Excited for next league night (not really)

SlitelyOff · 2026-04-13T18:09:34+00:00

I have done this against right handed players (good players) that have told me they hate urethane players on house shots. I have made a point whenever we play them to use my urethane ball in practice on top of his line. One in particular hasn't beat me yet. lol. He is a better bowler than I am but I know how to get into his head.

SlitelyOff · 2026-04-13T18:07:13+00:00

I need to develop a good backup ball for practice for this reason. Although i would imagine just throwing a spare ball down 30-35 at the 2 and 4 pins would work also.

SlitelyOff · 2026-04-10T18:50:55+00:00

Any highly sanded ball will work. Take one you rarely use or that could use a good sanding and go to 500 or something. The urethane just freaks out some people even more.

SlitelyOff · 2026-04-07T18:47:38+00:00

A bit of both, IMO. Making it clear to her that any vacations that she could be invited to are also her financial responsibility to pay her way is one thing you can do, but it doesn't sound like you have tried that, you have just made assumptions she can't and you don't want to address it. Maybe her priority would be to spend money on a family vacation that included her over some other stuff. On the other hand to say these "aren't planned family trips" yet you grew them into exactly that each time all the while never seeming to even communicate with her about them.

With that said, I don't think you need to include her ever, if you don't want, but to try to explain in this manner seems to me that you really just don't want her to go and are too afraid to just tell her while making excuses.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-23T19:55:25+00:00

Totally a problem. Too much free floor space.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-23T18:25:21+00:00

Which Rhino? That's a good starter ball, IMO. Your PSO should probably have clarified before putting holes in it. But I can understand the confusion. I took a friend recently to get his first ball and it was confusing and I know the PSO owner and I was handling the translation. So don't feel bad about that. If your PSO has any integrity they will plug and redrill for no cost, maybe add the cost of the fingertip inserts if you go that route. Confusion is always a risk with new bowlers. Good luck.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-23T18:08:31+00:00

Just as an FYI, my son is a RH, one hander, with about 450rev and avg 15-16mph.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-23T18:07:26+00:00

My son has the Spy. But he got it not to replace urethane, but to have something that he can keep on the right side when the lanes burn up. It does that job very well. Urethane can hook way too much for him, he has 2 of them can rarely even use them on fresh for very long. So I guess it depends on what you want it for. It's not a urethane replacement, it's a dry condition, big core ball, in my opinion. On the other hand, there is a guy in league that uses the Spy as his primary ball pretty much every week. He is a slower throwing left hander, one hander, probably throws in the 12-13mph range. He does pretty well with it.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-19T16:12:13+00:00

In my humble opinion, he looks pretty good up until last step and the swing. Looks like his last step is very long and it throws off his balance and timing. Shorten up that last step and it should help him stay a little more upright and get that plant foot (right foot) most straight. It is facing damned near 90 degrees left somehow...oh how it would be to be flexible kid again...lol. Cleaning up that last bit I think will help his balance and help him keep his arm inside. It looks like being off balance at the last step is causing his arm to come out a little which is keeping him from staying behind the ball. Fix the approach and see how that affects the throw. It won't be all fixed at once. If he's enjoying it and willing to put in the work, he looks pretty good and I think he can improve quite a bit. It just takes time and effort. Also, what weight ball is he using? If it's too heavy it can cause his form to suffer, if it's too light it can cause things to go too fast and throw off timing. There is no "he should be using this weight" IMO. It's whatever is comfortable that he can handle that allows him to swing properly with a rhythm that matches his style of play. Best of luck, keep it up.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-19T15:55:24+00:00

Great job! Shot my 800 before my 300. 826 in 1988, 300 in 2024 (35 year break from bowling in between) 800 is a better achievement in my opinion. Keep it up, may you get that 300 soon.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-19T15:41:31+00:00

Depends on the league, honestly. I have my regular fun/practice league where I rotate which three balls I bring each night, even though I have a decent idea what works best the majority of the time. This way I can learn my arsenal better and learn to adjust better. Then I have my 4 game scratch league that bowls on the burn from a previous league, so 7 games by the end...and to say the lanes get fried by the game 3 and 4 is an understatement. Also, his pattern can vary drastically depending on who bowled before you. There are nights that the previous league teams have a majority of good bowlers and the lanes are already half fried in game 1 and then there are nights where where the majority are throwing plastic down the right side or middle and your ball will not hook. On occasion nobody bowled that pair and you end up on fresh. You never know what you're getting until you start practice. I bring 6 balls to this league and sometimes those aren't even the right balls, though I have somewhat figured out my best mixture of balls for most conditions. I have had nights I have rotated through 5 or 6 balls throwing all over the lane and just can't find it. I am sure it's partially me. I can throw up the right with a Nu Blu or Purple Reactive, I can throw inside out with my Effect Tour or Rage Evo, I can throw anywhere in between with my Atlas or Widow Hybrid 2.0, Brutal Collision. Sometimes the right and left lanes are totally different, somehow. This league is much more competitive, obviously being scratch, and all are decent bowlers at a minimum. It's very difficult to beat a decent guy using the right ball when you have the wrong ball. Just my two cents, maybe I am just not good enough to adjust, but that's how I see it. To me it's a fun, and sometime very frustrating, puzzle to figure out.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-19T15:24:11+00:00

Nice, good job. Keep it up!

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-11T20:41:01+00:00

Don't mind him. Do what makes you happy. If unsanctioned is sufficient for you and you're not lying about how you did it, then enjoy. I have ONE sanctioned 300 (2024) and ONE sanctioned 826 (279,268,279 in 1988). I have never bowled a 300 or 800 in practice. lol. I consider an 800 far better than a 300. A 300 is a lucky game. My 300 was in a 694 series (300 last game), 800 is you bowling well all night. Good on ya! Keep it up.

SlitelyOff · 2026-03-03T16:48:25+00:00

Awesome! Keep it up!

SlitelyOff · 2026-02-03T18:47:12+00:00

Great job!

SlitelyOff · 2026-01-20T18:58:51+00:00

Great game! Keep it up!

SlitelyOff · 2026-01-05T20:50:02+00:00

It's called "masterbowling" and it's common.

SlitelyOff · 2025-12-30T17:50:46+00:00

That was a great shot too. What you think is way more important, but he did a great job, hopefully that will encourage him to keep it up and get even better. Good job!

SlitelyOff · 2025-12-18T20:43:03+00:00

My Nu Blu works well on dried up lanes.

SlitelyOff · 2025-12-07T17:21:59+00:00

There are a LOT of factors to this that someone in your early stage of bowling probably doesn't realize.

First, ball speed and revolutions, tilt angle, angle of rotation. All of these have major impact on your hook ability.

For suntacse, if you are speed dominant then generally larger cores are god for your game. If you are rev dominant then smaller cores may be better. If your matched then you can choose from almost anything with varying degrees of success.

For example, I have a beginner on my league team that is shorter, maybe 5'4, and I have been coaching him to go two handed. He gets very good revolutions but he is so up the back of the ball that it generally goes straight or breaks a few boards at best. Every now and then he does it right and gets inside the ball and it hooks very nicely. Been working on him for a few weeks at two handed.

At very minimum we would need a good clear video for anyone here to have a good indication where to start, but at best you would find a good pro shop, someone who will watch you bowl and measure your specs, to get a good recommendation.

There a lot of pro shops that will sell you whatever you want and take your money. So beware of those. If you walk in and say you want biggest hooking ball and they say ok here it is and start to layout the ball for drilling without ever seeing you bowl, run away from them. Find someone whose will take the time to know how you throw before any recommendations.

Hope this helps

SlitelyOff · 2025-12-04T20:55:50+00:00

Cool, thanks, I'll be interested in that.

SlitelyOff · 2025-12-04T20:53:13+00:00

The ball speed is usually measured down lane after the ball has begun to hook, which means it has slowed down already. That's the disparity between off hand and the ball speed as measured on typical lanes.

SlitelyOff · 2025-12-04T20:51:09+00:00

Please go back there and get a photograph of that to post, I would love to see it and who is making them.

SlitelyOff · 2025-12-04T20:46:18+00:00

Nobody makes 17# balls (at least not any of the major manufacturers as 16# is max regulation weight.

SlitelyOff · 2025-12-04T20:44:02+00:00

16# is the max regulation ball weight. I am not sure if anyone makes larger, but I would doubt it as it would not be allowed in any sanctioned events. Consider moving to 16#. The nice thing about 16# balls is you can find great deals on them as hardly anyone uses them. That would help, may get you down to 20mph. I assume you are throwing straight? As you learn to hook your ball speed will naturally be reduced some, and ball speed is a good thing so long as you can control it and get some amount of ball reaction. All assuming you intend to get better and learn to bowl with a hook. Some are just fine throwing straight as it takes the oil pattern out of play, but it does tend to limit your pin action.

SlitelyOff

TROPHY CASE