IMO---Ball Weight Matters

[HughScot]

After several months of bowling with a 15lb ball and a 14lb ball I think I can say that the heavier ball will knock down more pins. Not scientific, but I've used both balls on the same lanes at the same time and without question on the strike ball more pins fall with the heavier ball. With the lighter ball my speed is about 1/3 to 1/2 mph faster and everything else is the same.

[classygranny]

Interesting...I've been told by several people, including silver coaches and proshop owners that as long as you stay with 14 you shouldn't notice a difference in pin carry. Going below 14 is where the noticeable difference is. But now...we hear it from the horse's mouth, so to speak.

I find this interesting as I can't decide if I want my next ball to be 14 or 15 lbs. I really need a 15 for mornings and a 14 for evenings - hum, sounds expensive.

[Stormed1]

One reason carry will sometimes suffer is with the lower weight ball besides speed your rev rate will usually increase and therefore create a steeper entry angle.When I went drom 16 to 15 i noticed very little difference in carry. A couple years ago i tried a 14 to try and increase ball speed. I gained .3 in ball sped but my rev rate went from 325-320 to over 400 and as a result the ball was out of control at the break point

[billf]

I use a 14 pound Diva and the rest are 15 pound. After 23 weeks my average is within 2 pins either weight. I do have to lay down three boards deeper with the lighter ball. Oh, the two pins higher average is with the lighter weight too.
The local pro shop operator dropped to 13 pounds this season. His average this past season was 223. The season prior was 228.

[Greenday]

Ok, after a great deal of research, I have come to the following conclusion: a 14 lbs. ball hitting a pin head on at 15.5 mph will lose 0.065 mph less speed than a 15 lbs. ball hitting a pin head on at 15 mph (a.k.a. the 14 lbs loses less speed).

Since most of us don't throw a straight ball, that slightly changes things and hell if I know. We didn't cover one object hitting another at an angle in my Physics 1 or 2 classes in college. Google isn't helping much on that one either.

But from what I gather, the half mph difference makes up for the pound difference so there shouldn't be any noticeable difference in the two balls. Unless the speed difference is a lot more or less, it's just in your head.

Edit: This is what my life has come to. Applying everything I learned in college to explain bowling.

[TCJ]

I get good pin carry with my 14 pounders. Lots of slop shot light hits get strikes, just like when I use something heavier. The only time I notice a big difference is when I'm throwing a fairly straight shot and then the 14 will leave a lot more pins than the others.

[JPbowl]

I plan on getting the first USBC approved 17 pound ball ..... next year !

[UBowling]

Weight matters. More than I had originally thought.

Hank Boomershine, USBC Gold Coach and VP of Sales and Marketing for Storm, has been coaching me a bunch and the last time I had asked for his help selecting some bowling balls to go to Nationals in Reno with, he told me that I need to pay attention to the weights of the ball. We were picking balls that were 15 lbs 2 oz - 15 lbs 4 oz and he wouldn't let me go up to 15 lbs 9 oz because he said 5 ounces can change a lot in your game. This is not really in regards to which weight has more power hitting the pins (obviously throwing a 15 lb ball as fast as you throw a 14 lb ball will have more power and knock down pins easier) but about how it affects your physical game.

So pay attention to the weights in your bowling balls. Find something you are comfortable with and match it as closely as possible.

[MICHAEL]

We have a bowler that carries a 230 plus average, that went from 15 to 14 a number of years ago! He said that his game went positive in a dramatic fashion. He is a muscular large guy, looks like a linebacker for the Chiefs! He has incredible rev’s, and medium to fast speed. Ask what type ball he threw, he said , I don’t know! It was so wore out I couldn’t tell by looking, other than it looked like an older ball. Not the new latest stuff most of us use.
He also said that he talked many of his friends into taking the drop in weight, and most of them wouldn’t go back! This guy is a Top gun, who could throw 17 lb ball, but likes the results he gets with his 14lb no name ball. The Dude knows him, Tyrone!

[HughScot]

Weight matters. More than I had originally thought.

Hank Boomershine, USBC Gold Coach and VP of Sales and Marketing for Storm, has been coaching me a bunch and the last time I had asked for his help selecting some bowling balls to go to Nationals in Reno with, he told me that I need to pay attention to the weights of the ball. We were picking balls that were 15 lbs 2 oz - 15 lbs 4 oz and he wouldn't let me go up to 15 lbs 9 oz because he said 5 ounces can change a lot in your game. This is not really in regards to which weight has more power hitting the pins (obviously throwing a 15 lb ball as fast as you throw a 14 lb ball will have more power and knock down pins easier) but about how it affects your physical game.

So pay attention to the weights in your bowling balls. Find something you are comfortable with and match it as closely as possible.

The bit about 5 oz is definitely true, as I notice a huge difference when I throw the lighter 14 lb ball which I don't feel if I just hold one in each hand. In my case I had the balls weighted and the difference is exactly 1 lb. I'm sure it affects the fingers, plam, wrist, etc. and it all alters how the ball reacts on release.