Expert: - 4/16/2009

Question
I haven't bowled much for about 20 years.  I never bowled regularly because I've always had fairly large fingers so the rental balls at the alley that fit my fingers are too heavy for me.  Currently I'm lucky to find a 14 pounder that I can get my fingers into.  15 pounds is about average.

I've started bowling every few weeks with my family and would like to buy a ball. I visited the pro shop in at my local alley and told the pro there I was interested in a 12 pound ball.  I explained that I bowled with a friend's 10 pound ball that fit my fingers better than any rental ball ever did and it felt just a little light.  The guy looked at me and said, "you want a 15 pound ball".  I explained that I alway got stuck with a 14 or 15 pound ball and that they were too heavy for me.  His answer was that was because I never had a ball that fit me.  Also, "all the pros use 15 pound balls".

I'm hesitant to buy a 15 pound ball.  Does correct fit really make that much difference?

Answer
Dan,
Yes. Typically. The ball should hang comfortably from your hand with no grip pressure necessary to "control" it. The keys to ball fit are spans (hand flat on the ball - not stretched), pitches (angles of the holes) and hole sizes.

Most often house balls are too light or too heavy because of fit issues. I'd suggest the ball start at 10 percent of your body weight, plus a bit more if you are athletic.

Thanks for your question. Good luck and good bowling.