Is poly harder to use?

[anubis]

I'm going through a match downswing right now. It could be all mental, who knows. But when I was winning matches regularly, I was using prince premiere attack 16. i had so much control and plenty of spin.

lately i've been stringing poly hybrids. I'm currently somewhere around 0 out of 12 matches (singles and doubles). I haven't won any game since I've been playing poly. I've experimented with high tensions, low tensions, untextured, textured, no difference.

I'm starting to think that at the 3.0 to 3.5 level, playing one's own game with poly is harder to do than playing one's own game with multi.

Its almost as if poly is just so unforgiving. Here's some of my observations and I would like your opinion if I'm on the right track, or if I'm just imagining things:

1) If your timing is just slightly off, you're punished
2) If your racquet take back is a little late, the ball goes into the net
3) If your racquet speed is slower than your last shot, the ball doesn't get enough spin and goes sailing long or wide
4) Inconsistencies are generally magnified

It's like you've got to have your A game just to keep the ball in play. However, when I played with multi, it just seemed more forgiving. I didn't have to have insanely fast racquet head speed. I didn't have to hit the ball on the rise to keep it in. I had more wiggle room and I could still win matches if I wasn't in the "zone" for 100% of the match.

Any thoughts? Thanks.

[Jay_The_Nomad]

Well I think it also depends on which racquet you're using the polyester strings on. Polyester on a more user friendly tweeners like the babolats are quite accessible for most players.

Full poly in a pro staff 85 would just be tough.

[Up&comer]

That's what most people on this board try to get people to understand. Until you are at least 4.5, poly is worse for you than multi or synthetic in literally every category but physical durability.

[Korso]

Poly does make more since once you reach the 4.5 level. Racket head speed is the key. Without good tecnique and hiting the ball out in front of you poly does nothing for you.

[anubis]

Interesting, well then I consider my experience a semi-scientific experiment as to the virtues of poly for beginners! Perhaps others can learn from my failures. I'll string up PPA again and start playing with that. Hopefully I'll start winning matches. I was about 9 out of 12 before switching to poly.

Thanks again.

[nadalex]

as much as i agree with people telling others not to use poly, I have to say the way ur speaking sounds like u might need to do a poly hybrid with the poly in the crosses and premiere attack on the mains. Try it out, its less punishing and feels more like the Premiere than the poly

[Up&comer]

Originally Posted by nadalex

as much as i agree with people telling others not to use poly, I have to say the way ur speaking sounds like u might need to do a poly hybrid with the poly in the crosses and premiere attack on the mains. Try it out, its less punishing and feels more like the Premiere than the poly

I disagree. He said he's a 3.0-3.5 player. No need for poly in any form. He also said he loves premier attack, which is a good choice. No need for anything that could harm his arm.

[Larrysümmers]

poly is really low powered. so unless you really smack the crap out of the ball, you're just going to hit balls that sit up with no weight behind it.

[sansaephanh]

I'm trying to move away from poly... though the playability is addicting, I think the OP is correct. I've won more matches then I ever have though. That's probably because of progress in technique though.

I recently had a fling with a power synthgut - Forten Sweet 17. My balls were sailing a ton longer then with poly. It was actually hard to adjust to. I tried hitting with my usual rhs, but with more of a topspin follow through and I was hitting deep still.

I don't know what string is good for my game. But i kind of love poly for its spin potential and low powered attributes. I've tested quite a few strings recently, gave up on my thread though haha.

Multi's just go too fast for my wallet=/. Synth guts are the same. I really want to find a cost effective replacement, but i'm hesitant to pull the trigger on any thing yet.

[Hi I'm Ray]

I have the opposite impression from poly. I remember players on average hitting with a lot less spin and consistency in the mid 90's - early 2000's. I'm surprised with the amount of spin and improved consistency I see in the average rec player now.

IMO it would be easier to control the ball with a less powerful set up whether its strings, frame, or both. If you play better with a multi then just stick to it.

Originally Posted by sansaephanh

Multi's just go too fast for my wallet=/. Synth guts are the same. I really want to find a cost effective replacement, but i'm hesitant to pull the trigger on any thing yet.

Sounds like you need a stringing machine! It should pay for itself in saved stringing fees rather quickly.

[sansaephanh]

I do! lol I string my own rackets most of the time, but haven't rreally worked with it as much as i should lol.

[Hi I'm Ray]

Eh?!

Well, I find stringing a PITA so I guess I can see why you wouldn't want to do that all the time

[COPEY]

Originally Posted by sansaephanh

I do! lol I string my own rackets most of the time, but haven't rreally worked with it as much as i should lol.

There's a lady I know, very good player, somewhere between a 4.5/5.0, owns a stringer, but I string her racquets. Now, in her defense, she has three kids, and the youngest is just barely a year old, so in her case it's a matter of simply not having time and/or being too tired to do anything else after dealing with three kids all day.

I find it...interesting (for lack of a better word) that someone who is looking for a cheaper string, has a stringer, but also pays someone else to string for him lol. I actually enjoy stringing. Admittedly, I enjoy string someone else's racquet as opposed to my own since I know when I'm done I'll (1) have a satisfied customer, and (2) I'll have earned a little cash.

Just curious, Ray - what part of the stringing process do you dislike? Crosses?

[Hi I'm Ray]

Originally Posted by COPEY

Just curious, Ray - what part of the stringing process do you dislike? Crosses?

I read that strings, esp poly, should be pulled slowly to avoid tension loss. I have a Gamma Progression 2 with 6pt mount, fixed clamps, & drop weight. I put a bubble level on the tension arm. Depending on the string, it can actually take a lot longer for the tension arm to stop moving than expected - the bubble level makes this much easier to observe. Before, I used to clamp off when the tension arm appeared to stop moving. But after attaching the bubble level to it I see now that the tension arm continues to drop very slowly and can move a noticeable amount. This makes the process longer than expected. 2nd, the tension arm/string gripper has a ratcheting system, and the increments are too course. With my standard cross strings, it just so happens that no matter how the arm is positioned, when I pull those particular crosses in my frame the tension arm ends up either grossly above or below horizontal. If the arm is under the horizontal position and I turn the ratcheting mechanism just one increment, it ends up far above horizontal. Its only for my main frames + preferred crosses but it takes quite a bit of adjusting to get it right and is certainly a PITA.

[ClarkC]

Is it considered standard procedure to string slowly with poly, to sit and watch the weight gradually drop as mentioned?

[Hi I'm Ray]

Originally Posted by ClarkC

Is it considered standard procedure to string slowly with poly, to sit and watch the weight gradually drop as mentioned?

I think very few ppl do it.

Its definitely not fun at all but I also don't really experience the problematic tension loss with poly that some ppl talk about, except with some very thin polys and Pro Line 2.

[lynnbart]

Interesting.... I have the stringing machine that Ray does and I've noticed the same.

Iontec Black will stretch for what seems like forever, even RPM will continue to move for awhile. The synthetic used for the hybrid will reach its tension and just stop.

I've got to the point of being somewhat paranoid of not letting each poly pull completely stop stretching.

[Hi I'm Ray]

Originally Posted by lynnbart

Interesting.... I have the stringing machine that Ray does and I've noticed the same.

I feel sorry for you

Originally Posted by lynnbart

Iontec Black will stretch for what seems like forever, even RPM will continue to move for awhile. The synthetic used for the hybrid will reach its tension and just stop.

Yeah, I also noticed the syn gut stops much faster than most polys I've tried. Interestingly, some of the softer feeling polys like cyber blue and pro line 2 didn't have much stretch to them. Scorpion just kept on stretching for the longest time.

Originally Posted by lynnbart

I've got to the point of being somewhat paranoid of not letting each poly pull completely stop stretching.

What's the reason for this?

[Korso]

Kirschbaum are prestreched and I believe cyber blue are as well.

[lynnbart]

If I clamp a poly pull at horizontal but it was still barely easing down a bit more and then the next pull completely stops before I clamp,,,,I really worry about the consistency of the string job.

Maybe it is insignificant, but it is something that I really pay attention to.