Do pros use a plastic ball for all spare leaves?

[Hammer]

Me being a lefty anything left of the 5 pin I use my Blue Hammer urethane ball as my spare ball. From the 5 pin right I use my Raw Hammer Anger ball for those spares. I could feel the folks here cringing and grinding their teeth and thinking is this guy nuts or what? I know I should use a plastic ball for all spares but I have been doing this for a long time and am comfortable with it. Plus I bowl on a THS
pattern at the same house for years so I know their alleys. I have gotten as high as a 191 average and have had times where all three league games were clean and sometimes all three games were above 200. My highest scratch series was 710 for three games. My highest game was a 274 or 276. I had all strikes but a spare in the 8th frame. That Blue Hammer urethane ball is a good spare ball. I can give it no hook when needed or some hook on some spares. When I can't controll the Anger ball when the lanes break down I use the Blue for the strike ball and the spare ball. The Blue is a great go to ball on worn out patterns.

[bowl1820]

Me being a lefty anything left of the 5 pin I use my Blue Hammer urethane ball as my spare ball. ............ I could feel the folks here cringing and grinding their teeth and thinking is this guy nuts or what?

No cringing or grinding....

Using a polished urethane ball as a spare ball is a viable alternative and it can do double duty as a dry lane ball.

[classygranny]

When we were at the WSOB in Vegas in October, most spares were being picked up with a plastic ball. I can't remember which patterns we watched but we were there for qualifying rounds on Sun, Mon, and Tues. BowlerRob2 is correct that most were using a hook at double wood. Also, the buckets seemed to be one of personal choice, as well as the 2-10 split or a combination thereof.

Since my coach is attempting to get me to shoot all my spares with plastic except double wood, I paid very close attention to the Pros while we were watching...and, guess what - the higher scoring games came mostly by those using plastic for all spares.

Of course, he indicates, that if I never care to shoot at anything but my THSs, then go ahead and hook at the left side (I'm a righty) and use the plastic on the right. Of course, this is what I am more comfortable with, but I swear I am going to go all out after the first of the year and go with plastic on all. There, I said it, thus, I must DO IT.

Although, I will be the first to admit, that the other night I'm not sure what was going on with the lanes, they were different than normal and I felt very lost in the first game. It was actually nerve-wracking to think about getting up there to shoot a 7-pin off my strike line (WHAT STRIKELINE?) like I am so convinced I am comfortable doing. After doing that a few frames in the first game, I promised myself to find more time to practice "plastic ball spare shooting"!

[MICHAEL]

No cringing or grinding....

Using a polished urethane ball as a spare ball is a viable alternative and it can do double duty as a dry lane ball.

I agree 100 percent, I polish my sling shot, and use it as a spare! Its very forgiving many times if I throw it a little short, it holds on and gets that pesky 10 pin!! I also have learn to throw it palm UP!! roles end over end... and with speed, does not hook much at all! (it does have a ever so slight, VERY slight move to the left even with the palm up!)

Urethane is a great ball for spares 2!!

[Hammer]

When I mentioned the cringing and grinding of teeth I meant when I am using my Raw Hammer Anger ball for spares that are from the
5 pin and to the right. I guess that I have bowled so long in this house on their THS pattern that I am just use to doing it that way. If I went to a plastic ball to pick up pins from the 5 to the right I would have to retrain myself to pick those up with plastic. I do okay with the way I do it now so I will just stick with what I am use to.

[Aslan]

This topic gives me a migraine.

[J Anderson]

When I mentioned the cringing and grinding of teeth I meant when I am using my Raw Hammer Anger ball for spares that are from the
5 pin and to the right. I guess that I have bowled so long in this house on their THS pattern that I am just use to doing it that way. If I went to a plastic ball to pick up pins from the 5 to the right I would have to retrain myself to pick those up with plastic. I do okay with the way I do it now so I will just stick with what I am use to.

Hey, if it works for you, it works. While I'm sure that every pro shop would like to see every league bowler walking in with at least two balls, one of them being a spare shooting ball, not everyone needs to do this.

As a coach, I think that every bowler needs a spare shooting strategy so they can shoot their spares with at least as much confidence as they throw the first ball. Mine is basically to use a plastic ball for almost everything using the third arrow as my target and knowing where to stand for each key pin. My teammate just uses his strike ball and target, moving his feet slightly, and throwing much faster for the 6 and 10 pins, slower for the 4 and 7.

As long as the system lets you make an acceptable percentage of spares, it doesn't matter what you're throwing to do it. If you are a once a week, just for the fun of it bowler, you may be happy with anything over 50%. If you aspire to the more challenging leagues or the ones where more money is on the line, you need to be better than 90% on single pin and simple multi-pin spares.

[dnhoffman]

No cringing or grinding....

Using a polished urethane ball as a spare ball is a viable alternative and it can do double duty as a dry lane ball.

I actually recommend buying urethane for a spare ball now because the polyester balls crack and chip (especially around the fingers) so easily.

For an extra $10 a Storm Mix gives a ton more life than my crappy white dot (RIP).

[Aslan]

I actually recommend buying urethane for a spare ball now because the polyester balls crack and chip (especially around the fingers) so easily.

I actually agree with dnhoff here. While I certainly don't share the enthusiasm for the modern obsession with large "ARSEnals"…and think (cringe and grind as you will) most new players should be taught to pick up spares with lateral movement and adjustments rather than switch to a "spare ball"…if you ARE going to go down that road…why not get a cheap urethane over a cheap plastic?? The point is to get a ball that goes straight right? Urethane doesn't hook any more than plastic does and I think most people prefer the feel of urethane to plastic.

[classygranny]

I actually agree with dnhoff here. While I certainly don't share the enthusiasm for the modern obsession with large "ARSEnals"…and think (cringe and grind as you will) most new players should be taught to pick up spares with lateral movement and adjustments rather than switch to a "spare ball"…if you ARE going to go down that road…why not get a cheap urethane over a cheap plastic?? The point is to get a ball that goes straight right? Urethane doesn't hook any more than plastic does and I think most people prefer the feel of urethane to plastic.

Sorry, but I disagree. I would say to ALL new bowlers...learn to pick up spares with a spare ball. It's one of the things I so wish I had learned early on, as sometimes he transition at this age is difficult at best!