Bowlme300:

 For me the key to scoring better, is to make things as easy as possible. For me to use my strike ball and use a very different release just doesn't work well. On the approach I'm thinking about my release and all of the sudden I got 4 or 5 thoughts running through my head. I got a multi-pin spare its 9 out more times then not. With a plastic ball the ball goes straight, you have very little dought about making the spare. For me its all about repeating every shot , the less stuff on my mental check list the better I bowl. Just my opinion.

I throw a plastic for two reasons.

   It goes straighter (more predictable) but the other reason which makes more sense to me is it is one less throw with my strike ball and extending the life of my strike ball. It is a lot cheaper to replace a spare ball.

I'm in complete agreement with stormerjip's post that started this thread.  I come straight up the back of the ball when I shoot at most spares, giving the ball zero axis rotation.  If the ball has zero axis rotation, it will not change direction.  Spare shooting is actually the strength of my game.  

I have no problem with people using plastic spare balls if it helps them, unless they leave them on the ball return, or delay other bowlers while they wait for it to come back so that they can remove it from the ball return.  If using a spare ball, I think the bowler should just remove his strike ball from the rack before going for the spare, and then remove the spare ball the next time he goes up to shoot a strike.  I see messing around with spare balls cause a lot of delays that are unnecessary.

The main thing that mystifies me about the need for spare balls is that I see lots and lots of pretty casual talk on this board about changing axis tilt and axis rotation as necessary to strike; as if doing those two things is something that every real bowler can do.  If that's true, then what's so difficult about zero axis rotation?

Shiv
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Listening to the monotonous staccato of rain on my desk top

Well, so far, one factor that does not seem to have been addresses (I might have missed one post) is that I don't want more wear and tear on my expensive balls. Plastic balls, except for the XXXL, are cheap. Since most spare shots cross the middle of the lane, I also don't want more oil than necessary saoking into (Thanks, Doc! and Thanks, Phil Cardinale!) or even coming into contact with my resin and particle surfaces.

Unless you're throwing 10 or 11 strikes per game (and I am not), that's a lot of wear and tear on expensive balls rather than plastic balls.

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"Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it."

Shiv,

I agree 110% about ball feel; that is why I am obsessive about the size and drilling of my thumb. Even in today's practice (very humid & hot day here), I can't tell you how many piece of tape I went through on just 3 balls over only 4 games. Feel is everything.

Still, it's not just oil, it's also wear and tear on the track. The strike ball is still going to wear out sooner. That said, it was just something that I felt needed saying.

My main reason for using a plastic ball for spares is that it's easier to be more accurate when you take most of the lane oil out of play and/or throw a smaller or non-existent hook. I usually throw my Blue Dot slower than my strike ball; it helps me to be more accurate with spares. A hard plastic will still hook somewhat on dry lanes or on dry parts. I have a minor problem with my arm and hand and find it very difficult to throw a ball end over end; in fact, almost impossible. Due to this fact, a Blue Dot-type of spare ball is almost an essential for me.
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"Those who do not remember history are doomed to repeat it."