 4-pin (which usually hooked into the 7-pin).

So I do this for like 5 frames. There are 2 other guys there practicing. One kid comes over...energetic kid, you could tell he really likes to bowl...he comes walking over and says, "Hey man. Umm...if you don't mind....I see you're consistently missing left and I could give you some pointers."

I tried not to laugh...but he started telling me how not to miss left and I had to stop him and said;

Me: "I'm trying to hit left."
Him: "Well, you should try....what?"
Me: "I'm trying to hit left. I'm practicing left side spares...left side corner-pins."

The poor kid looked at me with a look of absolute dumbfoundment. He simply couldn't comprehend why I wasn't trying to strike.

That's how bad the state of affairs are with bowling. If a person is actually caught ACTUALLY PRACTICING....people will come by and ask to help them stop.

Luckily I was just practicing my left side spares. Usually I practice corner-pins by playing "low-ball". He'd have seen that and thought, "this guy is all OVER the place!"

[Amyers]

,

The point is, I'm trying to work on my spare shooting to improve my league performance. Sure, I can move my target inside a board because the ball is going to hook...but a plastic ball ISN'T going to hook on league night...so I shouldn't have to practice a shot and a target that when league night comes around I have to change. It defeats the whole point.

People say to practice smart and effectively and not just bowl to score...yet when we try to do that (like practice left side spares)...we can't.

Oh, and I forgot...this is actually funny!!:

So, I'm practicing my left side spares. First shot at the 7-pin (usually hooked into the gutter). Second shot at the 4-pin (which usually hooked into the 7-pin).

So I do this for like 5 frames. There are 2 other guys there practicing. One kid comes over...energetic kid, you could tell he really likes to bowl...he comes walking over and says, "Hey man. Umm...if you don't mind....I see you're consistently missing left and I could give you some pointers."

I tried not to laugh...but he started telling me how not to miss left and I had to stop him and said;

Me: "I'm trying to hit left."
Him: "Well, you should try....what?"
Me: "I'm trying to hit left. I'm practicing left side spares...left side corner-pins."

The poor kid looked at me with a look of absolute dumbfoundment. He simply couldn't comprehend why I wasn't trying to strike.

That's how bad the state of affairs are with bowling. If a person is actually caught ACTUALLY PRACTICING....people will come by and ask to help them stop.

Luckily I was just practicing my left side spares. Usually I practice corner-pins by playing "low-ball". He'd have seen that and thought, "this guy is all OVER the place!"

I've actually had that happen. I was playing low ball and a guy comes over and tells me if I'd roll the ball down the middle I would have better luck.

[Aslan]

,

I've actually had that happen. I was playing low ball and a guy comes over and tells me if I'd roll the ball down the middle I would have better luck.

It's like seeing a guy on a bicycle and suggesting that he purchase a car.

[billf]

Your plastic ball hooks when shooting spares. Wood lanes? Low ball speed? Extremely rev dominant?
I've seen many post stating plastic hooking when going for spares. I've never really seen it myself. I bowl on wood but have a high ball speed for spares.

[billf]

Also, one-step, foul line and release drills don't require oil

[J Anderson]

Your plastic ball hooks when shooting spares. Wood lanes? Low ball speed? Extremely rev dominant?
I've seen many post stating plastic hooking when going for spares. I've never really seen it myself. I bowl on wood but have a high ball speed for spares.

In my experience, at my local center, it's possible to throw straight down the 8 board and make a polyester ball hook into the pocket. And no, the lanes aren't wood, ball speed is around 15mph according to the monitor and I don't think I'm anywhere near rev dominant.

[billf]

In my experience, at my local center, it's possible to throw straight down the 8 board and make a polyester ball hook into the pocket. And no, the lanes aren't wood, ball speed is around 15mph according to the monitor and I don't think I'm anywhere near rev dominant.

That's a seriously worn in track. Guardian overlays?

[Aslan]

Your plastic ball hooks when shooting spares. Wood lanes? Low ball speed? Extremely rev dominant?
I've seen many post stating plastic hooking when going for spares. I've never really seen it myself. I bowl on wood but have a high ball speed for spares.

My ball speed for spares is between 17-19 at the pins. And my rev rate is probably just a bit higher now than the 258 in my signature...I haven't checked it since switching arsenals but I know it's went up.

I switched to plastic after losing a VBT game because my "spare ball" (Slingshot) hit the outside and then hooked left of the 10-pin. And 99.7% of the time...my plastic ball doesn't hook either (not with a lower than average rev rate and 18mph). But that's how DRY the lanes were. It's California, it's hot, oil evaporates...they don't oil the lanes for 2 days...believe me...your plastic ball can and WILL hook. Coverstocks are important...but they can't overpower the physical laws of the universe.

[Amyers]

On wood lanes I can hook my plastic spare ball if the lanes are dry with ease. If their is much dry at all I have to physically try not to hook the ball and still have it hook sometimes. It's not as much of an issue on the synthetics here but I've still seen it happen. This is playing across the lane too not just throwing it down the right side. I do have lower ball speed though.