New bowler from Texas

[Supraman]

Hi, I'm a college student wanting to get serious scores with bowling (my goal is 200ish). I'm a left handed bowler, average score is only about 125ish. I love to hook those house balls and knock those pins down. I play once or twice a week depending on my schedule at my university. I would like to get a custom ball but i'm not sure what weight is right for me. Normally i play with the 10lb house balls. Are there any tips that can help me get started? I have my own shoes already too

[J Anderson]

Generally having a ball that has been drilled to fit your hand will allow you to throw about two pounds heavier. Ten pounds seems very light for an adult. A good pro shop will not only fit the ball correctly, but will also suggest the best weight for you.

I would suggest starting with an entry level reactive resin ball with a fingertip grip to start with. Any money that you can save use for some coaching so you can develop good habits from the start.

[kev3inp]

What John said. Check with your local pro shop and see what kind of deals they can offer. Lots of times they'll have ball and bag deals, or have used equipment you can pick up really cheap.

[striker12]

well the ball weight is up too you but you should go about 14lbs but first praactice with a 14lb or heavy house ball too see how it fells and get use to that cause defently a 10lb ball is was too lite for you.

also if you want a entry lvl ball then you should go with the freee its cheap just over $100 and u can get some hook out of it i throw one my self and i have been bowling for 4 years know but i got alot of revs but coaching is good but befor you drill a ball have your proshop guy see how you throw and see if you should work on something befor you get it drilled cause i your release is wrong or you have a chicken arm then when you get a ball drilled for that and if u get out of the chicken arm the ball wont move as much as u had it moving.

so talk to your proshop and see what he says

[got_a_300]

As the others have already said it is best to talk to your local Pro Shop operator
and let him/her watch you bowl a game or two and then see what they suggest
for you. Have to agree that a 10lb ball really does seem quite a bit lite for you to
be throwing unless you weigh 100lbs. or less.

The consensus used to be or maybe it still is, is to get a ball that is 10% of your body
weight so 160lb + person should get a 16lb ball but that is not always the case any
longer. It used to be the heaver the ball the better the pin action was but with todays
balls you can get away with throwing a 14lb. or 15lb. ball and get as much or more
pin action as you could get back in those days.

We have at our center a couple of females that would do good to weigh 95lbs. soaking
wet that throw 15lb. balls one is a junior bowler 13yrs or so old and bowls great with it
nothing to see her bang out some 220+ games with it. The other female is grown but
still very small and she just won first place in the City tournament shooting almost a 800
series with a 15lb. ball.

I used to throw 16lb. balls back in the 80's and up until 99 when I had to quit bowling for
12 1/2 years because of a back injury but since I have come back to bowling this season
I now throw 14lb. balls and I have not noticed any big loss of pin action.

[bowl1820]

I would like to get a custom ball but i'm not sure what weight is right for me. Normally i play with the 10lb house balls. Are there any tips that can help me get started?

Here's some info from Ron Clifton on picking a ball weight. It would be a place to start.

I believe that the vast majority of women should be throwing 14LBs or less. The first thing I check when trying to pick a ball weight is the persons wrist strength. I have them hold the ball down by their side with their wrist relaxed. Then I ask them to cup their wrist forward. They should be able to hold that position for a slow count to 10 or the ball is too heavy. This goes for men and women.

[bdpeters]

welcome to the forum, you came to tghe right place to learn. lots of great folks here.

Bri