Spare Balls

[MICHAEL]

Unless its the ten pin, I usually throw my strike ball, which at the present time is Two Undefeated balls! Each drilled differantly. I have pretty good luck doing it that way, but I notice the oil conditon of the alley can really throw me a curve somtimes. Not dive over because of heavy oil in middle or down the lane. Do you think its better to stick with the plastic ball and always go the direct route to the spare, rather then play the big hook into it? It seems to me some times playing a hook into a two pin sleeper is very forgiving if your,,, for example,,, a right handed person you can aim for the right side of the two pins and the hook will get it witout hitting it head on like most sleepers!

Again the gamble is will the oil keep the ball from taking on a angle shot into the the typical two pin sleeper situation.

Should I stick with the plastic for all spares and miss some due to oil, or would I be better off just sticking with the plastic for all spares.

[billf]

I use plastic almost exclusively on spares, even sleepers. If need be I will hook it some for 2-8s, 3-9s. Use it for the 1,2,4,7,10 also when I screw up and leave it.

[martin]

my spare ball is generally for pins 6 and 10 only.. sometimes the 9 (the only pin where i sometimes use hook ball and sometimes use spare ball).. all other pins, i hook it..

[MICHAEL]

The only pin I had CHRONIC, HABITUAL, CONFIRMED problems with was the 10 pin. I have been using my Alien, that use to Hook like a no-bodies-bussiness!! I have taken it to the sauna with with me at the YMCA, looked kind of (strange) me in my bathing suit, ant a 15 lb red alien on two towels beside me, but it seemed to work. Lucky for me I didn't have to purchase a membership for the Alien. Have had it sanded ect... even had a good friend that can crank the ball with high rev's. ,,, and nothing!! It has on a
1 to 10, hook flare what ever at the end of the alley,,,, a 3 maybe compared to other balls. Only good thing is it has just enough grab that when I throw it at the 10 it grabs
the edge and straitens out and get it. I use to get it maby 30 percent of the time. Now maybe in the 70 to 90 percent range.... some night better then other.

[TheSheibs]

I'm a lefty and I use the same ball for my first and to pick up spares. For your problem with getting the ten pin, I think of how I get the 7 pin. I stand all the way to the right and throw it over the middle arrow. I also throw it at such an angle that it curves back to hit the pin. I would think that if you stood to the far left side and through over an arrow, depending on how much curve the ball has, you would be able to have the ball curve back enough to hit the 10 pin. If you can pick up the 9 pin then your really close and just need to move your mark over a little bit to hit the 10 pin. There really is no need for a second "spare" ball. My grandfather bowled for 60 years or so and only used one ball. A good bowler can pick up any single pin with the same ball that they throw for a strike. He doesn't need a "special" ball for picking up spares. It's all about consistency. If you hit the mark you are aiming for, you will get the 10 pin everytime. I can get botht he 7 and 10 pin anytime in any lane conditions because I know what my ball is going to do and I know where I need to hit to get those pins.

[billf]

I'm a lefty and I use the same ball for my first and to pick up spares. For your problem with getting the ten pin, I think of how I get the 7 pin. I stand all the way to the right and throw it over the middle arrow. I also throw it at such an angle that it curves back to hit the pin. I would think that if you stood to the far left side and through over an arrow, depending on how much curve the ball has, you would be able to have the ball curve back enough to hit the 10 pin. If you can pick up the 9 pin then your really close and just need to move your mark over a little bit to hit the 10 pin. There really is no need for a second "spare" ball. My grandfather bowled for 60 years or so and only used one ball. A good bowler can pick up any single pin with the same ball that they throw for a strike. He doesn't need a "special" ball for picking up spares. It's all about consistency. If you hit the mark you are aiming for, you will get the 10 pin everytime. I can get botht he 7 and 10 pin anytime in any lane conditions because I know what my ball is going to do and I know where I need to hit to get those pins.

Would that be any single pin spare on any lane condition?

[eugene02]

Would that be any single pin spare on any lane condition?

or just a single pin spare on your bowling alley?

[TheSheibs]

I would say any single pin any alley. It shouldn't matter what the lane conditions are or oil pattern. The oil pattern starts to go away with the more times a ball goes over it. IF you are consistent and hit your mark every time, you should be able to hit any single pin anywhere you bowl. For example look at the pros. They are on a different lane every weekend and can still hit their mark, get strikes, and pick up one pin spares. They also are very consistent and accurate. Not to mention know exactly how to pickup anything they encounter. That is what a good bowler is, consistent.

[billf]

But you use the same ball, 99.9% of the pros do not. Are you suggesting that you can hook a ball at any single pin spare with any lane condition and consistently convert at a high rate?
I'm not trying to antagonize just not sure we are on the same page. Other than WRWJr who has a career spare percentage over 90% and the legendary Earl Anthony I can't think of another who could be so blase about converting spares.

[eugene02]

I would say any single pin any alley. It shouldn't matter what the lane conditions are or oil pattern. The oil pattern starts to go away with the more times a ball goes over it. IF you are consistent and hit your mark every time, you should be able to hit any single pin anywhere you bowl. For example look at the pros. They are on a different lane every weekend and can still hit their mark, get strikes, and pick up one pin spares. They also are very consistent and accurate. Not to mention know exactly how to pickup anything they encounter. That is what a good bowler is, consistent.

that's good than! really good!