BallReviews
General Category => Miscellaneous => Topic started by: xrayjay on April 30, 2014, 04:42:48 PM
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Spares....Over time I changed the way I approach spares. I used to use the 4th arrow system with a polyester ball. Now, I use whatever ball I'm using for spares. I roll end over end to the right using the 3rd arrow (similar to 4th arrow system) and I hook to the left.
The problem with hooking to the left is, I'm not that good at it. Especially on longer or flatter conditions.
I tried rolling straight on left side spares using the 3rd arrow, but my eyes play tricks on me. The lane up front looks smaller, angel looks tight, move further right I run out of lane, ect....I've done this before ???
Old way with the 4th arrow system.
38,35,33 for the right
22, 19, 16 for the left side spares
Now with 3rd arrow...
35, 32, 29 Right side
hook it, straight, gutter, pray....
what to do?
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Usually changes are made to try and make things better. You are going the other way.
There is always the reset button. This will save the wear and tear on the body.
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I got to go back to what had worked the first time...I just have to stop damaging thumb holes on spare balls...that's why I stopped using them....
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I got to go back to what had worked the first time...I just have to stop damaging thumb holes on spare balls...that's why I stopped using them....
Advice from someone that previously blew out thumbs on spare balls....
Switch to urethane for your spare ball if you are currently using polyester and possibly look at eliminating the thumb slug in your spare ball if you use one.
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I've cracked a few plastic balls as well. The White Dots I originally used did not hold up well at all. I've used a Linds and Motiv plastic since then and neither of them cracked.
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I got to go back to what had worked the first time...I just have to stop damaging thumb holes on spare balls...that's why I stopped using them....
Advice from someone that previously blew out thumbs on spare balls....
Switch to urethane for your spare ball if you are currently using polyester and possibly look at eliminating the thumb slug in your spare ball if you use one.
Going without slug? it'll take some getting use to. I did think about going urethane, 2 for 1 kind of use..
I've cracked a few plastic balls as well. The White Dots I originally used did not hold up well at all. I've used a Linds and Motiv plastic since then and neither of them cracked.
Do they have a different hardness? and with a slug?
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Do they have a different hardness? and with a slug?
They seem to be harder and tougher than the White Dots. I went through at least one white dot a year before the Linds. Then Motiv came out with the Sniper and I Polished the Linds ball up and put it on the my rack.
I use a Vise IT, even in my spare ball(Kinda like having a spare tire, just in case I need an extra IT) and there has been no chipping around the fingers or thumb at all. My Motive Sniper has probably 300+ games on it and I use it a lot. I throw plastic at all single pin spares and anything that's not double wood. I also use it for a bucket.
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That's another reason why I also never tried the IT system as well....
Anyway, I was a way better spare shooter 5 years ago. Every spare leave was picked up by my poly, even D wood. I had the confidence too lol. It's funny nowadays.....
Yesterday I bowled 5 games at different house and I left about 12 or 13 10 pins - 100%. BUT.....0-3 on the 7 pin, and 0-1 4 pin, and chopped the 47...
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That's another reason why I also never tried the IT system as well....
Anyway, I was a way better spare shooter 5 years ago. Every spare leave was picked up by my poly, even D wood. I had the confidence too lol. It's funny nowadays.....
Yesterday I bowled 5 games at different house and I left about 12 or 13 10 pins - 100%. BUT.....0-3 on the 7 pin, and 0-1 4 pin, and chopped the 47...
I know what you mean. I'm deadly on the 10 pin, but there are days where the 7 pin is in my head. As a right hander, I know it's supposed to be the other way around. LOL
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I've cracked a few plastic balls as well. The White Dots I originally used did not hold up well at all. I've used a Linds and Motiv plastic since then and neither of them cracked.
My Storm Ice Storm cracked at and around the fingers, if you looked at it crosseyed. I had to have my driller drill out the fingers and a small area around them and fill it in with plug, colored to match it as closely as possible.
Since then I've drilled a Brunswick T-Zone and have been using it for 2+ years now. Can't kill it with a stick. It gets scratched up and dulled up but I just sand it, repolish it and on and on it goes. Not sure if I got lucky or what. I'm almost tired of looking at it now and would like another color but I can't see wasting the money.
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You might try using a thumb sleeve instead of sloughs if the feel bothers you
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I had the storm ice as well. Twice thumb area cracked. And once the slug slid out about 1/4"...
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Find an old rubber ball. You won't crack that. It will outlast you and your kids.
Or drill the plastic ball with no slug. If your baby soft hands can't handle no slug, drill the thumb 1/4 inch big and plug it and drill back into the plug.
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Just to let everyone know. Motiv is not selling a plastic spare ball right now. My thought is they had issues with the plastic and the logo, plus some issues with blistering (or something like that). This is why they came out with a urethane spare ball.
I like the idea of a company specifying a urethane ball for spares and not offering plastic. And this ball isn't really intended for dual purpose. They also have the urethane tank for those who desire a urethane reaction. But even the heavy handed may think the Tank is a little much, quite strong.
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To the OP, have you tried to use plastic straight up the boards at the spares? Not going crosswise on the lanes. Recently I have been utilizing this method more to eliminate some problems with the oil patterns. I still need to practice it more but it shows promise even on sleeper spares (2-8, 3-9).
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Straighter is better at all spares on either side. You may have problems with throwing straight at left side spares, but hooking the ball at 4 and 7 pins is just as problematic no matter which arrow you use. If I had a dollar for every time I saw a good bowler hook past their first 4 pin on fresh patterns, then slide by it on the right a game later I would be rich.
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Find an old rubber ball. You won't crack that. It will outlast you and your kids.
Or drill the plastic ball with no slug. If your baby soft hands can't handle no slug, drill the thumb 1/4 inch big and plug it and drill back into the plug.
I did find one last year, but it was 13lbs at the goodwill....
I think my pampers hand can handle no slug....I'll try it out with the old poly, but that too is a pound lighter.
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To the OP, have you tried to use plastic straight up the boards at the spares? Not going crosswise on the lanes. Recently I have been utilizing this method more to eliminate some problems with the oil patterns. I still need to practice it more but it shows promise even on sleeper spares (2-8, 3-9).
I've done that before, but going up the boards at ten gives me little room to miss right. And when it's toasty, my spare hooks.
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xrayjay,
I have used a plastic spare ball since the mid-1990's. And I have had the same ball since that time as well, the clear plastic Wolf. Yes, I have had small issues with some cracking around the thumb hole, but it's plastic, I just had it drilled out, plugged, and redrilled the exact same thumb hole. I have tried with/without a slug and now have a switch grip in it. I see a small bit of cracking out around the sleeve, but it is very minor.
Personally, I throw plastic at every spare....I go back and forth on it with double wood, if I am really on my spares I will throw the plastic at it, straight at the front pin, if I am not, I will roll my strike ball at it. I try to go straight at every spare on the left, taking the lane out of play, especially on longer, flatter sports patterns. I am not 100% on them, but I know my spare percentage went up when I went to plastic, and went up again went I went to throwing straight at left side spares with it. If you have a spare ball, what's the big deal with just getting it drilled out and plugged when it cracks. You can do it 2-3 times at least and be under what you would have paid for a new spare ball. With the Wolf, I love having the actual Wolf weight block in it, it becomes a monster on dry lanes, and my carry percentage is much higher than throwing a WD or something with just a pancake flip block. I like it so much I have a NIB one sitting in my closet just waiting for the first one to crack beyond repair. I thought I would be throwing the new one by now, but the old one just keeps going and going and going, lol.
Just my .02.
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J300, I've always believed in straighter lines with p. balls for spares. I just DV8'd few years back....
I had the RG Tire clear ball and it was by far my best spare ball. I retired it when a teammate passed away. Bob used my ball after struggling half the year on dry lanes. He bowled several 600's with it and he's about 186 ave bowler.