Author Topic: Urethane (Read 4443 times)

Motogp69 · « **on:** March 23, 2010, 02:56:24 PM »

For those of you that have put Urethane back into their arsenal, how and when have you been using them on a THS? What have the transitions been like?
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Videos at:
http://youtube.com/user/Gsnap21

"The framers of our Constitution believed that if the people were to be sovereign and belong to different religions at the same time then our official religion would have to be no religion at all. It was a bold experiment then as it is now. It wasn''t meant to make us comfortable, it was meant to make us free."

qstick777 · « **Reply #16 on:** March 24, 2010, 01:49:16 PM »

quote:
One of the better comments about urethane from riggs in this article. http://host.madison.com/sports/recreation/bowling/article_c349cf7c-3446-11df-996b-001cc4c002e0.html

The bigger key -- as always -- is who bowls in front of us in minors and how they play the lanes. It would be nice to see folks playing the track together with medium balls and no plastic or urethane for strike shots, which is what we had last year when we bowled very well in minors.

Even though it's Natl's...house shots can be even more screwed up by those that use urethane. I see urethane being used on shorter/drier patterns like Cheetah I can understand that...for everything else a poor choice. There are too many great low differential low flare reactives out there. JMO.
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Scott

Time to break out the urethane for those upcoming position rounds! I'm tired of those 195 average jokers shooting 750 when it really matters!

laddog54 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 24, 2010, 01:53:01 PM »

quote:
What type of moves are we talking about: 2/1 right, 1/1, etc?
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Videos at:
http://youtube.com/user/Gsnap21

"The framers of our Constitution believed that if the people were to be sovereign and belong to different religions at the same time then our official religion would have to be no religion at all. It was a bold experiment then as it is now. It wasn''t meant to make us comfortable, it was meant to make us free."

Edited on 3/24/2010 1:37 PM

Usually 2/1 or 3/2 right when the backend go away and then back to starting position during third game. For ex I started with the Natural standing 11 and targeting 6 at the arrows, moved 2/1 mid way of 1 game and moved back 3/2 in the third game. So I am right on top of the friction going pretty straight down the lane.
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ROTO GRIP - King of Them All

Motogp69 · « **Reply #18 on:** March 24, 2010, 01:54:23 PM »

quote:
quote:
What type of moves are we talking about: 2/1 right, 1/1, etc?
--------------------
Videos at:
http://youtube.com/user/Gsnap21

"The framers of our Constitution believed that if the people were to be sovereign and belong to different religions at the same time then our official religion would have to be no religion at all. It was a bold experiment then as it is now. It wasn''t meant to make us comfortable, it was meant to make us free."

Edited on 3/24/2010 1:37 PM

Usually 2/1 or 3/2 right when the backend go away and then back to starting position during third game. For ex I started with the Natural standing 11 and targeting 6 at the arrows, moved 2/1 mid way of 1 game and moved back 3/2 in the third game. So I am right on top of the friction going pretty straight down the lane.
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ROTO GRIP - King of Them All

Was there any adjustment to actually getting used to watching the difference in ball motion?
--------------------
Videos at:
http://youtube.com/user/Gsnap21

"The framers of our Constitution believed that if the people were to be sovereign and belong to different religions at the same time then our official religion would have to be no religion at all. It was a bold experiment then as it is now. It wasn't meant to make us comfortable, it was meant to make us free."

laddog54 · « **Reply #19 on:** March 24, 2010, 02:01:22 PM »

Not for me. As you can see by and earlier post I have lots of urethane so I am use to it. The ball is going to hook earlier but not snap as hard so you have to get use to it looking like its going high for awhile. Like I said the trick is getting it to roll at the pins. Unlike reactive if it never gets into a good roll you won't carry light hits. Getting it to roll too early leaves really week 10 pins. Speed control is more effective at solving this than anything but you may have to move a little also.
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ROTO GRIP - King of Them All

Motogp69 · « **Reply #20 on:** March 24, 2010, 02:15:27 PM »

quote:
Not for me. As you can see by and earlier post I have lots of urethane so I am use to it. The ball is going to hook earlier but not snap as hard so you have to get use to it looking like its going high for awhile. Like I said the trick is getting it to roll at the pins. Unlike reactive if it never gets into a good roll you won't carry light hits. Getting it to roll too early leaves really week 10 pins. Speed control is more effective at solving this than anything but you may have to move a little also.
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ROTO GRIP - King of Them All

Lately, I've been using a Mercury that's drilled with the pin over my ring and the MB just to the right of my thumb to give me a similiar look as to what you are describing. I can usually throw it out to the friction early, and it just continues to the pocket without jumping. Then it's just a matter of using speed control to kick out the corners. The Mercury is the main reason I'm curious about getting a real Urethane ball, because even though it has the ball motion of a Urethane I can only use it if the lanes are broken down a certain way.
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Videos at:
http://youtube.com/user/Gsnap21

"The framers of our Constitution believed that if the people were to be sovereign and belong to different religions at the same time then our official religion would have to be no religion at all. It was a bold experiment then as it is now. It wasn't meant to make us comfortable, it was meant to make us free."

laddog54 · « **Reply #21 on:** March 24, 2010, 02:23:11 PM »

I don't have a Mercury but I do have a Neptune drilled Rico and even though I can move outside and simulate a urethane type reaction it still create more backend and more overall hook. On the Cheetah or Viper when the backends are fresh I like the look of the Natural but once some oil is pushed the Neptune works great.
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ROTO GRIP - King of Them All

charlest · « **Reply #22 on:** March 24, 2010, 02:36:30 PM »

quote:
Charlest, that's what I thought, but I wasn't sure if due to how weak the coverstocks are that you needed to use you favorite drills but make then a bit stronger.

I am exploring the urethane option because on my THS I'm deep inside by the end of the first game because they've failed to hire a replacement for the old laneman when every night was the great flood.

If I was to pick up just one Urethane which would you recommend?
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Videos at:
http://youtube.com/user/Gsnap21

"The framers of our Constitution believed that if the people were to be sovereign and belong to different religions at the same time then our official religion would have to be no religion at all. It was a bold experiment then as it is now. It wasn't meant to make us comfortable, it was meant to make us free."

Unless your bowling style was like mine and you bowled on my conditions, I would hesitate to say, "Use this one". ALso, I have not tried them all.

Of the current ones, I have the Desperado and the Hype Urethane. I like them both, enough to keep them, for the time being. I had to add smoothness and polish to the Hype to get it to perform for me. I also drilled it mild because it has a lot of flare. I did not have to modify the Desperado (a pearl urethane with an asymmetric core).

The Desperado seems to require more dry and I find it more suitable for my style and the lanes I bowl on, right now. I do like the Hype also. It seems to move pins a bit more than the Desperado, but the Desperado is a very good ball. I shot a 278 on Sunday with it (in practice), leaving just a 4/7 in the 4th frame.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

charlest · « **Reply #23 on:** March 24, 2010, 02:39:38 PM »

quote:
Okay, so since the Urethane will not be as jumpy as a reactive you take advantage of the hook set motion, because it won't deviate from the line to the pocket like a reactive. Unlike reactive, the high hard one is a good thing.
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I do not see urethanes' having a hook and set motion. With their current cores (most have true dynamic cores these days), they hook continuously but nowhere near as sharply as resin. They are ultra smooth and arc-like. They do NOT "take a set", unless you use one with a pancake core.
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"None are so blind as those who will not see."

TamerBowling · « **Reply #24 on:** March 24, 2010, 06:19:45 PM »

There's a lot of talk about Urethane now and frankly, I love this topic.
I won't fully repeat things I've said previously, but instead here is a link to an article on Urethane I wrote on my site:
http://tamerbowling.com/index.php/urethane-evolution-revolution-or-devolution/

Here's a link to my review on the Storm Natural:
http://tamerbowling.com/index.php/storm-natural/

In my personal experience, it did take a game or so to understand the reaction. I've been bowling for a long time, but I couldn't remember how it would react after using reactive since the early 90s. I thought I was playing a tighter line, but I simply wasn't tight enough causing some weak 7s and buckets. Once I tightened and rolled it up 3-7 to the same breakpoint, depending on the shot, it was money.

If you're THS is 40ft or longer, you may struggle a bit on the fresh with carry unless you really go down and in. I like to use it for 3rd game of 1st shift. If your house is on the drier side, you may be able to use it all night.

Here was my own personal test. For 3rd game, I average over 230 with it, easy. I tested it out from 1st to 3rd games and I found that I average 10 pins higher with it, the further into the night I get.

I agree with Charlest, I haven't seen a "hook set" motion. The urethane equipment is much more continuous, because Urethane reacts earlier on the lane and slowly to dry. This is opposed to Reactive where generally speaking, very little reaction early, but reacts very quickly when it encounters dry.

Whenever I am struggling to find a line, "I play for nine". Meaning, I take out my urethane ball and simply get it to the pocket every shot. If I strike great, if I don't it's a makeable leave.

Also, I will agree with Charlest about carrydown. Urethane will mess up the line for reactive balls much more quicky, but not because of carrydown but simply pushing oil out of the way. It "parts the seas" if you can envision that as it goes down the lane. You can make small adjustments, i.e. 1/1 or 2/1, with the urethane, but since reactives react very quickly to dry, if they encounter dry or spotty areas created by the urethane ball, they will become a little unpredictable. Carrydown happens, but not more than any other bowling ball.

I will be writing another article soon about Urethane for spares. I much prefer using urethane as compared to plastic, but I'll save that for another time...
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www.TamerBowling.com
Everything Bowling, coaching tips, ball reviews, General bowling discussions
USBC Certified Level I

bitbytebit · « **Reply #25 on:** March 24, 2010, 09:27:56 PM »

I like urethane, for all the reasons mentioned in this thread and others. I also see the problems for all the reasons also mentioned in this thread and others. I've recently took the plunge on replacing my entire arsenal with Visionary bowling balls. I did this because of the expectation of them having the good features of urethane and none of the bad features, also having all the power and carry of modern reactive balls. I have found this to be very correct now with my actual experience using the balls. Basically the Visionary balls I got are mostly the Ogre ones and a couple Gladiators. They are more arcing, like urethane, able to play more direct outside shots, down and in type lines. They also seem not to absorb the oil like other reactive balls do, have the ability to play the same line for a longer time, smaller adjustments. Also I have mine drilled mostly with the CG kicked out right of the pin, so all are really good at that line. So they basically achieve all the good parts of the look urethane can get, not overreacting etc. At the same time they also carry, the carry better than other reactive balls, they hit hard and explode the pins. I swear they just are so crazy when they hit, many times pins will fly and bounce of one side of the pit and then the other. So seems like the best of both worlds, and my little experiment seems to be paying off already at a month of trying the Visionary balls out. I've been using them on both long and short Sport patterns too, so not just THS conditions, and work just great, feel like I'm able to use Urethane on fresh sport shots yet of course these are not urethane balls (just all the good features of urethane). Also these balls are very durable like urethane, I mean they even do the thing were it may have a slight little rub against it peel off but it doesn't even leave a mark. With my Storm reactive balls this would have been some kind of scrape or little ding, the Visionary balls don't do that so far as easily. I have all the Faball urethane hammers from the 80's, except the pink one, and so am familiar with them. Are great, in really dry conditions or if I want to deal with bad carry, and want to have to use a lot more hand to get the ball to have good hook when there is a bit of oil. Yet the Visionary ones are the thing that has actually resolved the missing part of the hammers, and now I feel like I'm bowling with them all the time and able to score as great or better than with my previous Storm balls. Also I use the Ogre Urethane as a spare ball, and have it drilled to it'll go very straight (pin to pap drilling I guess, driller did this). I must say it's quite an amazing spare ball, plastic is nice but for some reason just a bit cheap feeling and this Ogre Urethane has the Ogre core and just blows up buckets and other groups of pins on spares. Also it can just nail spits nicely more often than plastic seemed to, besides the fact when the lanes are bone dry it can find the pocket and seems to carry as good as any reactive does.

Neptune66 · « **Reply #26 on:** March 28, 2010, 07:35:36 PM »

Been using Storm Natural more lately and my non-technical summation is that knowing when to use it is key.

If I put it in play too soon, it's like throwing plastic on oil and leaves lots of single pin spares, splits, and just lacks the overall mixing you get with reactives. If I wait too long and the lanes are really burnt up, it is easier to control than reactive, but the ball will still turn too soon. It will be a slow, smooth turn, so you'll have a little more time to agonize over the shot you just blew, but turn it will.

But.... if you pull it out of your bag at just the right moment [for you] as the lanes are transitioning, it can feel like a breath of fresh air. And if you get lined up, it's much easier to duplicate the shot next frame. When you are "on" with this ball, you will be able to maintain your accuracy for an extended number of frames with very minimal adjustments needed.

The only real problem, as I have mentioned, is being able to assess when to use it and when not to. And so far ---for me--- there has been some guesswork involved in that.

One more note.... I am more of a low rev, moderate to high speed bowler, and so far my scores have been stuck within 10 pins above or below my average (versus a much wider range with reactive equipment). But I have seen higher rev bowlers consistently bowl very good games with this ball.

Overall... my review of MY experience with Urethane this time around:

Some success...cautiously optimistic.... jury still out on long term rating

My review of others success level:

A very potent weapon in battling lanes that are drying out toward the end of league (and afterward if you stick around and bowl pot games).

Author Topic: Urethane (Read 4443 times)

Motogp69

Urethane

qstick777

Re: Urethane

laddog54

Re: Urethane

Motogp69

Re: Urethane

laddog54

Re: Urethane

Motogp69

Re: Urethane

laddog54

Re: Urethane

charlest

Re: Urethane

charlest

Re: Urethane

TamerBowling

Re: Urethane

bitbytebit

Re: Urethane

Neptune66

Re: Urethane