Is a resin ball or a 16lb ball right for you?

[Hammer]

Sometimes I think our male ego makes us do things that we shouldn't. In bowling we see guys using these aggressive bowling balls with big hooks and we think boy I would like to do that. So we get an aggressive 16lb resin ball and then get frustrated because we can't controll it. Now our game is more like work then fun. In reality what we should have done was to get a less aggressive ball like a urethane that you can adjust for a nice controlled hook and bowl more straight down the boards. This gives you a wider target to shoot for instead of bowling coast to coast and trying to figure out where you should stand for your break point. This game is hard enough and it seems like you want to make it as easy as possible on yourself. As far as weight goes being men we want to think that sure, I can handle a 16lb ball because I am a man. Well what you would find out for yourself is that the right weight for you might be a 14lb ball. You would find that it is easier to keep your hand behind the ball before release and keep your hand straight or cupped a little so you get some nice revs and hook. Where as the 16lb ball might break down your wrist as you get near the release so you start grabbing the ball and lose revs and accuracy. So it seems that you have to really put some thought into what you will buy for yourself if you are to be a bowler. You want to make the game as easy as possible for yourself so you enjoy it better. In reality then if you are not a real experienced bowler maybe you should get yourself that urethane ball for yourself and make it a 14lb ball. Oh yes, you still can get strikes with a 14lb ball. I have seen senior
ladies at the bowling alley get strikes with a 10lb ball with a speed of 9mph. So give some thought before you make your purchase. You want to make it easy on yourself and then when you find you have a good game going for yourself you can then creep into more aggressive equipment. But get the basics down first with easier to handle equipment. Doing this might give you better scores earlier. Alright men, get with it.

[Zothen]

LOL,I could'nt have said it better! That brought me back to the first time I learned to throw a finger tip ball in the mid 80's. I walked into a pro shop and being pig headed I asked for the biggest hooking ball their was and the pro shop guy tried to sell me an entry level ball,after several minutes of not being able to talk me in to entry level he gave me what I wanted. Well out to the lane I went with new ball in hand and being shown how to throw my new ball,I proceeded to practice while the pro guy went back to a packed pro shop. No matter how I threw the ball,I watched it go from right 1 board all way to left gutter over & over again. I left and went back several times to practice and same result,so I walked into the pro shop on the verge of quitting and I tell the pro guy I can't control this ball and he says"Thats why I wanted to sell you an entry level ball til you learned how to throw a hook." So he was slow and we went to the lanes and he watch me bowl and hes chuckling. I looked at him and he says"Stand on the 22 board and throw it over 2nd arrow." Damn if that ball didn't hit pocket,2nd time Brooklyn,and the rest of the time around middle. I scratch my head and could'nt understand why I was in middle. He said I was throwing too far out and with my ball speed and revs it gave ball time to build up friction and as soon as it hit the backend it took off. I have been a Down & In player ever since.

Moral of the story-If your pro shop recommends a non aggressive ball for learning,listen to him!

Zothen

[scottymoney]

I think in the end the saying is either "adjust your game to the equipment or your equipment to the game". Basically you don't want to buy hook in a box unless you realize that you are going to have to move your lines. If you are stubborn in your approach and where you are going to aim. Stick to the equipment with that reaction.

[Davec13]

16LB balls have kind of gone the way of the hummer. Sure they are nice to have, but no one really needs them anymore. I think most people have finally realized that the heavier the ball doesn't equate to more strikes anymore. I think the only people even toying with the idea of 16lb balls now are older bowlers getting back into the game and being stuck in an older mentality.

A huge hooking ball also is a nice thing to have in your arsenal. While it may not work on your THS if you ever find yourself in a tournament you'll sure be glad you have it. Then again if you know the ball and can change up your style you may be able to play on a THS with it on a line no one else is using when the lanes start breaking down.

In the end the old saying "he who dies with the most toys" applies to bowling too.

[noeymc]

i throw my hammer on a house shot and it worked good and its a high oil ball 212 on bowlingball.com rating system

[75lockwood]

Well....

there are logical reasons for wanting a 16lb ball and to increase hook potential, given that you are trying to knock over 35lb worth of pins you will need a lot of force, there are 2 ways to increase force, increase ball weight or increase speed. that being said, if moving from 14/15lb to 16lb causes a dramatic drop in speed, you will end up with less force, its all about finding the perfect weight for you.

as for a ball with extreme hook potential, everything is relative, there are certain lane conditions that call for such balls. that being said, i agree that your typical bowler does not have need for such a ball, and should spend there time working on consistency and accuracy instead of going out and getting the most powerful ball on the market.

[Ball99999]

So were you standing too far right?

[GoodGorilla]

My first ball was 16 pounds. My main problem with it, it made my hip really sore. Other than that, there were many shots with it I knew I could have been more accurate with a 15 pound. All of my balls are 15 pounds, I still wonder if 14 would be better.

[Hammer]

My first ball was 16 pounds. My main problem with it, it made my hip really sore. Other than that, there were many shots with it I knew I could have been more accurate with a 15 pound. All of my balls are 15 pounds, I still wonder if 14 would be better.

When I was younger I had a 16lb purple Hammer in the beginning of the 90s. Years later I bought a Raw Hammer Anger that was 15lbs. That seemed to be okay. Then I started getting osteoarthritis in my hips and knees and some issues in my hands and wrists. So I figured that I would try a ball that I could bowl more direct with a controlled hook. By the way I have been bowling for 27 years. So I bought a new Hammer Blue Hammer ball that is urethane and 14lbs. Boy, is this thing great for me.
Being 14lbs I feel that it is easier to controll what I want to do with it and it is easier on my body. I like throwing my first ball with it because I can really crank this thing with the fingers on release and I don't have to worry about it hooking 2 lanes over from my lane. I still have to tweek it for a little more hook doing the abralon surface thing. I find myself looking forward to throwing that first ball each frame. At this stage of my life, 66 in a couple months, 14lbs is definitely the right weight for me.

[AZBowla]

Heaviest ball I own is a 15 pound Dv8 Marauder. I usually throw a 14, but I thought the extra weight might help with carry. When this ball hits the pocket right, it hits like a freight train. I'm going bowling this upcoming friday for the day (AMF has a nice deal going on right now, from 11am to 5pm all you can bowl for 6 bucks - taking the day off to take advantage of this) and I'm going to work on a few things to see if I can increase the number of solid pocket hits I can get with this ball. I think 15 is my max, this ball is pretty heavy and it gives me a workout trying to get the ballspeed up. I might (gasp) try a two handed approach to get some more revs and speed on it. I want to see if I can get better results that way. One thing I do know, I won't keep getting my thumb hung up in it that way! LOL....