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Author Topic: Spare Balls.. What to get....  (Read 1150 times)

ctdspike

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Spare Balls.. What to get....
« on: October 22, 2007, 12:17:53 AM »
I have been struggling for many years on picking up the 10 pin successfully... So looking at maybe buying a spare ball.. Any advice... I know that White/Blue dots and Maxim are used.. I was wondering if a middle price ball that could be used as a spare ball and when the lanes get dried out.. Like maybe a Tropical Storm... Any suggestions?
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azus

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #1 on: October 22, 2007, 08:22:20 AM »
You could do that. But you must know how to kill the ball when you shoot at the 10 pin. A spare ball is the best choise. Get a cheap one, it doesnt matter what brand.
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azguy

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #2 on: October 22, 2007, 08:28:23 AM »
I had a spare ball, a spiral loved the ball but use my Toxic now. Drilled pin above, flatten my hand killing any reaction but a cheap WD or some cheap Viz-A-Ball is probably best.
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dechrist

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #3 on: October 22, 2007, 08:32:28 AM »
I bought a Maxim (Captain Fireball because it looks cool) for spareshooting, had it drilled with some finger and negative side weight, and it works like a champ.  I really didn't want it to hook much, and it doesn't
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Dale

My 2007-2008 arsenal is here.

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Phoneman

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #4 on: October 22, 2007, 08:33:44 AM »
Any low cost plastic/visaball/kmart special  will do.  Just drill it the same as you have all of you other balls just put the pin directly in the palm of your hand.  It should feel the same as any of your other balls.  I bought a used Wdot for $10 a couple of years ago.  Drilling was so close to mine all I had to do was add a couple of extra pieces of tape.  All I keep saying is it is the best $10 i every spent.  that ball has made me more money over the years then anything else I ever bought.
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shelley

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #5 on: October 22, 2007, 09:03:35 AM »
Plastic is the way to go.  With the exception of the now-discontinued XXXXXX)L from Lane 1--it had a dynamic core--plastic is plastic.  Pick the one that looks best and has the right price.  I believe Bowlers Paradise had some of their Elite spare balls on sale cheap recently.

SH
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oprahsdouche

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #6 on: October 22, 2007, 09:13:41 AM »
saw some globe ball at the shop over the weekend from global, man it looks sweet!!! like a viz-a-ball but under the surface.  give that ball a look.
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Hook

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #7 on: October 22, 2007, 10:05:02 AM »
I'd recommend saving your money by teaching yourself to throw the ball straight with a resin ball.
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TheHook - proud owner of an 800 ring (got it cheap on ebay)
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shelley

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #8 on: October 22, 2007, 10:13:37 AM »
quote:
I'd recommend saving your money by teaching yourself to throw the ball straight with a resin ball.


I'd rather spend $75 on a spare ball that lasts me 20 years than throw my $200+ reactives down the lane twice instead of once.

SH
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JohnP

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #9 on: October 22, 2007, 11:18:13 AM »
Any plastic ball that you like the looks of will work for spares.  If you really want a multi-purpose ball, take a look at the Visionary Slate Blue Gargoyle (pearl urethane with a dynamic core).  This ball has been discontinued, but the last time I looked it was still available at allstarbowling.com for ~$105.  If you look, you may find it at a lower price somewhere else.  --  JohnP
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Hook

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2007, 11:45:06 AM »
quote:
quote:
I'd recommend saving your money by teaching yourself to throw the ball straight with a resin ball.


I'd rather spend $75 on a spare ball that lasts me 20 years than throw my $200+ reactives down the lane twice instead of once.

SH


If you know how to take care of them, a resin ball can last 10+ years. I'm still using a resin ball that is 10 years old, and it's still going strong. Plus, learning how to throw it straight has made me a more versatile bowler. And, there's one less ball to lug around.
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TheHook - proud owner of an 800 ring (got it cheap on ebay)
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shelley

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #11 on: October 22, 2007, 01:54:27 PM »
quote:
If you know how to take care of them, a resin ball can last 10+ years. I'm still using a resin ball that is 10 years old, and it's still going strong. Plus, learning how to throw it straight has made me a more versatile bowler. And, there's one less ball to lug around.


There's also lane machine damage to consider.  It's unlikely in most houses but I see no reason to take the chance with an expensive ball.

I do take care of my equipment and get more than a few hundred games out of them.  My, umm, "financial advisor" would have some choice words to say about replacing bowling balls with less than 100 games on them.  

If I can learn to throw a reactive straight, I can throw a plastic ball just as straight.  Really, I don't have to change my release at all and it's one less way to divide my time when I practice (ha!).  And there are days that my plastic ball has saved me.  It gives me a reaction that my reactive balls can't (maybe "...that I can't get out of my reactive balls").

Plus, I have a spare ball.  If I had it and didn't use it, my, umm, "financial advisor" would start asking questions about why I need more bowling balls when I have some I don't use.

SH
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NJStroker

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #12 on: October 22, 2007, 02:06:33 PM »
bowlersparadise.com has there elite spares for free. Just pay the 22 dollar shipping.
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dechrist

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #13 on: October 22, 2007, 02:16:51 PM »
quote:
There's also lane machine damage to consider.  It's unlikely in most houses but I see no reason to take the chance with an expensive ball.


Less chance anyway.  You have to inadvertently take that resin or particle ball, and throw it in the moat, and it catch a screw or something (I speak from experience).  

quote:
I do take care of my equipment and get more than a few hundred games out of them.  My, umm, "financial advisor" would have some choice words to say about replacing bowling balls with less than 100 games on them.  


The last bowling ball I replaced had about 150 games on it, and my advisor gave me the evil eye, but the replacement has worked out well.

quote:

If I can learn to throw a reactive straight, I can throw a plastic ball just as straight.  Really, I don't have to change my release at all and it's one less way to divide my time when I practice (ha!).  And there are days that my plastic ball has saved me.  It gives me a reaction that my reactive balls can't (maybe "...that I can't get out of my reactive balls").


For me, if I forget to break my wrist trying to pick a 10-pin, there is *no* chance that I will pick up a 10-pin.  I believe in keeping it as simple as possible (the KISS method).

For me, the cost of plugging, slugging, sanding, and drilling would have been about the same as buying a new spare ball.  I have (a little) negative side weight with the spare ball I bought over the summer.  I can put all the turn in the world on it, and it moves maybe 3 boards (the norm for me is 0-2 boards).
 
I'm 9 of my last 10 on 10-pin attempts.  I'm now down to foot position, and an area to throw at - I just haven't missed many single-pin spares (3 in the last 2 weeks - 6 games)

--------------------
Dale

My 2007-2008 arsenal is here.

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
-- General George S. Patton
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dechrist

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Re: Spare Balls.. What to get....
« Reply #14 on: October 22, 2007, 02:17:55 PM »
quote:

Plus, I have a spare ball.  If I had it and didn't use it, my, umm, "financial advisor" would start asking questions about why I need more bowling balls when I have some I don't use.


You could say that they are "retired"
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Dale

My 2007-2008 arsenal is here.

Never tell people how to do things. Tell them what to do and they will surprise you with their ingenuity.
-- General George S. Patton
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