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Author Topic: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?  (Read 8193 times)

Coolerman

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Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« on: July 20, 2011, 04:50:09 AM »
Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?

 

I don't know how many of you read Bowling This Month,but there was a

article that could cause somewhat of a uproar.I'm not agreeing or disagreeing

with the authors point of view.I don't need or use urethane.But I know many people do.



The article appeared in the July 2011 edition.The article is titled Bowling Balls

For Pinheads a Primer:Layouts Part II.The Author is Rob Mautner,a silver

level coach who lives in Vegas.He has written for BTM for a number of years.





He is talking about building an arsenal.When he goes on to state.



"Another arsenal killer is trying to buy a ball that will allow you to play in your

comfort zone longer.This has become quite common place in the last couple

of years since ball manufacturers have begun to offer urethane balls with

modern cores.Unless you have a pretty high rev rate,or are bowling on lanes

that are totally fried,urethane balls are most probably of little use to you.That

is unless,of course,that you are under the misguided impression that they will

allow you to carry on your love affair with the second arrow for yet a few

more frames."



It seems like he may have opened up a can of worms.

__________________


 

mdevore19

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #1 on: July 20, 2011, 01:04:07 PM »
I would say, an average THB, would not necessarily need one, but if you bowl on sports shots that are very short in length (33-36 ft), a urethane ball can go a long way.  If you go on USTREAM and watch the qualifying for the pan-am games for the men on the 34ft pattern I think, chris barnes threw urethane, ej tackett threw urethane.  I am not sure who else may have but those were the two that were mentioned.  On those short patters, i believe its all about controlling the backend motion.

Michael DeVore II

Brunswick Advisory Staff

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.

Urethane Game

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #2 on: July 20, 2011, 01:12:23 PM »
As my screen name suggests, I still love Urethane.  Unfortunately, I don't get to throw it much anymore.  If I were bowling on a high friction surface, I might be able to use Urethane.  While the control is nice, Urethanes don't react well to the higher down lane volume on harder synthetic surfaces.  As much as I'm itching to throw one of my four remaining Urethane Balls, I'd say they are highly conditional at this point.
 
As for players who want to stand on the big dot and play 10 no matter what, I am in agreement there as well. 


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DukeHarding

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #3 on: July 20, 2011, 02:00:12 PM »
I bought a RG Grenade to use as a spare ball. As a lefthander, I don't see a need to use one as a strike ball....of course I persuaded myself to buy the New Blue Hammer, and I found the same thing...I never see lanes that are that dry.
I now carry 2 reactive and one urethane for shooting 7 pins...every once in a while, like last year, when the lane machine machine was broken, and the lanes were bone dry, it will save me.
If I was RH, I imagine it would/could be useful?


Duke Harding


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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #4 on: July 20, 2011, 02:24:17 PM »
It depends on what you are seeing. We bowl a 2nd shift league every year and my Urethane Avalanche has been very valuable. I can also use it on the fresh house shot playing straighter up the boards and it smoothes out the last few feet of lane for me.

 

 


Lane Carter, Strike Zone Pro Shops - Salt Lake City, Utah
Brunswick Pro Shop Staff

www.brunswickbowling.com

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.

charlest

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #5 on: July 20, 2011, 02:26:52 PM »
I'm afraid I don't live in Rob Mautner's world. He sees situations there that I just don't see in my bowling world. Some of them are:
 
- Every bowler has 18 mph ball speed or greater.
- Every bowling alley owner or manager put down medium oil or better 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, on every lane in their house.
- Every bowler's ball speed matches or is greater than their rev rate, in every house, all the time
 
Therefore, in the houses I see and the ones I bowl in, there is a need for urethane and dry lanes resin balls for many people, enough to warrant their sale and use on a regular basis. Not every one, nor in every house all the time, but very often for some people and sometimes for many people. Such is real bowling life.
 


"None are so blind as those who will not see."

 
"None are so blind as those who will not see."

Steven

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #6 on: July 20, 2011, 04:03:43 PM »
 



charlest wrote on 7/20/2011 2:26 PM:
I'm afraid I don't live in Rob Mautner's world. He sees situations there that I just don't see in my bowling world......

 

And I don't live in Charlest's world.   I rarely see conditions that would merit using Urethane, so it's not worth the effort to lug one around 'just in case'. I don't disagree that Urethane friendly conditions exist, but I normally don't see it, even on my second shift leagues. When the heads start to fry, I can almost always effectively move in and use a weaker high RG polished reactive. But to each his own.    


guffnuh

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #7 on: July 20, 2011, 06:07:32 PM »
i almost always carry a urethane ball in my bag. i use it a lot because i have a high rev rate. for lower rev rate bowlers, though, i dont think urethane is necessary 

The only things that are truly permanent are death and Sharpies.

I believe when you lower your expectations, you only increase your chances xD

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APheLion

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #8 on: July 20, 2011, 06:26:02 PM »
on house shots i say definitely i dont need it, even tho im a rev dominant

 

on sport shots and very demanding shot conditions, its definitely a must, specially if u cant wheel the whole lane or ur name isnt norm duke


When a house bowler misses the mark, misses the break point and strike, for many ppl its called a wallshot. When a pro does that its call adjustment

When a house bowler gets his finger stuck in the ball and fall on the lanes, for many ppl its called lame bowler. When a pro does that its called the Machuga flop! ha i like this one.

r534me

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #9 on: July 20, 2011, 06:48:04 PM »
I read that article too and for some people using urethane will only end up with them in tears.  For others, it's a godsend.  From my personal experience, I like urethane and I use it all of the time because it provides me a bit more control than reactive equipment on THS.   And it's a great training tool because if I throw a bad ball the coverstock and core are not going to help me get a strike.   It's made me much more accurate and consistent.  

 



Walking E

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #10 on: July 29, 2011, 05:05:40 PM »
I don't ever see conditions where I would need both a urethane ball and a plastic ball. As such, I will only carry one or the other for my spares, depending on which one suits me at the moment.


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avabob

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #11 on: July 30, 2011, 05:24:25 PM »
Wouldn't go so far as to say anyone "needs" anything in their arsenal.  Personally I find urethane a nice addition to mine because it is a condition ball ( good on broken down house shots, and short tournament patterns ) that doubles as a great spare ball.  Examples, threw 40 clean using it as a spare ball at the BJ in 2010, and made $1000 with it in a high roller tuneup this spring playing the corner.



kidlost2000

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #12 on: July 30, 2011, 06:16:56 PM »
Not sold on the urethane craze. If the lanes are dry in the heads it will start reading the lanes early just like anything else. Even plastic will. You have to find head oil, or make adjustments to flatten out the ball and let the lanes do the work. Most people fight dry lanes by trying to put more revs on the ball. The drier they get when moving in the more I want something reactive. 

"Get out of bowling what you want because that is all there is." 
…… you can't  add a physics term to a bowling term and expect it to mean something.

Big Jake

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #13 on: July 30, 2011, 09:26:44 PM »
@OP, YES!!!


Summer arsenal: Jigsaw Corner - Swagga - Burn - Cherry Vibe
my other Hammer gear: Taboo - BW Pearl - BW Venom - Jigsaw

    
Now throwing pretty much all flavors...

r534me

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Re: Arsenal Building,do you really need urethane?
« Reply #14 on: July 30, 2011, 09:52:13 PM »
deleted my last post..strange things popped up afterwards.

 

I agreed with Kidlost about urethane on dry lanes.  I don't use my blue hammer on the dry boards.   The heads have to have some oil to be effective.  If it were a pearl urethane ball I would play the dry with it.  As far as urethane standing up early it's suppose to be that way.  Reactives just go longer and snaps.  

 

The short patterns will allow urethanes to shine.  However, I do think they are more suited for higher rev players on fresher patterns.