Hey all, this summer I am planning to change my spare game up a little. I had a rough season with it and yesterday it cost me advancing in a regional. I use the Trimax system but I flatten my wrist and throw underneath the ball. This season it just didn't feel right. I use plastic also which is not changing. What do the majority of you do?  Flatten the wrist or throw your first ball hand position?

Hey all, this summer I am planning to change my spare game up a little. I had a rough season with it and yesterday it cost me advancing in a regional. I use the Trimax system but I flatten my wrist and throw underneath the ball. This season it just didn't feel right. I use plastic also which is not changing. What do the majority of you do?  Flatten the wrist or throw your first ball hand position?

It depends on what I shooting at. Most times I flatten it out more like J_Mac describes. When I want or need a little hook, I'll throw it closer to the way I normally release a strike ball.

In order to help you, we have to know what is wrong, how are you missing spares?

FYI If you are trying to throw it faster than your strike ball, you could be throwing off your timing and your footwork. Most plastic or polished urethanes don't hook much to begin with and it's easier to throw your normal ball than it is to change anything in release or timing, UNLESS you are rev dominant.

Thanks for all of the input thus far. I am definitely not rev dominant. I may be throwing a little harder at my spares just as Strider says he catches himself doing. I tend to be very streaky at spares. Most times I'll miss mt target while flattening my release. That's why I ask if anyone uses their normal release. I am fairly consistent hitting my target using my normal release.

Good point, but in my case I was throwing it faster than "normal".  I guess should have explained it better the first time.  I hate Qubica because it measures so far down lane.  It reads a combination of how you threw it and how much the ball slowed down due to friction.  In my case it reads around 14.5 on strike shots when I'm hooking it, 17.5 on "good" spare attempts, and 19+ when I'm over throwing. 

Speed (and loss of) is directly connected to how much friction is created by the cover. Plastic will appear faster at the 40 foot mark vs a reactive ball (surface prep accounted for). For example, last year, I was using a Train that was consistently 2-3 mph slower at the pins than even my next strongest ball, due to the strong cover.