How many of you guys actually use a spare ball?  I personally don't see the need for one for myself although I used to have one a long long time ago.  It was inconsistent for me because it was hard to gauge how much the ball would actually move, since it was plastic it was hard to tell if the ball would just slide over the oil too much and into the ditch or actually roll straight.  After that, I made room for another ball in my bag while getting rid of my spare ball and now I just use whatever I'm using to strike and I can still nail those 7 pins dead on (I'm a lefty).  I could use my Raging Inferno or Even my Throttle to hit that stuff and it doesn't move a board (only cause I know how to control it with the proper hand position).  So let me in on your insights of why to or why not to have a spare ball.

If you're throwing the "hook-set" shot like you seem to be describing, there is almost no way you can be doing it on hard shots and be more consistent than using plastic.  I'm not trying to take a shot at you, but I think you might be overestimating the difficulty of shots you're throwing on.

I try to throw end over end with a Blue Dot at corner spares.  When I hear the thump of the thumbhole, I know I've done it perfectly.  At long format tournaments, even a plastic ball thrown almost end over end is going to want to hook.  An aggressive ball missed the same amount on release would probably be near the 5 pin.

Don't get me wrong, if what you are doing works for you, keep doing it.  Lots of people, myself included, struggle when learning to use a plastic ball for spares.  If you're planning on throwing on a wide range of conditions, you would be best served by throwing plastic straight at your spares.
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Penn State Proud

Ron Clifton's Bowling Tip Archive

I use a scissor method for spares and found that if I throw my aggressive ball at the ten pin normally it will pick up the 3, 9, 3-9, 3-10 with minimal adjustments.  The advantage is that I do not have to change balls and/or swing etc.  Going cross lane at anything on the left it doesn't deflect and chop like a polyester ball and will drive thru carrydown a little better with some punch at the end.  I'm a stroker and my game is fairly mild.  I can flatten the ball out and pick up tens if needed but rather throw a frozen rope at the 10 or 6,10.  I tried throwing a spare ball at all my spares for years and found out that I pick up more of them when I don't.  

Smash49
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Smash49
robert@bowlersslidesock.com
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