Well...I gotta say...in the past 7 days, I've bowled 3 clean games (I had one before this past week) my highest series ever (607), and 2 of my top 5 best series (530,540).
So what changes have I made?
1) Stopped wearing my wrist support.
2) Stopped throwing a plastic spare ball.
3) Had my thumb hole widened a little.
Now, I'm not saying those are the reasons...I don't know. It could be coincidence, especially concerning the wrist support. And the widening of the thumb hole may be the "biggest" contributer because it's really took a weight off my shoulders of constantly worrying that my thumb was going to stick.
But throwing just the one strike ball seems to be working. Now I have a new ball for synthetics/heavy oil; so I'll use a "spare ball"...but it'll be my 15lb resin ball...not a purely straight on plastic ball. And for splits where I need a straight on shot...I just flatten my wrist...straight as an arrow. I'm not saying it's for everyone...or even most people...but for me, it just really simplifies the game to throw one ball. Same grip...same weight...same motion...same feel....just move laterally...
Could be coincidence or a combo effect...but since making those changes, not only am I striking more (less need to shoot at spares) but my spare conversion rate has went from a 20-60% to more in the 40-80% range.
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
Aslan- I tend to be better on my spares without a wrist guard, but I'm a lot better on a 10 pin with my spare ball. For everything other than the 6 or 10 I use my strike ball. Sadly I'm stuck in the wrist guard, but I still bowl on average a clean game a week. Would probably average a bit higher if not for pocket 7-10 splits and 8-10 splits.
Like I've said before...I think it greatly depends on each person's strike game. If you're throwing thumbless or heavy hook/cranker...with an amped up ball...that 10 or 6-10 could be an issue. Thats why I don't think it's a "universal truth" that anyone can just throw one ball. I do think it's more possible than some people will have you believe...some people just have to have a "spare ball" or they feel like the world is upside down...even if their strike ball is relatively straight. I bet there are people out there throwing a Columbia WD as a strike ball and a different color Columbia WD as their "spare ball"...thats how addicted I think some bowlers are to the concept.Originally Posted by tr33frog
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
I can buy that. I'm using a 24 year old peal blue hammer as my spare ball. I've tried to use in the past as a strike ball in terribly dry situations, but it loves the 10 pin so much that it left it every dang time it hit the pocket. Move forward, backward, over, just didn't matter, 10 pin, 10 pin, 10 pin. On the plus side, I didn't have to switch balls to pick them up, lol.
i can see that. Sometimes i leave my spare at home to get some quality time with my strike balls for practice. During league i always use my spare ball especially for 10 pins because i dont want to take the chance of my flat hand turning even a little bit causing a strike ball to hook left of the 10 pin
I am a proud member of Bowlingboards.com bowling Forums
Storm Crossroad, Roto Grip Defiant, DV8 Too Reckless, Brunswick Avalanche Urethane
Ball Speed: 18Mph
Rev Rate: 450
Current average: 199
High game: 300
High Series: 769
For me...and again, I think it varies for each person...but at 19mph bowling across the middle of the oil (from left to right)...my ball won't hook enough to miss the 10-pin. Actually, it's minor hook helps because if I miss a little right...it'll hit the drier part of the right side of the lane and come back just a little to hit the pin instead of the gutter.
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
I think Mr Anderson has some of the best advice!! Iceman couldn't put it any better!! If you get good at shooting straight, then you WILL SEE your Spares improve! I have learned to throw spares with my palm UP! Gives the ball a straight role, and thus makes hitting the 10 pin a lot more times! I still need to HIT THE MARK!! LOL
As J mentioned, its a HUGE ADVANTAGE on SPORTS patterns throwing the ball straight without hook! You take the oil out of the equation!
Don't walk on Thin Ice!
From Rob Mautner's Bowling Coach website...
Let me take this opportunity to talk about the inclusion of a plastic spare ball in a small arsenal. Virtually every time I bowl I see bowlers missing spares because they insist that they are just as accurate “flattening out” a reactive ball as they are using a plastic spare ball. To this let me respond that there are very, very few professional bowlers who choose to do this, a those guys are a lot more consistent with a lot more hand positions, and a whole lot more ball speed than these “old school” league bowlers. Now that I have offended a whole lot of bowlers out there, let me add that there is another reason to carry a plastic spare ball; one that most bowlers don’t even consider. Everyone once in a while, even the best bowler may find himself totally lost on a pair of lanes. This often happens when bowling on the end pairs in most any bowling center. In those instances, using your plastic spare ball for your strike shot can be a viable option. Consider this, even with maximum loss of carry, if you are accurate you can get a plastic ball to the pocket, pick up your single pin spares, and bowl a very comfortable 190-200 game. Isn’t this preferable to struggling to find a shot that isn’t there and bowling 160 with lots of splits?
Link to full article...
http://www.modern-bowling.com/Bowlin...-Vegas-NV.html
Learn it. Know it. Live it. -Brad Hamilton
Proud Member of BowlingBoards.com Bowling Forums
14's Deadly Aim, First Blood, HyRoad Pearl, Tropical Breeze, Rising Star, Maxim Spare
I shoulve linked aslan to rob earlier. He pretty much answers and goes against all of aslans old school thinking that i dont have answers for because im no coachFrom Rob Mautner's Bowling Coach website...
Let me take this opportunity to talk about the inclusion of a plastic spare ball in a small arsenal. Virtually every time I bowl I see bowlers missing spares because they insist that they are just as accurate “flattening out” a reactive ball as they are using a plastic spare ball. To this let me respond that there are very, very few professional bowlers who choose to do this, a those guys are a lot more consistent with a lot more hand positions, and a whole lot more ball speed than these “old school” league bowlers. Now that I have offended a whole lot of bowlers out there, let me add that there is another reason to carry a plastic spare ball; one that most bowlers don’t even consider. Everyone once in a while, even the best bowler may find himself totally lost on a pair of lanes. This often happens when bowling on the end pairs in most any bowling center. In those instances, using your plastic spare ball for your strike shot can be a viable option. Consider this, even with maximum loss of carry, if you are accurate you can get a plastic ball to the pocket, pick up your single pin spares, and bowl a very comfortable 190-200 game. Isn’t this preferable to struggling to find a shot that isn’t there and bowling 160 with lots of splits?
Link to full article...
http://www.modern-bowling.com/Bowlin...-Vegas-NV.html
Learn it. Know it. Live it. -Brad Hamilton
I am a proud member of Bowlingboards.com bowling Forums
Storm Crossroad, Roto Grip Defiant, DV8 Too Reckless, Brunswick Avalanche Urethane
Ball Speed: 18Mph
Rev Rate: 450
Current average: 199
High game: 300
High Series: 769
I know absolutely ZERO bowlers that would actually do that. I agree with him on that point…but given the ego-mania that bowling has become…nobody other than those that only throw one plastic ball (usually newer players or the very old) will ever put their strike ball away…they'll throw a 99 and switch to 3-5 different strike balls before ever even considering a plastic ball as a strike ball.
In Bag: (: .) Zen Master Solid; (: .) Perfect Mindset; (: .) Brunswick Endeavor; (: .) Outer Limits Pearl; (: .) Ebonite Maxim
USBC#: 8259-59071; USBC Sanctioned Average = 192; Lifetime Average = 172;
Ball Speed: 14.7mph; Rev. Rate: 240rpm || High Game (sanc.) = 300 (268); High Series (sanc.) = 725 (720); Clean Games: 198
Smokey this is not 'Nam', this is bowling. There are rules. Proud two-time winner of a bowlingboards.com weekly ball give-away!
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