I throw plastic straight at 4-,6-,7-, and 10-pins plus combinations thereof. I also throw plastic at the 3-10. Depending on the lane conditions (THS vs. flatter pattern), I use my strike ball for some 2- and 3-pin combinations. For double wood (2-8, 3-9, and combinations thereof), I almost always use my strike ball, adjusting off my strike target.
How's that for clear as mud?
On edit: Just to add a bit of insight to your left side spare problem. I also used to have a little more trouble with the left side than the right. When shooting left side spares with your strike ball, you run the risk of catching the oil in the middle if you miss a bit right or having the ball run by the pin if you miss a bit left. In know this sounds intuitively obvious, but on a THS, this becomes exaggerated because of the volume of oil in the middle vs. the outside.
You could also have problems if you shoot crosslane at your left side spares if your swing is inside-out, and your ball goes left to right on your strike shot (again, often the case if you bowl a lot on a THS). More than likely, your body will not be in the right position to get the ball to go right to left in order to pick up 4- or 7-pins.
When I shoot left side spares with my plastic spare ball, I shoot them from the left side, using the fifth arrow as a target.
BTW, I also shoot washouts with my plastic spare ball, from the left side, again throwing straight. To avoid turning my spare ball as I would my strike ball, I come close to throwing a backup ball, and sometimes actuall back it up a bit. When I miss by enough right
I have been known to convert the washout by covering the headpin AND the ten pin with the ball.
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RW (THB)
Edited on 7/11/2005 10:23 AM
