Author Topic: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight? (Read 12358 times)

Aloarjr810 · « **on:** February 01, 2010, 10:19:18 AM »

I've been seeing more posts lately about how somebody wants to keep a plastic ball from hooking.Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

Bowlers are looking for some super polish to put on it or some exotic ball layout that will force it to go straight no matter how its thrown or the lane condition. Or the old chestnut "What plastic ball has the hardest D rating?"

Can't anybody stop cranking the ball? Break the wrist back and roll it end over end? to shoot that ten pin?

Then if you think about it, if the lanes are so dry the plastic ball hooks. Why are they using some hook monster to shoot strikes on the same lanes because the others don't hook enough.
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Aloarjr810
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Click For My Grip

BrunsMike · « **Reply #1 on:** February 01, 2010, 06:27:39 PM »

Retorical question I suppose.

I can't imagine hearing that come from anybody. It's usually the opposite, "Why can't I hook this ball!?" If this person has this much hook that his polyester is hooking that much, then chance's are this person will be less likely to even consider making a hand position change. Duck and run from this nightmare!
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Mike Zadler
"When in doubt, Pull out" - Rob Stone
Below, my stats from previous seasons:
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icewall · « **Reply #2 on:** February 01, 2010, 06:37:12 PM »

I did have a problem with a plastic ball hooking on me, switched to a white dot and that solved it. must have been harder then the previous spare ball.

but ill agree that if your plastic ball is hooking the adjustment most likely needs to come from the bowler.
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tweener
300 revs
16 mph
15 degrees of tilt

Aloarjr810 · « **Reply #3 on:** February 01, 2010, 06:42:12 PM »

quote:
Retorical question I suppose.

I can''t imagine hearing that come from anybody. It''s usually the opposite, "Why can''t I hook this ball!?" If this person has this much hook that his polyester is hooking that much, then chance''s are this person will be less likely to even consider making a hand position change. Duck and run from this nightmare!

heres a example in the drillings & layout forum called "can you drill all break from a ball? " where he says

quote:
i have tried the roto grip crown, storm ice, and columbia blue dot. proshop operator said he could drive the ice with weights (imbalance) that would send it straight, i threw it and it hooked.

Also IMHO the minor differences in hardness rating of todays polyester (plastic) balls is meaningless.

A blue dot thrown straight isn''t going to go any straighter than a white dot thrown straight.

I think a lot of the times when someone says they can''t throw it straight. It''s not that they can''t, its just when they do they miss.

A straight ball can show a lot about how inaccurate you are.

Edited on 2/1/2010 8:06 PM

River700 · « **Reply #4 on:** February 01, 2010, 07:30:27 PM »

I can't agree more. I have seen many people where I bowl use their strike ball to shoot the ten and they keep on missing it because they put some spin on it and then it hooks and misses the ten. I guess when it comes down to it is that these bowlers need to either flatten out their hand and throw it with no revs, or buy a plastic ball to pick up the ten. It's really that simple, but a lot of people are stubborn and won't change, but then get mad when they don't pick up easy spares like the ten.

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Bowling is fun, enjoy it, don't hate it

DON DRAPER · « **Reply #5 on:** February 01, 2010, 08:31:10 PM »

my polyester ball goes dead straight no matter what type of lane condition i'm bowling on. here's why:

1) brunswicks t-zone isn't any harder than anybody else's polyester ball. but i had it scuffed from 400 grit all the way up to 4,000 micropad. then i had several coats of rubbing & finishing compound applied. finally i had several coats of black magic car polish applied. this surface is extremely shiny and slippery.

2) my hand release is almost a backup ball release. the ball clips the thumbhole slightly and almost hits the middle finger hole.

txbowler · « **Reply #6 on:** February 01, 2010, 09:46:59 PM »

I think the key is less chance of error.

A bowler has the most confidence in their strike release. The do it most often. The can repeat it with the least amount of error than any other release.

If they can find a ball that allows them to make a 10 pin without having to alter their release to a less accurate release. Then that's their goal.

May not be the correct solution to their problem but that's their solution.

mainzer · « **Reply #7 on:** February 01, 2010, 09:54:30 PM »

Good question. I dont use plastic I just break my wrist and throw it about 25 mph at the spares.

Any ball will hook if it sees friction even if you have a plastic ball with todays conditions becoming drier your plastic will hook off. if you wanna be sure and be a good spare shooter learn to break your wrist it will also free up a spot in your bag for another ball.
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but it could be rented remarkably cheaply"
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completebowler · « **Reply #8 on:** February 01, 2010, 10:02:11 PM »

quote:
Good question. I dont use plastic I just break my wrist and throw it about 25 mph at the spares.

Any ball will hook if it sees friction even if you have a plastic ball with todays conditions becoming drier your plastic will hook off. if you wanna be sure and be a good spare shooter learn to break your wrist it will also free up a spot in your bag for another ball.
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"His Loyalty couldnt be bought at any price
but it could be rented remarkably cheaply"
-Inquisitor Allendyne-

Founding Father of the BR Inquisition

MainzerPower

Plus 1 manzier....great point. I can throw it dead straight from years of practice in the urethane era. You carry less stuff and never have to worry about a different feel from your strike ball.
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r534me · « **Reply #9 on:** February 01, 2010, 10:20:38 PM »

I pick up my spares with a plastic ball with a straight ball release. My reasoning is that I have a larger margin of error, and it lets me use my reactive equipment only for the first ball, minimizing the wear on them.

To give one an idea how my ball goes down the line the oil track goes right through my thumbhole.

BrunsWolf · « **Reply #10 on:** February 01, 2010, 10:52:34 PM »

Honestly, my "spare ball" is my Siege at 1000 abralon. The ball feels so good and falls off my hand perfectly that I just get my hand behind it and throw it straight. Thats not to say that I take all the revs out of the ball, I still have maybe a 325-350 rev rate when I throw at spares, but the ball hooks maybe a board because I throw it end over end at about 20 mph.

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Brunswick Advisory Staff

Jared Wolf
Jonesboro, AR
www.bowlingchat.net

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer and not of Brunswick Corporation.

dougb · « **Reply #11 on:** February 01, 2010, 11:24:36 PM »

quote:
I love throwing urethane at spares. You can throw it dead straight, thump the finger and thumb holes with an end over end roll and it tracks very well in the oil with no squirt. Also gives you a little bit of room on the mistake.
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Macky Micky Mucky Mocky

I also put my plastic ball in the closet and use my urethane. I find plastic can be a little squirty at times... no such problem with the urethane.

dizzyfugu · « **Reply #12 on:** February 02, 2010, 04:26:14 AM »

quote:
I've been seeing more posts lately about how somebody wants to keep a plastic ball from hooking.Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

Bowlers are looking for some super polish to put on it or some exotic ball layout that will force it to go straight no matter how its thrown or the lane condition. Or the old chestnut "What plastic ball has the hardest D rating?"

Can't anybody stop cranking the ball? Break the wrist back and roll it end over end? to shoot that ten pin?

Then if you think about it, if the lanes are so dry the plastic ball hooks. Why are they using some hook monster to shoot strikes on the same lanes because the others don't hook enough.

Good comment. Concerning strike balls, I found the many comments about the new Invasion amusing, where many people complain about tha ball "not hooking". Well, if it was used propely, it surely will, but not on THS and ridden everyday shots... But still, we insist on "big hookers", the more, the better.

About the spare ball - I am totally with you. Release adjustment is on the decline, and I know the painful (and entertaining) attempts of bowlers to take out the 10 pin with tgheir strike ball, even with a wrist support for maximum revs on. This CAN'T work, but who am I to burst the bubble.
What happened to me one time in league was that a youth team mate wondered why I would totally break back my wrist when playing my spare ball - he could not imagine that I'd play the ball this way, and it took a long time to explain that you can actually "kill" the shot for a straight ball. But this seemed like rocket science to him, and he'd keep on using a particle ball for spares... Hmpf.
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qstick777 · « **Reply #13 on:** February 02, 2010, 10:08:29 AM »

When it comes to shooting spares, there always seems to be 2 different theories:

1) learn how to break your wrist and throw the ball differently, or

2) shoot all spares with a plastic ball. Throw it hard and fast because plastic doesn't hook. It's better to use a spare ball that way you can use your "normal release" and be more consistent.

So, which is it?

Aloarjr810 · « **Reply #14 on:** February 02, 2010, 11:15:49 AM »

quote:
When it comes to shooting spares, there always seems to be 2 different theories:

1) learn how to break your wrist and throw the ball differently, or

2) shoot all spares with a plastic ball. Throw it hard and fast because plastic doesn't hook. It's better to use a spare ball that way you can use your "normal release" and be more consistent.

So, which is it?

Should be a combination of the two. learn how to break your wrist and use a plastic ball.

A question to ask is why when attempting to throw a straight ball at say a 10 pin, would you use the same release that was meant to make a ball hook?

The thing I was seeing was all the bowlers who are using plastic balls and complaining that they hook too much.

Which says to to me the "throw it the sameway, just throw it harder" method doesnt work that well.

plus theres things like what happens after youve been bowling a big block of games and you can't throw that 25mph ball at the 10 anymore?

Author Topic: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight? (Read 12358 times)

Aloarjr810

Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

BrunsMike

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

icewall

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

Aloarjr810

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

River700

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

DON DRAPER

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

txbowler

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

mainzer

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

completebowler

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

r534me

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

BrunsWolf

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

dougb

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

dizzyfugu

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

qstick777

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?

Aloarjr810

Re: Why has it become so hard to throw a plastic ball straight?