quick question (probably dumb too)

[boomer]

hopefully covered with a shirt

speak for yourself! LOL

[J Daisy]

I have personally only wiped down each of my bowling balls a few times, just if I happen to actually see or feel oil on it. Should I start a routine of wiping them down more frequently, like every 10th frame or something? Would it make a difference?

[J Anderson]

I have personally only wiped down each of my bowling balls a few times, just if I happen to actually see or feel oil on it. Should I start a routine of wiping them down more frequently, like every 10th frame or something? Would it make a difference?

There is a school of thought that says you should wipe reactive resin balls after every shot to minimize the amount of oil absorbed. The idea is that this wiping combined with cleaning the ball before leaving the alley when finished with your bowling will delay the ball from becoming saturated with oil. In most leagues, especially the more social ones, there is so much time between frames that most of the oil will have soaked in before you can wipe it off. The only difference that anyone can guaranty is that you will be less likely to get lane oil on your clothing if you wipe the ball off every time you pick it up.

[J Daisy]

There is a school of thought that says you should wipe reactive resin balls after every shot to minimize the amount of oil absorbed. The idea is that this wiping combined with cleaning the ball before leaving the alley when finished with your bowling will delay the ball from becoming saturated with oil. In most leagues, especially the more social ones, there is so much time between frames that most of the oil will have soaked in before you can wipe it off. The only difference that anyone can guaranty is that you will be less likely to get lane oil on your clothing if you wipe the ball off every time you pick it up.

Interesting. Thanks.

[Aslan]

1) One of my two "de-merits" (or whatever those warnings are you get from Bowl1820 when you're "bad") was for criticizing a post for being dumb...so I couldn't say that even if it were true. And, ironically, that was a post about the advantages of one bowling towel over another.

2) The short answer is "no".

3) Most of the use of the towel is to wipe off dirt, grime, dust...stufff the ball picks up other than oil...which gets absorbed in modern balls.

4) Longer answer...even IF you intended to leave some oil on the ball to make up for drier lanes...you wouldn't necessarily want to leave it on your track.

Most of "towel usage" or lack there of is nothing more than routine and good ball maintenance. Guys who make money at this stuff used to use towels and pads and cleaners and solvents to cheat and give themselves an edge...but that has been phased out with multiple rule changes over the years from eliminating "soaking" up until more recent changes banning use of cleaners during game play. I know, for me, I feel 'weird' if I forget my towel. I've bought many a towel at the pro shop...for way too much money...even though I have a stack of them in my garage....just because I hate bowling without one. But, do they "do" anything? Probably not. And certainly nothing more than I could do by just concentrating a little more or fixing any number of the flaws in my game.

As I 'think' Rob would agree with me on...if the lanes are telling you that you have a ball that is too strong for the lane conditions...you need to move inside or use a different ball. There are other "adjustments" (speed, release, etc...)...but I wouldn't recommend those unless you have exhausted moving inside and ball changes.