Hi all,

I find that for my Pin 7 spares (I am a lefty), I found that lofting the ball helps me bowl straighter to hit the pin. As such, I am thinking of dropping the weight of my spare ball from 14lbs to 13lbs (my strike ball will remain at 14lbs).

Any thoughts?

You shouldn't loft at all on the shots. Instead of that, you maybe want to roll a bit harder, and rolling harder will result the ball going more straight and therefore easier spare shooting.

And I believe you should keep spare ball same weight as your other balls too, it would effect maybe a lot to your approach, if you keep changing between two weights.

And anyways I think on competitions you need to have all balls same weight..?

But yeah, thats just my 2 cents.

Would agree with Sam; seems to me that same weight, same grip,
same delivery would be best; just do not allow for any break with your spare ball.

I tried what you are doing 4 years ago. I throw a 15# ball and tried using a 14# ball as my spare ball. The 1# difference in weight affected my timing so I am back to using 15# for all of my bowling balls.

I believe in consistency accross your game. From the weight of the ball, span, pitches, hole size, and they way you throw your strike shot to your spare shot. Keeping the same weight should make other parts in your game more consistent. I also think that it is better for you that while throwing your plastic ball are your spares to throw it the same way you do your strike shot. It is a spare ball, it isn't going to hook (all that much if any).

I believe in consistancy as well. The weight and span and all that good stuff will definately help your game. However, myself and my coach think that you should be able to alternate between weights. It allows options and I like options. I throw 16 and 15 pound balls in the same game all the time. It is a little weird and can have some reprocussions but nothing too bad. I like lighter balls because they can save your arm and shoulder if you have to bowl a lot in one day or over the course of a couple of days.

I really don't think you need to drop the weight on spare ball. But if you, think you can handle the weight change then go ahead and do it.

Yes, you ofcourse should be able to switch between weights. But changing every 1-2 throws is going to be everything but good for your game. This way you have to adjust your approach everytime you throw, and by doing that you will be inconsistant.

And anyways, do they allow having 2 different weight balls over there on competitions?

Yeah I don't think there are any rules against having different ball weights here. I bowled in the California state tournament and I had a 16 and 15 pound ball and no body said anything. But I think they loosened the rules a couple of years back and they aren't as strict. I don't know if the rules were changed nationally, but it was choas. Their were people up there with 5-6 balls instead of two and their spare ball. My one team mate pulled out everyone of his 6 balls in the course of two games. So I don't really know. Anybody else know?

If you are not muscling the swing, not gripping the ball, have a correctly fitted ball and a bunch of other bad habits and have a nice fluid swing and release than there is not a need to go to a lighter weight to save the arm and shoulder. If you want options get a ball in the same weight that does something different than those you have, since you would already have the same amount of balls either way.

Many of the Pros can't change weight easily since it does effect timing some and the ones that can change don't do it in the middle of a squad, maybe in between squads. Many posters on here have commented on trying to go to 15s from 16s and how different it was and went right back to 16s.

There are no rules that say you can't use two different weights in competition, but then again why do it and possibly throw your game off. That's just my two cents.

i do have a 14# spare lanehawk ball and i can tell that the next spare ball i get will be 15#'s. i can tell its lighter, but i can still swing it hard to get it to go straight. but i like my spare ball a lot so it mite be awhile before i get another. i had a 13# t-zone ball and i cant even use it anymore. to much difference. hard to control it now. i just throw it way too hard and it goes about where it wants to go. overpower it.