My teammate uses plastic and urethane exclusively. I've read that these surfaces cause carrydown. I've experienced an over under reaction lately and I am wondering if this may be the reason. What steps should I take if this is true?

If its my understanding,if there was more or longer oil using an urethane or plastic would be moot.If the oil where 42-45 ft with with 31 ml of oil the argument would be moot.if for the strokers buy the latest hook in the box,a wrist band to keep the wrist cupped,I woundn't think going straight down 10 would be a problem.Its allowing guys who have the hook in the box and still can't overcome 2 ft of carrydown,not to mention what the resin burnt up in the heads.Lets stop pretending speed and revolutionns dominate our game now,and if you cant provide both you are at a dis advantage

One thing to consider when asking if Urethane or Polyester balls create carry down, or cause over/under effects is: are the balls drilled with a zero flare or a high flare layout?

In the old days drilling patterns were not necessarily created to increase flare potential and many of the early balls had no dynamic core. So when you rolled a urethane ball down the lane it had one oil line it kept rolling over again and again and the oil would be carried down like the ball was a paint roller.

But a modern urethane ball with a dynamic core drilled with a high flare layout will allow each oil line to have its own stripe on the ball and they will only meet at the center of the bow tie. So actually the high flare urethane ball is removing oil from the lane! And when it comes back and you wipe that oil off your ball it is gone from the lane forever. So in effect a urethane ball can take just as much oil off the lane as a reactive ball.

I have personally used my Hammer Widow polyester ball with a super high flare layout as a strike ball and after a game or so I successfully gouged out a dry line up the lane with it.

So, carry down does still occur with any ball type, but high flare layouts will always minimize this effect and wiping the ball after each throw will assure any oil it picks up will not get back on the lane. Over/under is much more likely and most often caused because people misunderstand how to play a house shot.

You will see players throwing reactive balls right of second arrow too early in the lane. This causes these balls to die out so fast that when they hit the pocket they leave corner pins or splits. Also you will see a ball thrown into the dry not make it back to the pocket, like you have suddenly bowled on a reverse pattern.

The problem is not over/under or reverse patterns, the problem is you let your reactive ball get right of second arrow to early. With a house shot you have to keep your ball in the oil until it gets to the break point, then it can briefly go right of second arrow to get the friction bumper effect to bounce to the pocket and still have some energy. With a stronger ball you really never need to leave the oil. Just play left of second arrow all day and you will be fine.