For the senior bowlers, I have a question....

[fokai73]

Anyone here bowl with 13lbs?

I watched a friend struggle for awhile with pain. At first I checked his grip/span, but that seemed was okay. But I still suggested for him to see a real PSO and the PSO did minor pitch changes. At first he loved it. But he still throws 13 mph, and pain in his hand and shoulder soreness returned. He's 73 yr old male that's rev dominant.

Anyway, I suggested to him to drop a pound. A ball with similar cores as these 14 to 16 lbs. (if there's any). But he's afraid of losing carry.

Do you think he'll benefit from dropping ball weight!

[Tony]

I'm not quite a sr bowler at mid 50's but I can comment about dropping a pound, I did it last year going from 15 to 14. I can still throw a 15 but I wanted to save some wear and tear on my arm with having had three surgeries already ( detached Bicep tendon, rotator cuff and carpal tunnel)
I can feel that it's easier on my arm and provides the advantage of feeling stronger in the 3rd or 4th game. I haven't seemed to lose any carry and had the same average last year as the prior year.
Given the bowler in questions age it seems like a reasonable switch to make in order to continue bowling and reduce the pain.

[RobLV1]

Anytime anyone can reduce pain while bowling, it's a good thing. Dropping to 13 lbs. will reduce his carry, but not as much as you may think as long as he is aware that the way the ball carries changes. My wife changed a couple of years ago, moving up from 13 lbs. to 14 lbs.. While her carry on pocket hits improved, her carry on Brooklyn hits and light mixers actually went down. Just make sure that your friend realizes that some companies put similar cores in 13 lb. balls and some use generic cores. The Brunswick lines use similar cores, while Storm puts generic cores in their thirteen pounders.

[Davidjr113]

Having to drop below 14 lbs due to an injury, I did a fair amount of research on this. Some balls such as Radical Gurus, Motiv Trident etc are not made in weights less than 14. That said, the best explanation of the issue I got from a manufacturer was Storm. Their website posts a picture of the core used in each weight for each ball and some balls are a completely generic core and some like Alpha Crux use same shape core as 14-16. Storm explained..."This has to do with the density of the core itself. The 14-16 pound balls need the heavier weight block to create the ball. Those cores are very dense and cannot be put into the lighter balls. The lighter balls need less dense cores but the shape doesn’t match up closely to the RG and differential values so we have to find a shape along with the correct density to be able to make that ball in the lighter weights. In your question, the shape of the Catalyst weight block matches up with the RG and Differential values when at a lighter density. If the shape does not, we have to put that generic shape in to get those numbers to match up correctly. Surface composition and texture is still the #1 most influential variable in ball motion. This is kept the same for all weights. Just remember, our shapes have to match up with the limits of RG and Diff that USBC permits. This means sometimes we have to put in that generic shape to stay within this range."

Brunswick said they "use a generic core shape with a RG-differential that is close enough to the 14 to 16 pound shape so the same drilling instructions can be used." I assume Radical does the same.

Motiv said they always use the high tech core shape but modify it for the lower weight

Track, Columbia use specially modified symmetric for lighter weights

[1VegasBowler]

I have 3 12lb balls. The Thug Unruly, Vintage Danger Zone and the original Vandal and they all hit very hard and have a lot of carry to them. I have to use them on nights when my shoulder cannot handle my 14 pounders.

While my speed & revs have increased to 17.5 and 310, I can still throw down to 14mph with a 250 rev rate to accommodate my ailing shoulder, and still maintain a 188 in one league and 202 in another.

While we all know that we have to adjust for lane conditions every week, we also have to make physical adjustments when our bodies aren't cooperating they way we would like them to, and if that means going to a lighter ball then so be it.

[fokai73]

Thanks for the replies gents.

I just found out one of the woman senior bowlers in a league throws 13lbs for years. She is in her 60's and is a pretty good bowler averaging in the 190's. She has a mix of Storm and DV8 balls. The balls I see her use a lot lately is a match and match pearl. She does really well with them. I never knew she threw 13lbs.....

I'll let my friend know he doesn't have to give up his man card if he makes the switch to 13lbs..... I have old 13lbs track balls he can test out, so he can decide what he wants to do....

[Stormed1]

I can tell youn Motiv and 900 Global use the same core shape ias in their 16# balls down through all weights produced. They just change densities to lighten the core

[stargell1]

Does anyone know what weights the women use on the pro tour?

[RobLV1]

Does anyone know what weights the women use on the pro tour?

Most use 15 lbs. Missy Parkin throws 16 which weigh almost as much as she does!

[fordman1]

I can't imagine I will ever throw a 13 lb. ball. I tried a friends 14 and it felt so light and I over turned, lofted and threw too hard. If I ever get to the point I would have to use a ball that weight I'll probably quit bowling.