anybody use 14lb balls?

[Etrain]

I'm hoping the Terror is just enough weaker than the Revenge so I can use it during league for at least part of the night. I'm thinking of trying a league with synthetic lanes to see if I can use the Revenge on them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=BkQxmOpSiRE
it appears more tame

[billf]

It's suppose to be more tame, I just hope it's enough. All the Revenge videos showed people using them on THS but I can't get far enough left without lofting 2 feet of gutter cap and that's not the game I like to play.

[kev3inp]

I went from 16 to 14's after my valve operation. I got so tired by the third game my score would really suffer. Been throwing 14's ever since.

[got_a_300]

I have been throwing 14lb ever since I started back last fall after the 12 year
layoff from bowling. I used to exclusively use only 16lb equipment but after
my back injury which ruptured 2 disc's I can only use 14lb or maybe I could
get away with a low 15lb ball now.

I used to be a big cranker with well over 600+ revs and somewhere around the
20+ mph range but now days it is a different story altogether I have had to slow
down on everything. The 14lb balls now days hit just about as hard as my old 16lb
balls did for me so I've not really noticed a big difference in my pin carry maybe just
a little bit of difference but not a whole lot.

[TheSheibs]

I would say that, in my opinion, a 14lb ball is probably a good weight for most bowlers. As for increasing your balls weight, I would say that if you find you can throw the ball faster than you should be throwing it, it's time for an increase in weight. If you get to the point where the balls weight doesn't naturally cause your arm to lock straight, you should increase the weight. So many people think that you have to use the heaviest ball available and throw it as hard as you can. BUT this is simply not true. I have thrown my ball around 12-15mph consistently and am able to get a strike with a ten pound ball. However, I did increase to a 14lb ball because the ball I had was just too light for me which caused all kinds of problems. If a 14lb ball is too light for you then go up in weight. Those who really throw the ball down the lane, 17-20+ mph, will not be bowling for much longer. Look at baseball pitchers, they throw as hard as they can and only play a few seasons in the pros. It is the same with bowling. So you should get a weight that is enough to keep you at a consistent speed that will not cause injury.

[Hampe]

I use 14 simply because that's what I started with when I switched from throwing straight 3 years ago. I used to throw a 16lb plastic ball, but I figured it would be easier to learn to hook with a 14 lb. ball. If I could afford a whole new arsenal, I'd probably switch to 15 now that I've got the hang of it, but I still buy 14 lb balls because I don't want different balls with different weights.

[billf]

Optimal ball speed at the pins is 18-21mph and that's where 99% of all the pro's, male, female and seniors are at speed wise. I guess those guys on the senior tour didn't get the memo that their careers would be short lived due to the speed.

[eugene02]

i got 3 balls.. 1 HRR at 15lb, Maxxx Curve at 14lb and a WD at 14lb also.. i use the Maxxx Curve to pick up some spares which i need to use less rev but more speed...

[TheSheibs]

Optimal ball speed at the pins is 18-21mph and that's where 99% of all the pro's, male, female and seniors are at speed wise. I guess those guys on the senior tour didn't get the memo that their careers would be short lived due to the speed.

I'm not talking about pros who know what they are doing and after all are pros. I'm talking about the fool at local bowling alley who thinks they have to throw the ball as hard as they can every time. The same person who brings the ball back and above their head just to wipe it as hard as they can down the lane. I'm talking about the person who throws at 20+mph every time. that person will not be bowling when they are 60, 70, or 80 due to having shoulder problems. The reason the pros can throw a 14-16lb ball 18-21mph every time isn't because they are throwing it as hard as they can. They average in that range because they have a smooth motion that is the same speed every time and they also have a smooth release. The guy that is going to have shoulder problems brings it back slow, wipes it through and then stops all of a sudden. The pros know to allow their arm to swing a little before stopping their arm. If you watch video of the pros, their arm swings back and forth AFTER they release the ball. It doesn't stop suddenly. BUT how many pros are you aware of who are bowling well into their 80s or even 90s? Also The optimal ball speed at the pins is different for everyone. It depends on the bowler and ball used. I don't believe that you need to have a ball speed of 18-21 to get strikes. I've seen women with a very slow ball speed able to get strikes and score higher than guys with a high ball speed. In conclusion, I believe that ball speed at the pins is irrelevant and is different for everyone. The optimal ball speed is different for everyone. Just because the pros throw 18-21mph does not make it the magic speed range needed to bowl well.

[billf]

Those who really throw the ball down the lane, 17-20+ mph, will not be bowling for much longer.

I took it as it reads, literally anybody who throws those speeds consistently. It's taken me years of practice to get my ball speed down. I have no push away and have cut my back swing down and still get it consistently down above 17mph. Tendon and ligament strength as well as how well the legs are utilized along with arm and leg length all play a factor in natural speed. There are few shoulder injuries no matter the speed, for those with proper form because the legs generate the speed, not the upper body.