Expert: Russ King - 6/17/2007

Question
Hi, I bowl straight and have a 14lb storm polyester ball, have an average mph of 17.5, Lots of time I hit the pocket and leave a pin or 2 standing. Would getting a better ball help? Something like with a core inside? or move up in weight? I want to strike more. Average score on the night would be 160-165

Answer
If you are very accurate & have a conventional grip in your polyester,I would try a fingertip grip in that polyester.This would give you a taste of fingertip with minimal hook for control until you get used to it.Then you could go with a medium hooking ball & save the polyester for a straight shot for spares.
 As for moving up in weight, if you are heaving the ball down the lanelike it was nothing, then maybe you could go up a pound or so after you get the fingertip grip in the polyester.
 WARNING: IF YOU GO TO FINGERTIP & A 15 OR 16LB BALL TOO SOON, YOU WILL MISS THE POCKET A LOT MORE & HAVE EVEN A LOT HARDER SPARES TO SHOOT AT.YOU WILL GET MORE POWER BUT, WHAT GOOD IS THE POWER IF YOU DON'T. GOING TOO HEAVY MAY POOP YOU OUT IN THE 3RD GAME & HURT YOUR ARM.SO BE CAREFUL IN GOING UP IN WEIGHT.AS YOU SWING THE BALL, THE WEIGHT MULTIPLIES 1 INTO 20LBS AS YOU SWING IT.I WOULD GO FROM THE 14 TO 15.25 THEN MAYBE IF THE 15.25 IS OK TO A 16 & SAVE ALL 3 FOR DIFFERENT CONDITIONS.
HIT WHAT YOUR AIMING AT?MOVE ONE STEP AT A TIME LEARN IT THEN ANOTHER STEP.YOU WILL BECOME A BETTER BOWLER SHOOTING SOLID GAMES.

The polyester will carry you a long ways.you can plug up the conventional grip & redrill to fingertip.Then when you get a more hooking ball, you use the polyester for spares. It is ok for a spare ball to be a pound or so lighter since your not looking for power but looking for accuracy in hitting one or 2 pins not 10.

 DRILL YOUR PLASTIC/POLYESTER BALL STRAIGHT UP/NO WEIGHTS.AND I WOULD DRILL YOUR FIRST HOOKING BALL STRAIGHT UP ALSO.ADDING WEIGHTS MAKE THE BALL HOOK MORE BUT, ALSO MAKES THE BALL WORK ON LESS CONDITIONS.EXOTIC WEIGHTS ARE FOR A CERTAIN CONDITION LIKE 10% OF THE CONDITIONS & REALLY DON'T WORK ON THE REST OF THE 90%.
'PLASTIC BALLS ARE VERY USEFUL.I USE THEM ALL THE TIME FOR SPARES & SINCE HERE IN SOUTH TEXAS, THEY DON'T BELIEVE IN DRESSING THEIR LANES WITH ANY OIL I USE PLASTIC FOR STRIKES WHEN EVERYTHING ELSE HOOKS PAST THE HEAD PIN.