I've asked this before, but I was thinking about writing an article about the subject, and I don't know exactly how to go about it so I wanted to get some opinions.  What do you consider an aid, and what do you consider a crutch? 

I would say as a general rule, an aid is something that helps you improve your performance, while a crutch is something you NEED to be able to perform.  However, this is a little gray in bowling.  Is a wrist brace an aid or a crutch?  Is it dependant on the function?  Whether it's to support your wrist because of pain or to increase strength or stability?  What about drinking?  Some people will drink to calm their nerves or just relax them in general, while some will take advil, ibuprofen or aleve before league to achieve the same effect, while even others have preshot routines or rituals for that purpose.  Most of these people can still do well without these things, but not AS well as they could using them. 

Is it even a worthwhile topic?  The point of the article would be to help suggest things to people that would improve their bowling.  For instance, having a preshot routine is recommended to help with several different things, as is knowing yourself and what works for you.  Some guys turn on heavy metal before competing to get them amped up, other guys listen to classical to calm them down.  But where do we draw the line on what's recommended or "acceptable?"  I don't want to just write the same old stuff that people have been saying for years, I feel like there's a different angle or a different viewpoint, but I don't want to push it into abstract like I've been having a tendency to do lately.  Opinions?

Yeah if you carry around 5 balls so you can just switch and stay in the same spot, that could be a crutch . . but if that keeps you in your A game area . . is that really a crutch or just good strategy? 

 To me, the words seem to have this connotation:

 Aid seems to intone something that helps you do something more consistently that you could do without.

 Crutch seems to intone something that helps you do something you could NOT do without the crutch.


 The question lies in the gray area between wanting to use a device, and NEEDING to use it.


 How about this. What if USBC made a rule that you must demonstrate a medical NEED before you would be able to use any device, including wrist braces?
 Would that define the difference between the two?

 (And yes, I know the USBC premise is implausible and would never happen)

If you believe a tournament bowlers having a 10 ball arsenal is a crutch you have no idea about bowling at a high level. And the guy that bowls City, State, and Nationals as his 3 tournaments a year is not a tournament bowler.

Great bowlers can adjust and change lines and many other things but with more condition specific balls it puts them at a disadvantage.

If your options are plastic and a urethane ball. Or two different plastic balls then yes lines, speed, adjusting hand position are all big factors. That was the game of bowling a long time ago but not today.



If your tournament arsenal is still a plastic ball and one ball of anything else made in the past 20 years no matter your talent and adjustment your at a disadvantage. You can still score. A good arsenal can do a lot to help and a lot to hurt. Id rather have and not need then need and not have.

This is like the argument of bowling bags.  2 3-ball bags vs 1 6-ball bag.  I prefer the 6-ball bag for my own reasons.  Up until about a year ago, I never used a wrist brace.  During a tournament, I injured my wrist and hand, so I was forced to wear one to eliminate the pain.  I have actually lost some revs, but it has helped my release consistency.  A trade off for me and an adjustment I have had to deal with.  Whether you use one or not is an individual choice.  I don't believe it gives anyone an advantage or disadvantage.  It is just a personal preference.

If you have talent, and practice properly you will be able to compete no matter what else you choose to use or not use. When you look for things to make up for the lack of those attributes then your ability to continue to compete will be less.

Most of the people I see show up with 10 ball arsenals have no idea about bowling at a high level either.