I have a tendency to want to put a ball away after I've had a really good game with it, and my friend (and teammate) says that's selfish if I do it in league.

I can see his point if the team is still in contention for the playoffs and if the game was a 230 or better or with a really strong finish. To put the scores in perspective, I'm only averaging 172 in this league, but 180+ in my other two leagues, and even with those averages, used to get my fair share of 220 or better games.  But not so much this year.

And my team was out of contention weeks ago and we're only bowling for points, but still...   I bowled a 215 the first game and then decided to switch to a different ball.  I had my reasons and again...  the 215 was a solid, reasonable game for me ... and clean too.  But it wasn't like I was on fire at any point.  And I really thought the ball I switched to would work better or at least as good.

It was a colossal mistake with a bad result, and my friend remembers that earlier in the month I had bowled a 255 in the 2nd game and then put that ball away for the 3rd, with similar results.  And even that time, I felt that even though I was throwing a phenomenal shot, I was really laboring to get the ball far enough down the lane  to maintain the shot, and decided to switch balls before I started missing my mark if I didn't keep the speed up.  He accused me of wanting to put the first ball away so I could put it (figuratively speaking) in a trophy case.   He was not 100% wrong, but he was not 100% right either.

Unfortunately that perception is there now. I'm not clairvoyant, so am I not allowed to guess which ball I THINK will be best in the next game....even if it's not the one I just bowled great with?

Granted...  if we were in the playoffs or in contention, I would be much more conservative and not want to change ANYTHING. Even what I had for dinner or what street I drove on, etc... and, of course, the ball.  But we are NOT in contention, and 215 was decent ---especially for me in that particular house---- but it was not phenominal and off the charts, so I don't agree with my friend's view.

Am I a jerk?

The only qualifier or asterisk I’ll add is that sometimes... at least half the time... switching balls either pays off big, or has no impact.

I would suggest that if you actually kept track of how often the ball change helped/hurt/had no effect, this is very likely to be an incorrect statement.

If your friend knows your game then that is different but only person that knows your game is you. If you use a ball and shoot a good game change ball perhaps that lane change or find a different line to strike. I myself done this a few times. You know that lane change from game to game. There is other way is that to make first ball less aggressive by changing your hand position. Don't get me wrong but other way to move your feet or hand position even change balls to find a better line. If you can mention what other ball you have even both of them or pics of them. Where you play on the lanes. I might help you on your bowling.

If you only average 172 in a league and shoot a 215 game, and put the ball away after because you think the other one will work better, you are delusional.  How many times has this strategy paid off?  Judging by the fact your average is 172, I would say not many.  You just bowled 40 pins OVER your average, and you think a ball change will make you bowl what 60 pins over?  Think about it ..... your teammates are right.

You are worrying too much about things that don't matter.  How many 470 series have you had this year?  Stop with the equipment obsession, find a couple balls that WORK together, and bowl and enjoy.  I know its fun to try different equipment, but you probably don't even know the real differences between your equipment or how to properly use them.  Don't be the idiot with a 170 average dragging 6 balls to league blaming the fact that you don't have the right ball is why you average 170.

.....I'm not sure I've ever finished even just an average game and decided to switch balls just for the heck of it.  Now at the same time, your friend accusing you of being a bad teammate for having an average or below average game and blaming it on the ball change is a little odd, the ball change may or may not have had anything to do with it.  The 170-190 average range is the place where you can put up big games if you get in the zone, but can also have rough games pretty easily too....

Thank you.  You did a great job of putting the whole thing in perspective.

On the one hand, my friend does mean well and IS being a good friend by pointing out to me how some of my teammates MIGHT feel when I make what at least appears to be a premature or bad ball change. I doubt my other teammates feel as strongly as he does, but I'm willing to acknowledge that on some level it might bug them.  But thank you for also making my rebuttal to him.  That every time I make a change that APPEARS to be illogical, it doesn't make me a bad teammate or even a bad bowler.  Unless it's happening too frequently or at the worst possible times. And... there doesn't HAVE to be a direct cause and effect link between the ball change and following a good game with a bad one.  But obviously, changing and then bowling badly easily calls the change into question.

I guess my argument to him is that it's not a black/white issue where changing is automatically good or bad.   He's trying to say that my judgment has been poor, and I'm willing to weight things a little differently going forward, but still want him to know that I'm not going to choose my balls by committee or put it to a vote either.

As for the average.  This has been a particularly horrible year and my average is down all my leagues and I'm normally around 190 in one league and 180 in another.  The one I'm at 172 (or maybe 174 now?) is in a new house for me with heavier oil, and I just haven't figured it out enough yet.  I.e. have been in a slump all year, and that has made me much less conservative as I'm constantly searching for the "magic" ball in my arsenal.

And 215 is not that magical when you consider yourself (or at least remember) being a 190+ bowler. Not claiming to be a 200 average bowler and 215 was a refreshing improvement over the last few outings.  But I have bowled a few 220's and 230's in that league this year (and a couple of 240's and 250's in the other leagues), so if I wasn't that impressed with myself for that game.

I’m not going to quote the OPs last reply But the statement about 215 being nothing stellar when you averaged 190 ..........dude that’s 25 pins over your average.  Bowl three 215s every nite and now you average 215.  It sounds to me like the reason you are down to 170 is because you are making stupid choices and you think you know something that’s not true.  I already know what a 3 game set of yours looks like——

215-135-180 for a crowd pleasing 520 - welcome to averaging 170.  If you shot 215 , never average more than 190, and you change balls after the 215, you are your own worst enemy.

As a "Hero Member" once posted; (Quote) Less is more especially with forum posts. (Unquote) Thinking it's probably "bedtime for bonzo" time for this thread. 

+1

A bad teammate is one that is always late or doesn't show up at all, doesn't have the money to pay for himself, is irritable, argumentative, and foul-mouthed.  Changing bowling balls doesn't qualify.  --  JohnP