Plastic is a no-brainer. We may know what our strike ball will do on our strike line, even a little on either side of it. But what will it do on the other side of the lane when you're throwing at the 7-pin? Will it find some dry too soon and take off? Skid and pass through the 8? Will you tug it a little and have it over-react?
Plastic lets you throw the same release and expect the ball to go straight. You don't have to flatten out your wrist, adjust your timing, or speed up to cut down on the reaction.
Plastic is cheap. Why throw your expensive strike ball an extra, what, 5-10 times in a game? That could be double the number of times the ball is in the oil, double the opportunity for the ball return to get "hungry". If it gets gouged in the wrong spot, my strike ball may be ruined. If my plastic ball gets gouged, so what? Fill it in.
Plastic gives you a look that resins and particles with high-powered cores don't or can't. That one night the oil machine is busted you have a plastic ball and your opponent who thinks he's too good for plastic doesn't. You can throw a normal release, your "A" game and stay competitive. He's struggling with a broken wrist, goofy timing, and odd lines to struggle. Give it a good roll and plastic can carry just fine.
And plastic can be "old reliable". That ball you've had for 20 years that fits like a glove. It's been through a lot, won you a bunch of money, seen a lot of action. It's not new and untested. You know exactly what it's going to do every single time you throw it because you've thrown it 10000 times.
SH
