Hi Guys,
Sounds like the theme is pretty much the same, one strong drilled ball and one drilled for a little length with surface management being the key.
On the spare ball side, I agree flatten the shot. I only recently bought my first ever spare ball and can see the attraction. But, and just a hypothetical point, from the thread this was created out of “A Question For You All” by Jockey’s point.
Point 3. All bowlers are allowed to use a maximum of three balls on a Sports pattern, if that pattern is listed on the allowable sports patterns on the TBA website. If the pattern does not appear on the TBA website then it will be classed as a THS and the two ball restriction will apply. One of the balls must have a plastic or urethane surface. Note this restriction also applies to the practice play component of the Sports league.
What if the TBA said you had to have one plastic or urethane ball in your league or tournament kit? What would you choose knowing one ball is already chosen for you? Further, what would your spare ball be, plastic or an old high performance urethane ball?
John
Thanks for starting this thread as it will promote further debate on whether this could be a viable solution to the problem plagueing our sport.
I placed the option of the spare ball being either a Plastic or Urethane surfaced ball on the basis that I personally use a Red Pearl Hammer for my spare ball and not a plastic ball.
Yours and other points here throw up the possibility that more skillful bowlers could take advantage of this point to use say in my case an original Red Hammer to use as an additional weapon for the first ball and not just use this ball exclusively for spares.
In answer to your question:
For the THS I would use the Pearl Hammer to meet the spare ball provision and the other ball would be the one I have found in outside league practice to play the best on that condition (I am talking about my home lanes here). I would regularly conduct practice sessions when I find that the lanes are altering a bit or the THS patterns changes to review the first ball selection. Currently it would one of the Hammer Black Widow range balls.
For a Tournament there are four scenarios:
Where the pattern is known and TBA approved then I would take my most aggressive ball and a more tamer ball and depending on outside of tournament practice results on such pattern use either the Red Urethane Hammer or Red Pearl Hammer for the spare ball.
Where the pattern is not known and TBA approved I would go with the same first ball strategy and use the Red Urethane hammer as the spare ball.
Where the pattern is known but not TBA approved and therefore the THS rule applies I would use my most aggressive ball and the Red Urethane hammer or Red Pearl Hammer as the spare ball (depending on my practice results on such pattern).
Where the pattern is not known and not TBA approved and therefore the THS rule applies I would use my most aggressive ball and the Red Urethane hammer as the spare ball.
It will be up to the TBA to ensure the rules are layed out clear and concise enough to ensure that bowlers cannot find a way to exploit them. Although using a urethane ball for the spare ball does offer the bowler an extra first ball option I think this is ok as long as the drilling of the Urethane ball is straight forward. However my last statement here throws up another can of worms on policing.
My strategy is to ensure I can spare proficiently while using either the Red Pearl or Red Urethane surfaced ball so that when I choose to designate the Red Urethane ball as my spare ball in any session then it should be transparent in my scoring results. It also encourage people to practice to learn how they should address particular patterns by trying out different lines with what balls they have in order to find their ultimate scoring combination of line and equipment on that pattern.
