Expert: - 1/27/2009

Question
Hi, My name is Ben. I have just took a very huge interest in bowling. Due to the fact that i am horrible at this point because i have been bowling about 5 times in my life. I'm a very competitive person and cannot stand being bad at anything :). So I was on a hunt to find my own ball and was told my grandpa had one he used in leagues. This turned out to be a Brunswick Mineralite. It just so happened to also fit my grip almost perfect. My problem is that i have trouble holding on to a 16 pound ball when releasing. I seem to release all to soon because of the weight. Is there any tips for this? Or do i just have to build muscles for gripping i haven't used till now? Also I'm told a rubber ball will have much trouble hooking. I'm sure that is true considering the Plastic was the next step after the rubber. But id rather ask someone with more experience in this field then me.

Thanks for all your help,
Ben

Answer
Ben,
Stop. You have used ill fitting house balls five times and grandpa's ball fits good???? Fitting techniques have changed in the FIFTY years since the Mineralite was being made.

Chances are it just fits better than the house balls, because it was fit for someone instead of everyone.

The ball should let go of you, instead of you letting go (releasing a death grip) of it. You might be able to save the finger holes and just fill and redrill the thumb, but I'd strongly recommend you have the ball plugged and redrilled. Or, look for your own first ball, whether it be used or a basic new ball, appropriate for your size and weight.

Starting a new bowler off with their own ball begins with 10 percent of your body weight and some consideration for athleticism and competitiveness.  A new bowler can typically handle a pound or two more than the houseball weight they've used, when the ball fits properly. Were you using 14? 15 pound balls?

A Plastic (polyester) or rubber ball won't hook much, but when you learn to hook a more basic ball, you can hook anything. Give yourself a chance to learn and experience the sport. The more you learn, the more competitive you'll be and the longer you will play (well into your senior years).

Thanks for the questions. Bowl well and have fun.