Any thoughts on the Brunswick Slingshot?

[Bizwan65]

Looking to upgrade my almost 15yo son's 10lb Brunswick Tzone plastic ball with a 12lb Brunswick Slingshot.

Is the Slingshot a decent entry level performance ball?

[StormGirl]

I'd say most people use it as a spare ball or for very dry conditions. Does your son hook the ball at all? If not, this ball may be great for him. :) I think this ball is a fairly good ball for entry level. You may want to look into the new Storm line at the Tropical Heat/Breeze. Those balls are around the same price as well. Maybe some ball gurus on here can recommend something better around the same price range.

[kev3inp]

I've got a Slingshot and it works very well for me. It will not hook in oil, but that's not what it's for. It's more than a spare ball, though. If I send it up 6 or 7 it makes a very nice turn into the pocket.

[Bizwan65]

Thanks for the replies. The lanes he bowls on are generally very light to dry so the heavy oil issue is a nonfactor. I was looking online at entry level balls including:
Brunswick Slingshot
900Global Hook
Storm Tropical Breeze

He liked the look of the Brunswick Slingshot the best.

He doesn't throw a hook, but I'm going to guide him in that direction. Whatever ball we get for him, I'm going to get drilled with a fingertip grip.

Looking into getting him private lessons. Tryouts for the HS team are in a couple of weeks. I will probably wait until that process is over and gauge the instruction he receives through the HS team (assuming he makes the team) before I commit to private lessons. He's just beginning so I think too many sources of instruction could lead to information overload.

[The Mayor]

Bizwan,

Any of those choices are going to be a step up from what he has now. If he likes the Slingshot, go with that.

What I would be concerned about is the weight. I'm thinking 12 pounds could very well be too light. I coached high school for 3 years and from experience, we had many freshman boys come to tryouts throwing light bowling balls. If they ended up making the team we always moved them up to 14, unless they were very small and weak for their age. It's not so much that the ball is too light now maybe, but with all of the bowling he'll be doing, he will certainly outgrow the 12 in a very fast time.

[vgw]

I am using a Power Groove which was the predecessor to the Slingshot. I'm liking the ball a lot and do use it as my spare ball and on dry lanes. Since you are upgrading from plastic, any of the balls on your list will do fine. Good luck.

[Bizwan65]

Bizwan,

Any of those choices are going to be a step up from what he has now. If he likes the Slingshot, go with that.

What I would be concerned about is the weight. I'm thinking 12 pounds could very well be too light. I coached high school for 3 years and from experience, we had many freshman boys come to tryouts throwing light bowling balls. If they ended up making the team we always moved them up to 14, unless they were very small and weak for their age. It's not so much that the ball is too light now maybe, but with all of the bowling he'll be doing, he will certainly outgrow the 12 in a very fast time.

Thanks Mayor.

My son is kind of small. 3 months short of 15, he's about 5'3" and 105lbs. And he's not the strongest kid either. He used a 12lb house ball last night when he pre-bowled for his league and did okay with games of 103-140-86 (his overall average is about 95). My concern is making too big of a jump in ball weight and creating bad habits as he's learning. I'll probably sit tight until after the HS tryouts then re-assess where he's at.

[kev3inp]

If he can use a 12 lb house ball without difficulty he probably could move up in weight with his own fitted ball. My wife throws the 13 lb grey and black Slingshot, and I've got a 14 lb red and silver. We both use White Dots for spare balls.

[Bizwan65]

If he can use a 12 lb house ball without difficulty he probably could move up in weight with his own fitted ball. My wife throws the 13 lb grey and black Slingshot, and I've got a 14 lb red and silver. We both use White Dots for spare balls.

Thanks Kev.

[The Mayor]

If he can use a 12 lb house ball without difficulty he probably could move up in weight with his own fitted ball. My wife throws the 13 lb grey and black Slingshot, and I've got a 14 lb red and silver. We both use White Dots for spare balls.

Totally agree with Kev here. When a ball is fitted for your hand, it will feel at least a pound if not 2 lighter than a house ball. When a ball doesn't fit your hand you are forced to squeeze to hang on, therefore making the ball feel heavier. Just for the advantage that a heavier ball brings due to the impact at the pins, it would be good to go higher than 12. Your son isn't very big right now, but we know how kids can sprout up. But either way, having a ball that fits will benefit him greatly, no matter the weight.

[Bizwan65]

Update: Wound up getting my son a 12lb Storm Tropical Breeze Kona Blue/Silver ball. He also made the HS JV bowling team and will be bowling in their first match of the season this Friday. His new ball hasn't been drilled yet so he'll be using his 10lb Brunswick TZone for his first match.

[TCDale]

Congrats on your son making the JV team. That is a great start. Keep us informed on how he does with the new ball after he gets it. :)

[Bizwan65]

Update on my update: My son's team lost their first match 0-4. He was very inconsistent with a 86 - 140 - 98 = 324 series. Not a bad series for him (his average is around 100). His team was just way over matched. They lost by over 100 pins in 2 of the 3 games. He needs to learn to block out the distractions better.

[mikejones]

Biggest thing to focus on when bowling competitively is to cover the head pin. When your son is bowling, does he tend to stand in the middle of the lane, or toward the one of the sides?

[Bizwan65]

With his new ball he left of center and working on getting the ball out between the 2nd and 3rd arrows on the right. He's having problems on dry lanes with over hooking cause his ball speed is so low. The ball get 2/3rds to 3/4ths down lane and makes a strong left turn.