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Thread: New to Bowling...

  1. #1
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    Default New to Bowling...

    Good Morning,

    I just started bowling with my friend and the first time I bowled I was using a 12lb, a 13lb, and a 14lb just to see how they felt. I feel like I bowled better with the 14lb, but it was feeling pretty heavy after 3 games and the next day I felt sore as hell. Like I had been hit by a mack truck. We have bowled 3 more times and I have been using a 12lb because I am not sure if it meant I should go lighter or just need to keep going and getting my muscles used to the bowling so I am not so sore. My question...what should I bowl with if I am wanting to buy a ball? I am 5'7, approx. 230lbs (shhhh I didn't tell you all that), slowly losing weight, my goal is approx. 165-175, and almost 42 years old. He has talked me into doing a couples short-league team, so I want to get something that fits me, but that I wont want to replace in a few months due to it being too light.

    Regards,

    Mary Hoffman

  2. #2
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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by maryjh1976 View Post
    Good Morning,

    I just started bowling with my friend and the first time I bowled I was using a 12lb, a 13lb, and a 14lb just to see how they felt. I feel like I bowled better with the 14lb, but it was feeling pretty heavy after 3 games and the next day I felt sore as hell. Like I had been hit by a mack truck. We have bowled 3 more times and I have been using a 12lb because I am not sure if it meant I should go lighter or just need to keep going and getting my muscles used to the bowling so I am not so sore. My question...what should I bowl with if I am wanting to buy a ball? I am 5'7, approx. 230lbs (shhhh I didn't tell you all that), slowly losing weight, my goal is approx. 165-175, and almost 42 years old. He has talked me into doing a couples short-league team, so I want to get something that fits me, but that I wont want to replace in a few months due to it being too light.

    Regards,

    Mary Hoffman
    A ball that is drilled to fit your hand will require less effort to hold onto through the swing. Generally, you can go at least one pound heavier with a fitted ball than a house ball. A good pro shop will evaluate how strong your hand and wrist are, and will also take the flexibility of your fingers into account as well as the span in fitting the ball and recommending what weight you should throw.
    John

  3. #3
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    Thanks! I was looking to buy one online from bowlingball.com, and then taking it to the local pro-shop for finishing. Do you recommend I talk to them first then and have them evaluate me?

    Thanks,

    Mary Hoffman

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by maryjh1976 View Post
    Thanks! I was looking to buy one online from bowlingball.com, and then taking it to the local pro-shop for finishing. Do you recommend I talk to them first then and have them evaluate me?

    Thanks,

    Mary Hoffman
    I would talk to your local pro shop, maybe after checking the prices on-line. You may find it’s not that much more to buy local.
    I don’t know if you have a choice of pro shops in Colorado Springs, but if you do, it would be good to see which one has the best reputation fitting and drilling.
    John

  5. #5

    Default

    Mary,
    I have my own bowling equipment, but visited my son when he was down at the state university. We decided to go bowling at the union hall. I used house equipment as I didn't bring my gear. We bowled three games. At that time I was bowling in two leagues at home. When I came back home, my fingers hurt for a week or more! Most house balls don't fit your hand and you have to squeeze them to keep them on your hand or else you'll drop the ball on to the lanes or into the gutter.
    I was so happy to be back home and using my own equipment instead of house gear.
    Here's what I suggest. Go to your local lanes and meet the pro shop operator/owner. Tell him your story and buy yourself a nice plastic ball to start. If you like the pro shop, you'll have a definite advantage to having a resource to get you going in the right direction. He may provide other services like coaching, etc. He may direct you to someone else who can assist you in your bowling growth and knowledge. Making a good contact at your local lanes can be invaluable.
    My guess is a 14 lb ball might be just right! Once you've gotten used to the new ball with likely a conventional drilling, you'll likely want to go to a finger tip grip. The pro shop guy will again be your resource for plugging and redrilling that ball if that's how things go.
    Bowling is a great sport. It'll get you motivated to getting out there and doing better. Getting some strikes and eventually picking up all those nasty spares!
    Best of luck and welcome to the sport. Hope this helps...

  6. #6
    Pin Crusher classygranny's Avatar
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    Mary,

    I would definitely talk with a good PSO. I tend to disagree with a few things here. My take is that if you want to be serious about bowling well, then start with a moderate reactive ball in a 14lb drilled fingertip. Actually, a fingertip will, after an adjustment period, feel lighter and easier than one drilled conventional. This is considering you are relatively healthy with no/minimal arthritis or issues/injuries to fingers, wrist, elbow and shoulder.

    I suggest the 14lb due to two things. With a properly fitted ball, it will feel lighter than a house ball or ill-fitted ball. Also, as soon as you start a regular program (bowling) you will build the strength of those muscles rather fast and within a few weeks/month the lighter ball would start to create issues like pulling the ball across your body or lofting too far out on the lane.

    Even at your age, height, and goal weight you should be able to handle 14lbs. I went from 15lbs to 14lbs about 3 years ago - I'm 62, 5'8", 155, bowling in 3 leagues a week. I was starting to have some elbow issues handling the 15lb so the 14lb was an easy solution at that time.

    There is also a test of your wrist strength. I don't remember the particulars, but you hold the ball at your side with arm extended down, curl the wrist up and hold for count of 10 - if you can't hold for 10, might be too heavy. But I still caution, remember you will start to build strength once you start bowling on a regular basis.
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  7. #7
    Cranker
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    I'll even take it one step further than Granny. I agree if you are serious about bowling and wanting to get better. I would go with a beginner to mid range reactive ball fingertip to learn how to hook the ball. I would also get a plastic ball drilled fingertip as well so you can practice shooting spares with it.

    Either way you go, just one ball either plastic or reactive or both balls. Do not be shy about going back to the pro shop to adjust your grip. Bowling should never hurt, so if you have any finger or wrist pain, go back to the pro shop and have them adjust your grip. I find a lot of beginners put up with finger or wrist pain because they just assume throwing a heavy object is going to hurt. It shouldn't, it only hurts when you are in a bad grip.

    Also good luck on losing the weight, the weight loss will also affect your grip, so keep that in mind when you lose the weight, you'll probably need to have your grip adjusted again.


    Anyway, welcome to the boards and good luck with everything.

    Jason

  8. #8

    Default

    Hi Mary!

    Welcome aboard!

    All the suggestions that have been given are correct. Choosing a proper weight can be a little difficult at first but once you have a bowling ball custom drilled to fit you, it makes a world of difference. We would definitely recommend a entry level to intermediate reactive ball as your first ball, especially if you are joining in on a league

    Best of luck to you!
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  9. #9
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    Thanks for all the info, and the welcome.

    I am seeing a lot of cross body releases, but I just thought it was me being a noob, and not keeping my arm straight! Maybe the 12lb ball I am using temp is too light. I purchased a used ball, and took it to the pro-shop and they said the grip was almost perfect, with less than a .25 inch difference, I asked for a recommendation and was advised leave it, and buy a new ball once I am ready since the difference was minimal. I have a Path 503A I believe it's called, it has inserts (tips?) in the fingers and a slug in the thumb.
    Last edited by maryjh1976; 01-18-2018 at 02:33 PM.

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