Right, and sorry for any confusion. 16 pounds IS the maximum. It just means that it’s illogical for a 200lb man to be rolling a 12 pound ball. It’s just a guideline.
I’m sure there are bowlers out there who would love destroying the pins with a 30-pound ball, but it just isn’t legal (I don’t personally know where the 16 pound max came from, but I’d assume that there’s a point after that where you’d be damaging the lanes by using something much heavier than that).
You know, most bowling alley pro shops have some kind of special where you can buy a ball (brand new, drilled for your hand), bowling bag and bowling shoes for about $100. And bowling is a cheap leisure activity most of the time, so it can be a really minor investment for years of entertainment. I’m just sayin’. 
My best ever was a 270 but it was in a league tournament and the best of the night so I made money. I used to bowl around 150-160 until my son started teaching me and bought me a really good ball so now I can hold my own.
BTW he holds his favorite places record with 14 300 games over 5 years.
Moral of the story, if you’re a good bowler, you will marry a goddess.
Yes, my first couple rolls are sure to go from the extreme right edge of the lane to the left gutter about 3/4 down the length of a dry lane. Then I have to scrap the curve and just roll straight because I pretty much only have one speed on the curve.
Experiment with how you hold your hand on the ball, the depth you put your two fingers in the holes and the spin you create at the point of release. The first two, especially, can really change how your ball reacts on wet/dry lanes. It’s tough to verbalize - much easier to show someone while holding a ball - but I don’t often change my ball speed, more often I adjust my hold.
For example, on wet lanes, my two fingers go about halfway in the holes, straight in. I then hold the ball/my hand straight (compared to the lane) and then move my palm (and by extension my fingers to a lesser degree) towards the right side of the lane. This creates a lot more spin which allows the ball to cut through the oil and “grip” the lane better than if I threw normal.
On dry lanes, about 3/4 of the first segment of my fingers are put into the holes. I keep my hand straight but pull my index and pinkie closer to the holes. It makes it a little harder to hold on to the ball as you throw but put a more gentle arc on your line which, for the most part, negates the grip that happens on a dry lane.
EDIT: One other question - are you using your own ball or an alley ball? If your own, when they drilled the holes did you indicate that you only use two fingers? A knowledgable pro shop will drill the holes and counter-weight holes differently than someone who gets three holes drilled.
I’ve only bowled a few times in the last few years, but I have no hook at all. One game was going badly so I forgot about my usual delivery and just tried to put some spin on the ball as I released it. Nothing; straight as an arrow.
I do not have my own ball. Next time I encounter a dry lane I’ll play around with the depth of my grip and see how that works. I just feel like if it’s the same arm motion, I’ll get the same results, but I’m willing to experiment.