The Bowling Ball


Now that we have some basic knowledge of bowling shoes, we will move on to the bowling ball. The bowling ball weight may be as little as six pounds and as much as sixteen pounds. A sixteen-pound ball is a maximum weight that the associations will allow you to use according to the U.S.B.C. and the P.B.A. The first and most important thing about a bowling ball is the proper weight for each individual.

If the ball is too light you will have a tendency to throw it, instead of rolling the ball. A ball that is too heavy will cause numerous problems, the main one being you will more than likely drop the ball prematurely at the foul line.  So the easiest way to find your proper ball weight is go to the bowling alley and experiment with the house balls. These are the balls you will find in the racks behind the seating area.

These are the balls that the bowling alley supplies for you to use when you do not own your own ball. There will be different color balls, the different color balls will coordinate with different weights.  Try to find a bowling ball that fits your thumb, being that this is a critical issue. Not too large and certainly not too small.  Start with a lighter ball and work your way up in weight. When you find a ball that is comfortable in weight, then you will be able to roll the ball without a lot of effort.

After bowling a few games you will know if you have chosen the proper weight. This will be the first step in choosing a ball every time you bowl. If you are going to continue to bowl on a steady basis, then you will want to pursue owning your own bowling ball. Visit your local Pro Shop located in most bowling alleys. Here they will assist you in a proper fit for your new ball. In a later article, we will inform you about drilling.

We will discuss items such as thumb pitch, reverse and forward.  Also right and left lateral pitch as well as side weight and thumb weight. Some of the critical things that will help you achieve a comfortable and reliable release along with ball control. For the novice bowler we do not want to overwhelm you with information that will confuse and consume you, but take step by step to advance you with the knowledge you need at its proper time. We must crawl before we walk is the old saying. No matter what level you are at we all needs help with our game.  Even the best of professionals continue to seek out coaching and continue to improve there skills at their sport.

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