Hooking vs. Straight Bowling Ball: Which is Better for Strikes and Spares?

Question
QUESTION: Do most professional bowlers hook when they throw the ball? I myself throw a fairly straight ball. When I see other people throwing a hook most of the time it seems like they have a better chance of getting a strike. However if they don't it seems like I with my straight ball have a better chance of picking up spares than those that hook it. Is one better than the other?

ANSWER: James,
Getting a ball to hook, helps achieve the proper angle of entry. Angle of entry is crucial to pushing the four pins that a ball (usually) hits as it enters the pocket and rolls thru the pindeck. The ball pushes the 1-3-5-9 (for a right hander) into the other six. A straight ball will to often deflect and not get the desired mix to get a strike.

Most pros use a plastic spare ball. The idea is a ball with very little hook potential, that goes very straight. So with out the need to make a ball roll straight, a bowler can roll a plastic ball the way they roll their first ball and still get a fairly straight trajectory.

Thanks for your question. Consider finding a coach or an accomplished bowler to help your learn to hook the ball. It will help as you improve. Good luck and bowl well.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: So pros use two different balls for each throw? One to improve the odds of a strike, and the second to throw a more straight ball to pickup the rest?

Answer
James,
High level bowlers often have as many options as golfers. Sometimes a bowler might use differnt first balls, when bowling on a pair of lanes, then switch to a shiny plastic ball to throw straighter at any resulting pins for the spare.

So, to answer your question, yes, absolutely. Thanks for the question.