Bowlers: How much does your strike ball weigh?

[johnjohn320]

Been bowling enough lately that I'm thinking of getting my own ball. I know what I've gotten used to using, but curious what the norm is.

 

[thepd7]

I am not a bowler quite yet but I want to be. I am ordering these shoes soon:


HOT HOT HOT!


I am pretty sure they will help me bowl better. At the very least they look frikin awesome.

 

[ppdes]

18...it is illegal, I think, but it is in the racks for some reason where I go and it works great, heh.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

16

 

[edro]

Last night was the first time I have been bowling in probably 2 years.
I only got 2 strikes, and funny enough, they were with my GFs 9lb purple ball.

My 13 pounder wasn't doing so well...

BTW, I had a bunch of 9 - scores because I couldn't pick up the 10 pin on my second throw.
How do you pick up the 10 pin when you have a right handed spin?
I tried throwing it straight and left handed, but I always got a right sided gutter.

 

[Drakkon]

I use 14 just because I seem more often than not to be bowling 5-6 games at a time and by that 5th game arm is pretty tired. So far reacord stands at 6 strikes in a row

10 pin for righty : Move as far left as possible. Aim for dead center tri. I throw it with as little hook as possible at this point. Also slow my ball down considerably from its normal speed. That my method at least...works 75% of the time.

 

[SunnyD]

I use a 12 or 14 for everything, depending on what they have on the rack.

 

[Kabrinski]

Originally posted by: edro
Last night was the first time I have been bowling in probably 2 years.
I only got 2 strikes, and funny enough, they were with my GFs 9lb purple ball.

My 13 pounder wasn't doing so well...

BTW, I had a bunch of 9 - scores because I couldn't pick up the 10 pin on my second throw.
How do you pick up the 10 pin when you have a right handed spin?
I tried throwing it straight and left handed, but I always got a right sided gutter.

Gotta angle it in from a standing point more to the left. You will need to try to bring it close to the right side gutter. Or you could get a straighter shot standing close to center. Of course it varies with your throwing style, which board you normally start from, how much of a hook you have, etc.


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.Y

 

[BurnItDwn]

32 pounds.
I bowl with 2 balls at the same time, yes, I am that good!

 

[kthroyer]

In the past, good men bowlers always threw 16lb balls. In recent years with the technology of bowling balls advancing, some have switched to 15lb and even 14lb balls, and have been able to strike just as much, or more. This is true even for professional bowlers. The lighter ball enables them to bowl more without tiring, and some people feel that you strike more with the lighter ball because it will deflect after hitting the pins the way bowling balls used to.

I think that if you throw a strong hooking ball with a good amount of revolutions, you will not losing any striking power if you throw a good 15lb ball. FWIW, I still throw a 16lb ball.

 

[dirtboy]

Nothing like cutting through the hook with my 18mph 14lb ball, drilled for maximum hook. haha

 

[Rubycon]

Originally posted by: edro
Last night was the first time I have been bowling in probably 2 years.
I only got 2 strikes, and funny enough, they were with my GFs 9lb purple ball.

My 13 pounder wasn't doing so well...

BTW, I had a bunch of 9 - scores because I couldn't pick up the 10 pin on my second throw.
How do you pick up the 10 pin when you have a right handed spin?
I tried throwing it straight and left handed, but I always got a right sided gutter.

Throw a backup ball?

 

[Itchrelief]

Originally posted by: Kabrinski

Gotta angle it in from a standing point more to the left. You will need to try to bring it close to the right side gutter. Or you could get a straighter shot standing close to center. Of course it varies with your throwing style, which board you normally start from, how much of a hook you have, etc.


|....\X|
|.....|.|
|.....|.|
|..../..|
|.../...|
|../....|
../
.Y

Ding ding ding.

Also, if you're not using one of those new balls that hook all by themselves, you have to make a conscious effort to hook the thing if you're throwing one of the freebie loaners from the alley. I'm not a good bowler by any stretch of the imagination, but I remember having to actually rotate my arm at release to get any appreciable hook using the lane supplied balls. Just keep your arm straight and it will go relatively straight.

 

[Chaotic42]

10-12

My friends make fun of my bowling because the ball coasts about half-an-inch over the lane for about half of the lane length.

 

[Kabrinski]

Originally posted by: Itchrelief

Originally posted by: Kabrinski

Gotta angle it in from a standing point more to the left. You will need to try to bring it close to the right side gutter. Or you could get a straighter shot standing close to center. Of course it varies with your throwing style, which board you normally start from, how much of a hook you have, etc.


|....\X|
|.....|.|
|.....|.|
|..../..|
|.../...|
|../....|
../
.Y

Ding ding ding.

Also, if you're not using one of those new balls that hook all by themselves, you have to make a conscious effort to hook the thing if you're throwing one of the freebie loaners from the alley. I'm not a good bowler by any stretch of the imagination, but I remember having to actually rotate my arm at release to get any appreciable hook using the lane supplied balls. Just keep your arm straight and it will go relatively straight.

<------ Worked in a bowling alley for ~3 years. You learn quite a lot just by watching and occasionally talking to the bowlers.

I add extra hook onto my ball by twisting my arm/wrist a little bit at release. Usually wind up hitting Brooklyn Side, but it works. Need to adjust it more so I hit on the proper side. I usually try to go with a straight shot to pick up the 10 if I need to. I can't seem to control the hook enough not to go into the gutter.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: Kabrinski

Originally posted by: Itchrelief

Originally posted by: Kabrinski

Gotta angle it in from a standing point more to the left. You will need to try to bring it close to the right side gutter. Or you could get a straighter shot standing close to center. Of course it varies with your throwing style, which board you normally start from, how much of a hook you have, etc.


|....\X|
|.....|.|
|.....|.|
|..../..|
|.../...|
|../....|
../
.Y

Ding ding ding.

Also, if you're not using one of those new balls that hook all by themselves, you have to make a conscious effort to hook the thing if you're throwing one of the freebie loaners from the alley. I'm not a good bowler by any stretch of the imagination, but I remember having to actually rotate my arm at release to get any appreciable hook using the lane supplied balls. Just keep your arm straight and it will go relatively straight.

<------ Worked in a bowling alley for ~3 years. You learn quite a lot just by watching and occasionally talking to the bowlers.

I add extra hook onto my ball by twisting my arm/wrist a little bit at release. Usually wind up hitting Brooklyn Side, but it works. Need to adjust it more so I hit on the proper side. I usually try to go with a straight shot to pick up the 10 if I need to. I can't seem to control the hook enough not to go into the gutter.

One of my best jobs was working in a bowling alley.
Granted I love my current job and everything but at times I miss the people I met there.

As for the OP I use a 16lb. Black Widow... When its working right the pins explode. Im a lefty and unfortunately hit brooklyn more than I should at times.

 

[pyonir]

16

 

[Juno]

1st chance = 12 pounds
2nd chance = 10 pounds

i don't bowl with thumb so i can't bowl at least 13 pounds.

 

[MartyMcFly3]

Originally posted by: Juno
1st chance = 12 pounds
2nd chance = 10 pounds

i don't bowl with thumb so i can't bowl at least 13 pounds.

I hate the way you bowl....

You as a person are ok in my book though.

 

[oiprocs]

I don't bowl with the thumb either. I just put the middle and ring slightly in, then grip it and rip it, a la Daly.

1st chance = 9 pounds
2nd chance = 8 pounds

I'm a weakling. But my high score is 224.

 

[Pacfanweb]

I switched from 16lbs to 15's a few years ago, before I semi-retired from bowling. I still have all the equipment, so I still consider myself a bowler somewhat. Just not a practicing bowler at the moment.

I think there's no difference in hitting power from about 14.5 to 16. You wouldn't think one pound would make that much difference in how tired you get, but it does. Especially if you hook it a lot and have to throw it harder.

 

[johnjohn320]

Damn. I've been using 11-12. You guys make me look like a pussy.

 

[johnjohn320]

One bump, then I'll leave it alone.

 

[OdiN]

I voted for 16lb.

To the guy that uses 18lb...yes it's illegal.

I have two 15lb backup balls. One for strict spare pickup - the other is for more dry lane conditions.

And technically to those of you bowling under 12 pound balls - I believe that in some leagues that is illegal - 12lb for men, 10lb for women.

But the USBC has no minimum wieght for tournaments.

 

[johnjohn320]

Really? I thought 8-16 was legal...didn't realize 12/10 was the minimum...