Arsenal

[Timmyb]

Okay, I'm likely to ruffle a feather or two here, but There's something I've never been able to wrap my head around. I have 3 balls (outside of a spare) in my arsenal. One doesn't even make it with me during the week, simply because I don't want to lug an extra 20 pounds due to my shoulder. I see guys with 2, 3, or 4, times the arsenal I have. I can hold a 210-ish average on any house shot using the same ball all night. I'm not trying to slap myself on the back, just noting this. Is there something to be said for learning to use the same ball? Is there confusion that sets in when you bring 6 pieces of equipment with you, and try all of them? Maybe it's how I was introduced to the sport some 50-odd years ago, but I never even started bring more than one "main" ball until about 5 years ago, and one always seems to stay in the bag. Inquiring minds want to know.

[SRB57]

Okay, I'm likely to ruffle a feather or two here, but There's something I've never been able to wrap my head around. I have 3 balls (outside of a spare) in my arsenal. One doesn't even make it with me during the week, simply because I don't want to lug an extra 20 pounds due to my shoulder. I see guys with 2, 3, or 4, times the arsenal I have. I can hold a 210-ish average on any house shot using the same ball all night. I'm not trying to slap myself on the back, just noting this. Is there something to be said for learning to use the same ball? Is there confusion that sets in when you bring 6 pieces of equipment with you, and try all of them? Maybe it's how I was introduced to the sport some 50-odd years ago, but I never even started bring more than one "main" ball until about 5 years ago, and one always seems to stay in the bag. Inquiring minds want to know.

I am with you on this one. I take four ball with me to league 1 weak asymmetrical 1 strong asymmetrical 1 weaker symmetrical and a plastic spare ball. On the house shot I am on it's a matter of keeping the ball in that one area and following the transition. I see guys dragging in 2 3 ball rollers which would be confusing to me. But to each there own. I just try to be accurate on hitting my spot and hope I carry (don't have the speed or power I once had). Plus make your spares!!! I watched a guy on the other team miss 5 ten pins last night. Don't get me wrong I will switch if I don't see the ball going through the pins right on a good shot but for the most part use one ball all night and chase it in. Steve

[Aslan]

It depends how people assemble an arsenal or if they choose to have one at all.

A lot of guys show up with one ball in an old 1970s single-ball bag. Most "fun league" bowlers either have one or two balls at most.

Most competitive bowlers choose to bring 6 (5 strike and a spare) because they carry two 3-ball tournament roller bags and thats how many fit. Other guys carry 4 (3 strike and a spare) because they have a 4-ball roller bag. I think most people limit what they bring to the bags they use. It's a pain to bring more balls than you have ball space for in your bag(s). I only do that if I'm bowling in a longer tournament. Likewise, most guys will fill whatever bag(s) they have.

I have a 4-ball roller and a joey so I have a 5-ball capacity. A 6-ball roller bag was enormously expensive and too big to carry up and down stairs. I've thought of going to two 3-ball rollers...but I live in the Midwest now where snow is an issue and those 3-ball tournament bags tend to have smaller wheels and don't do well outside. Besides, I "usually" only go through 3 strike balls and a spare ball. I rarely use the 5th ball I bring. I doubt I'd ever use a 6th ball. There's just not enough time in practice to go though that many options and lanes generally don't transition that much to go through 5 strike balls in 3 games on 2 lanes...even with 5-man teams.

[Cdolcejr]

Okay, I'm likely to ruffle a feather or two here, but There's something I've never been able to wrap my head around. I have 3 balls (outside of a spare) in my arsenal. One doesn't even make it with me during the week, simply because I don't want to lug an extra 20 pounds due to my shoulder. I see guys with 2, 3, or 4, times the arsenal I have. I can hold a 210-ish average on any house shot using the same ball all night. I'm not trying to slap myself on the back, just noting this. Is there something to be said for learning to use the same ball? Is there confusion that sets in when you bring 6 pieces of equipment with you, and try all of them? Maybe it's how I was introduced to the sport some 50-odd years ago, but I never even started bring more than one "main" ball until about 5 years ago, and one always seems to stay in the bag. Inquiring minds want to know.

I like to be prepared for all situations, so I bring 4 balls (3 strike balls and a spare) with me on any given night. Not only is that how many I can fit in my bag, but I also believe you don’t really need more than that for a typical league night on a THS unless you’re bowling on a second shift or something like that.

Two of my strike balls are strong; one is a dull solid in case the lanes are tight, and one is shiny pearl in case the lanes are hooking. One of these stays in the bag all night depending on the lane conditions. My third strike ball is a solid, shiny, and “weaker” ball that I pull out if Ball 1 or 2 lose their carry.

What ball I use and how many balls I use on a given night is dictated by the lanes and how they are playing. If I’m in Game 3 and still using Ball 1 with good results, I’ll probably finish the night with it. I don’t usually use more than 2 strike balls per night. I consider that overkill unless the lanes are playing very strange.

Most people that bring and use a lot of balls in league are trying to substitute equipment for skill. They will change balls on a whim if things aren’t working. In my opinion, it’s much less expensive to practice and learn how to make your ball do different things rather than buying a ton of balls. If you are versatile enough, you might be able to stick with the same ball all night.

[boatman37]

I have a 4 ball roller so fill it just so it won't be unbalanced but 90% of the nights only come out of the bag...my Uppercut for fresh, my Igniter for when they start to dry up and my spare ball. The other is a polished ball in case they get extreme. I do have another 4 ball roller that stays at the center that is full. The only reason I have 2 is that the old one's handle broke so I just leave it there with my old balls in it. I have 2 more aggressive balls with more surface in there in case I enter a sport shot tournament and have 2 weaker balls with less surface but those 4 rarely ever come out of the bag. In fact I probably haven't thrown any of those in about a year. If I had all 8 out every night I would be so lost and confused...lol

[RobLV1]

Note to everyone:

How about thinking about your bowling balls in terms of rolling early or going long, rather than weak or strong. Our society tells us that strong is good and weak is bad. In terms of bowling, there is no weak ball or strong ball, only the right ball or the wrong ball.

In terms of what to bring to league on a house shot, four balls are plenty, as long as one of them is a plastic spare ball.

[boatman37]

Note to everyone:

How about thinking about your bowling balls in terms of rolling early or going long, rather than weak or strong. Our society tells us that strong is good and weak is bad. In terms of bowling, there is no weak ball or strong ball, only the right ball or the wrong ball.

In terms of what to bring to league on a house shot, four balls are plenty, as long as one of them is a plastic spare ball.

That's a little hard to do. Most of us on here understand that but I promise about 60% of those in my league would have no idea what I was talking about...lol. I was talking to a guy on my team and was hitting my BWG with my P5000 pad and he asked me what I had in my hand. When I told him he asked why in the world I was using it on my ball...lol

For the record I never threw that ball that night be the week before I struggled on dry lanes and that ball was at the center so I couldn't throw it on my spinner but did hit it with a 1000 and Motiv 5000 polish the next day on my spinner. Haven't tried it yet but in case we hit the Sahara Desert again I probably won't...lol

[SRB57]

Note to everyone:

How about thinking about your bowling balls in terms of rolling early or going long, rather than weak or strong. Our society tells us that strong is good and weak is bad. In terms of bowling, there is no weak ball or strong ball, only the right ball or the wrong ball.

In terms of what to bring to league on a house shot, four balls are plenty, as long as one of them is a plastic spare ball.

That's how I look at it although I said weak and strong. I use whatever works that day which the beginning of this season is my Nuclear Cell. I looked at something new in the roto line but nothing looked that different than what I have now.

Talking about tilt and rotation what is considered high tilt/rotation and low tilt/rotation? Steve

[Phonetek]

On the original post. I can agree with doing different things to try to stick with one strike ball rather than whipping out a different one every few frames.

There are so many adjustments that can be made that unless it's just a lost cause and it's just not working no matter what. I think people just moving left and moving right on the lane or approach are all you can do. Maybe a quick surface change. That don't work time to switch balls.

They tend to forget about things like wrist position, finger position, moving closer or farther from the foul line. Setting up higher and lower. Strap on a wrist band or remove it. All of which are pretty easy to do. They are too quick to blame the ball than actually analyze what is going on. Everyone wants a quick fix so grab a different ball.

[J Anderson]

On the original post. I can agree with doing different things to try to stick with one strike ball rather than whipping out a different one every few frames.

There are so many adjustments that can be made that unless it's just a lost cause and it's just not working no matter what. I think people just moving left and moving right on the lane or approach are all you can do. Maybe a quick surface change. That don't work time to switch balls.

They tend to forget about things like wrist position, finger position, moving closer or farther from the foul line. Setting up higher and lower. Strap on a wrist band or remove it. All of which are pretty easy to do. They are too quick to blame the ball than actually analyze what is going on. Everyone wants a quick fix so grab a different ball.

Surface change would have to be very quick and before competition starts.

I’ve seen my share of bowlers randomly changing balls, mostly on the house shot in the middle of the second game.