Wrist devices, fair or unfair advantage?

[Michael Little]

Hi Michael,

I think the key to the general thought is in your statement here.

If worn as a support ( Medical Reasons), then you would need to wear it for all your shots. I don't have a problem with the adjustable type as long as they are not adjusted mid game, mid frame or removed. As it is then not worn for support.

As George F said he wears it as it give him consistency, does he wear it for all shots. Probably yes. One because of the consistency factor and two because you would get sick of taking the damn thing off all the time.

I don't believe it would be possible for a person to bowl a ball naturally with their wrist cupped at 70 degs for an entire delivery unless you have had a robot implant. You will at some point of the delivery need to un-cup your wrist to get out of the ball.

Thanks John,

Georgio at this stage only removes it when shooting for 7 and I think 4 pins, so he can throw a flat straight shot, I am sure if he travelled with a plastic ball in the kit bag he probably wouldn't worry about taking it off at all, just dial the setting back a bit. I think for both myself and George, it is impractical to worry about taking a specialised plastic ball for sparing, when you could use that space in your kit bag for another attacking weapon for the arsenal. However I am thinking of doing so and seeing how it works for me.

 

[CHIN]

i was cranky a long time before i got old Michael.

 

[Michael Little]

i was cranky a long time before i got old Michael.

lol, we know! perhaps I should have said crankier!

 

[John_Velo]

Hey Michael,

Maybe instead of a plastic ball you should start wearing a wrist device. I hear they are pretty good.

But I would get a skin coloured one so no-body notices.

 

[Anthony L]

What about this then, if it is an unfair advantage by wearing a wrist device - then all the bowlers that do not wear one go out and purchase one that way all bowlers have wrist devices and we now have a level playing field - problem sol-ved....
True or False...
my two cents worth.... cheers

 

[Michael Little]

What about this then, if it is an unfair advantage by wearing a wrist device - then all the bowlers that do not wear one go out and purchase one that way all bowlers have wrist devices and we now have a level playing field - problem sol-ved....
True or False...
my two cents worth.... cheers

I think there are a few points or opinions that people have come up with or presented from this.

- One being, this option won't work for the fact that a wrist guard can help people increase their ability to score but, some bowlers if they were to wear one, would be decreasing their scoring potential by limiting their skill range in terms of release
- Some believe, that straight bat guards are ok, the robo cop arm dial up hook ones are not
- Wrist guards will probably never be banned, but modifications to design and the ability to influence someones ability should be limited
- Some bowlers require a wrist guard due to physical limitations
- Nothing true or false about your statement, but take it from the other point of view, no wrist guards at all, then everyone is definitely on a level playing field

 

[Michael Little]

Hey Michael,

Maybe instead of a plastic ball you should start wearing a wrist device. I hear they are pretty good.

But I would get a skin coloured one so no-body notices.

Was actually thinking of using a plastic ball so I could throw an easier shot for spares, all about minimizing the effort vs the output

 

[jimcross]

Was actually thinking of using a plastic ball so I could throw an easier shot for spares, all about minimizing the effort vs the output

Michael, I just thought I'd quietly mention that I seem to see that not all posts on this thread are actually serious. Quite a few, in fact. You'd think they'd know better, wouldn't you?

 

[jockey]

Thanks John,

Georgio at this stage only removes it when shooting for 7 and I think 4 pins, so he can throw a flat straight shot, I am sure if he travelled with a plastic ball in the kit bag he probably wouldn't worry about taking it off at all, just dial the setting back a bit. I think for both myself and George, it is impractical to worry about taking a specialised plastic ball for sparing, when you could use that space in your kit bag for another attacking weapon for the arsenal. However I am thinking of doing so and seeing how it works for me.

Hey Micheal a bit off thread topic I know but:

I understand the idea of having that extra spot available in your kit for that higher or lesser performing reactive ball especially when travelling by plane. However given your and George's professionalism and attentiveness to your games I'm a little surprised to see you exercising this option of not carying a plastic surfaced ball with you to an event.

Having observed both you and George (on the rare occasions that it had occured back when I was bowling a bit on the circuit) have very ordinary games by your standards due to simple sparing mishaps I thought that would have persuaded you earlier than this that a plastic ball is an essential part of the current tournament bowlers kit.

I'm glad you have decided to reintroduce one to your travelling kit. It might help make some of these newer bowlers realize the futility of them trying to spare with their reactive balls against using a spare ball.

Just on another note Michael. I currently use a plastic ball for the left hand side spare leaves. However I don't use my strike ball for the right hand leaves or even the five pin. I use a reactive ball that is about 5 years old and which hasn't been resurfaced for at least three. This I find gives me a much tamer line for those pin leaves. Do you simply use your strike ball for your left hand leaves (rare I know) or also change to a tamer ball for them.

 

[Michael Little]

Michael, I just thought I'd quietly mention that I seem to see that not all posts on this thread are actually serious. Quite a few, in fact. You'd think they'd know better, wouldn't you?

lol, I know, I just ignored the option of wearing a wrist guard, I couldn't bear the thought!

 

[Michael Little]

Hey Micheal a bit off thread topic I know but:

I understand the idea of having that extra spot available in your kit for that higher or lesser performing reactive ball especially when travelling by plane. However given your and George's professionalism and attentiveness to your games I'm a little surprised to see you exercising this option of not carying a plastic surfaced ball with you to an event.

Having observed both you and George (on the rare occasions that it had occured back when I was bowling a bit on the circuit) have very ordinary games by your standards due to simple sparing mishaps I thought that would have persuaded you earlier than this that a plastic ball is an essential part of the current tournament bowlers kit.

I'm glad you have decided to reintroduce one to your travelling kit. It might help make some of these newer bowlers realize the futility of them trying to spare with their reactive balls against using a spare ball.

Just on another note Michael. I currently use a plastic ball for the left hand side spare leaves. However I don't use my strike ball for the right hand leaves or even the five pin. I use a reactive ball that is about 5 years old and which hasn't been resurfaced for at least three. This I find gives me a much tamer line for those pin leaves. Do you simply use your strike ball for your left hand leaves (rare I know) or also change to a tamer ball for them.

lol, I am not quite sure where to start with this one, unsure if you are saying myself and George have the occasional bad games because we can't spare properly haha? If I have missed a spare or any shot I am trying to complete for that matter, it is because I haven't done something properly with my technique, nothing else, not because of the ball. Unless I correct those, the same result happens regardless of what ball I use.

I am merely thinking of using a plastic with spares to see if A) I can do it B) It makes my game simpler, but one point should be clarified, everybody has their own systems, techniques for sparing. I haven't used a plastic ball for spares since I was a junior when you were told this was the way it should be and that is how it is done. WRONG! I finally figured out how much easier it was for myself to just throw the ball straight. Unless I am mucking around or just going through the motions, I rarely hook a ball at any spare and haven't done so for well over 15 years. In regards to the type of ball I use for my spares currently, I just use whatever feels comfortable, I could throw the latest Theory as straight as I could a plastic, so to me it doesn't matter. There is no hook or turn on my spares.

I think you are undervaluing the extra dimension a 'normal' ball in your kit bag can have as opposed to taking up space with a plastic. If you bowled on some of the tripe I did growing up in QLD, you would certainly want every advantage you could have. If you get strikes you don't have to spare. And I am not quite sure how it is less professional if you don't carry a plastic ball for sparing. Whatever works best for each individual bowler is what it comes down too. A lot of guys spare either way. Some can't flatten out a reactive ball, so using plastic works best for them. Each to their own. Last time I used a plastic ball was about 2 months ago at Rutherford, I was throwing strikes with it.

 

[Toon]

I don't mean to insult anyone, but a view from personal experience. I think the using a plastic for spares is reducing alot of bowlers need to learn about axis and rotation changes and about developing strong spare systems and knowledge of lane conditions.

I definately think bowlers who use their strike ball for all spares develop a much greater knowledge and understanding on all these areas.

I know my ability to make small changes have increased greatly since I stopped using a plastic.

 

[John_Velo]

G'Day Toon and Michael,

I only recently went to a spare ball around Feb of this year. he reason being was more due to not wanting to waist the fresh ball surface of the reactive on a single pin. I figure why soak the ball with extra oil that is not required.

I can see another thread coming on this one.

 

[CHIN]

G'Day Toon and Michael,

I only recently went to a spare ball around Feb of this year. he reason being was more due to not wanting to waist the fresh ball surface of the reactive on a single pin. I figure why soak the ball with extra oil that is not required.

I can see another thread coming on this one

RIPPER

 

[amagill]

lol, I am not quite sure where to start with this one, unsure if you are saying myself and George have the occasional bad games because we can't spare properly haha? If I have missed a spare or any shot I am trying to complete for that matter, it is because I haven't done something properly with my technique, nothing else, not because of the ball. Unless I correct those, the same result happens regardless of what ball I use.

I am merely thinking of using a plastic with spares to see if A) I can do it B) It makes my game simpler, but one point should be clarified, everybody has their own systems, techniques for sparing. I haven't used a plastic ball for spares since I was a junior when you were told this was the way it should be and that is how it is done. WRONG! I finally figured out how much easier it was for myself to just throw the ball straight. Unless I am mucking around or just going through the motions, I rarely hook a ball at any spare and haven't done so for well over 15 years. In regards to the type of ball I use for my spares currently, I just use whatever feels comfortable, I could throw the latest Theory as straight as I could a plastic, so to me it doesn't matter. There is no hook or turn on my spares.

I think you are undervaluing the extra dimension a 'normal' ball in your kit bag can have as opposed to taking up space with a plastic. If you bowled on some of the tripe I did growing up in QLD, you would certainly want every advantage you could have. If you get strikes you don't have to spare. And I am not quite sure how it is less professional if you don't carry a plastic ball for sparing. Whatever works best for each individual bowler is what it comes down too. A lot of guys spare either way. Some can't flatten out a reactive ball, so using plastic works best for them. Each to their own. Last time I used a plastic ball was about 2 months ago at Rutherford, I was throwing strikes with it.

I had never owned a plastic. Always used (as someone else pointed out), an old reactive that hadn't been resurfaced in a long, long time. I also got taught to throw the ball straight at spares, then, it doesn't matter how much oil is in the middle, the ball is rolling straight and won't be affected by a pool of oil in the middle. However, I recently purchased my first plastic. I bought a Columbia 300 Blue Dot, mainly becuase I wanted to have a crack at the plastic ball sport series this month, but also, like you Mick, I wanted to see how much using a plastic for spares changed my game.

What i've found so far, is that I am nowhere near as accurate with my spares, as I thought i was! Even though i was using a, practically dead reactive ball, I figure I must've been putting a little bit of hand on my spares, especially the left hand pins. Now with plastic, I am seeing that you need to hit a much smaller area for the spares, but having said that, once you hit that area, the ball never looks like missing the spare. So i'd say i'm "converted" now to carting a plastic with me everywhere I go...

 

[jockey]

Michael

Thanks for the informative reply. I apologise to you thinking that those poor games were attributed to lack of sparing due to non use of plastic. I was unaware that until you mentioned in this thread that you were thinking of it that you had never regularly used a plastic ball for spares.

Amagill raised a good point for all to take note of in that his adoption of the use of a plastic spare ball requires a premium on accuracy for successful conversion. Now I technically don't use a plastic but a urethane pearl hammer for my spare ball but also as I mentioned in my previous post can throw it straight or hook it if I need too. I also hook the older reactive at spares although I would actually class it as a late fade rather than a hook but can also throw it straight.

I would be interesting to see how many varied techniques there are out there being used for sparing. I used a two ball mixed technique where others I know just try to do it all with the plastic ball. My sparing technique is not text book but is still based on the fundamentals.

 

[Roysa]

Having used both for spares, i found using a hooking ball more successful for anything with a sleeper, the 2/8 or 3/9 or any bucket. Going straight with a plastic requires dead on accuaracy to cover the rear pin. JMO.

 

[CHIN]

Having used both for spares, i found using a hooking ball more successful for anything with a sleeper, the 2/8 or 3/9 or any bucket. Going straight with a plastic requires dead on accuaracy to cover the rear pin. JMO.

I do the same. Depending on the what pins are left as to whether I use my plastic or reactive ball. Only 3 or 4 combination of pins that I would use my reactive on. Everything else I use my plastic. But like Michael said earlier, whatever suits each individual the best.

Interesting conversation I have had with a couple of youth bowlers. They have been informed by the national coach that if they dont use there plastic for all spares (including 2/8 & 3/9) they will not be considered for national selection. Just find that a little bazzar if that is the case.

 

[Michael Little]

I do the same. Depending on the what pins are left as to whether I use my plastic or reactive ball. Only 3 or 4 combination of pins that I would use my reactive on. Everything else I use my plastic. But like Michael said earlier, whatever suits each individual the best.

Interesting conversation I have had with a couple of youth bowlers. They have been informed by the national coach that if they dont use there plastic for all spares (including 2/8 & 3/9) they will not be considered for national selection. Just find that a little bazzar if that is the case.

Rob, just imagine if you took your wrist guard off, you would just need the one ball for both first and second shots! lol

I think the focus is more on youth bowlers at present because in general it has been found by not only the national coach now, but previous coaches and administrators, that there possibly is a lack of skill in hitting their spares and this has assisted with poor results and low scoring on national team trips. I am sure exceptions can be made if a youth player is a super sparer with their own system, but with the lack of sparing ability, I think Chris and Cara just want to there to be a base level of ability that isn't going to cost medals at the end of the day if they happen to be in contention.

I also think that because most OS champ events are still played on short and long patterns, hooking a ball at a spare on a short pattern is just suicide, and can be generally difficult on a long as well.

I have also seen comments from some saying how tough the recent NTS testing was. I think this possibly shows just how low some bowlers place importance of hitting their spares, the last decade or two of instant gratification not only extends to using the latest ball to hit high scores, I think it has also possibly led to only a focus on getting strikes with spares an afterthought.

 

[Michael Little]

I had never owned a plastic. Always used (as someone else pointed out), an old reactive that hadn't been resurfaced in a long, long time. I also got taught to throw the ball straight at spares, then, it doesn't matter how much oil is in the middle, the ball is rolling straight and won't be affected by a pool of oil in the middle. However, I recently purchased my first plastic. I bought a Columbia 300 Blue Dot, mainly becuase I wanted to have a crack at the plastic ball sport series this month, but also, like you Mick, I wanted to see how much using a plastic for spares changed my game.

What i've found so far, is that I am nowhere near as accurate with my spares, as I thought i was! Even though i was using a, practically dead reactive ball, I figure I must've been putting a little bit of hand on my spares, especially the left hand pins. Now with plastic, I am seeing that you need to hit a much smaller area for the spares, but having said that, once you hit that area, the ball never looks like missing the spare. So i'd say i'm "converted" now to carting a plastic with me everywhere I go...

I think you find less margin sometimes with a spare ball, because even with using a reactive for spares, even a dead one, they are more forgiving on errors in placement, just like on a first ball. Even throwing it dead straight, I notice different reactions dependant on lane conditions and adjust if needed, but the differences to me and the way I wish to throw a plastic would be highlighted probably more.

I know I would personally have to change my technique a little for spares on the left if I was to use a plastic, but I will eventually figure it out.