I mean, in reality. I’m sure in theory the heavy ones deliver more energy to the pins so the chance of them falling is probably higher. But do all champions use heavy balls, or are there some succesfull players who use light balls? Is it just a matter of preference or should I learn to use heavy balls if I want to become a good player?
That’s the kind of questions that keep me awake…
I think there is some sort of balance depending on your skill, your strength, and the weight of the ball you use. In theory, a heavier ball will send a pin flying with more force, and therefore it might connect with another in, causing it to get knocked down, possibly clipping a third with enough force…you get the idea. But if you’re not strong enough to send the heavier ball down the lane with enough force to make a difference by the time it gets to the pin, then you might as well use a lighter ball, save yourself the pain in the arm, and get the same amount of power (or more) at the other end. It’s all F=ma, with some friction involved, of course. Higer mass = higher force, but if acceleration is lower it won’t make a whit of a difference. I’m assuming that the pros have just played often enough with a big enough variety of bowling balls to know which works for them, and which doesn’t, both in terms of weight and size (and likely finger holes and colour in some cases hehe).
And then, of course, it you gutter it every time anyways, then a heavier ball will definitely not help you. 
You should use the heaviest ball you can control accurately.
A heavier ball, traveling at the same speed, will impart more energy to pins and they will crash into the other pins with greater velocity.
There is a formula (which I have borrowed from a billiard book) to determine the speed of a stationary object (head pin) after a collision. I will probably massacre this and get raked through the coals, but here goes:
pin speed = ((ball weight x 2) x speed of ball) / (ball weight + pin weight)
So basically if you have a 16 pound bowling ball travelling 20 miles per hour, and the pin weighs 3.5 pounds, the head pin would have a speed of roughly 35 mph after impact.
Contrast with a 12 pound ball traveling at the same speed where the head pin will have a speed of 31 mph.
There is obviously a balance, in that you can throw a lighter ball faster, and the figures assume a direct hit on the head pin which is not desirable.
Another thing to consider is that a lighter ball can be thrown off course more easily when impacting the pins.
To balance my post a bit, here’s an article on the subject:
Avoid the Macho Syndrome of Bowling Ball Weight
Ooops correct link here:
http://www.shef.ac.uk/uni/union/susoc/sutbc/wotp/clinic/july95/
Here are a few tips.
The bowling ball should weigh approximate to what your comfortable with plus one to two sizes up…
I suggest taking five steps back from the line, begin with your left footon the center dot, after three steps the ball should be directly behind you with a straight arm(it’s important to keep a straight arm during the swing), the following two steps you should release the ball with a straight stroke aiming over one to two arrows for a straight bowl. Once you get comfortable with bowling straight you’ll find your weight.
If you aim for the pocket with a traditional throw, heavy balls seem to excel.
I have seen helicopter style bowlers throw nothing but strikes with a 10 pound ball. Of course, helicopter style delivery is rather unconventional and hard to learn if you’re kinda large framed, like me.
Also, I like to use a 14 lb spare ball as opposed to my 16 lb strike ball; it helps with such leaves as the 3-10 where a little ball deflection helps.
Thought I might just as well post a link explaining just what Helicopter Technique is…
Bowling is a sport that is enhanced when the athletes drink beer, smoke and eat pizza.
Of course you can always bowl with the four pound ball, and when it doesn’t register you get all kinds of extra turns. This works best if your friends are all at the bar during your turn…
LOL! Athletes! That’s almost as bad as calling baseball players athletes.
Being an avid bowler, I can answer this with some inteligence. A heaver ball will keep it’s course going through the pins which is definately good. However, if you plan on throwing a hook, a lighter ball will curve much better then a heavy one. For instance, I use a 16 pound ball and get a decent curve, if I drop down to a 15 pounder, much bigger curve.
They make a 4 now?? Damn. I thought they stopped at 6.
I’ll bet the pinsetter/spotter has a hell of a time with THAT one…
I always seemed to do better with my 16 as opposed to my 15, in general, but there were nights that the 16 just would not go down the lane like I wanted. They are diferent in the coating.
I also did usualy use the 15 for spares when I was bowling a lot.
I used to use a 16 for spares also but whenever I’d leave the 3-10, I’d usually chop the 3 so I just got a 14lb spare ball so it would take out both. I get that leave maybe once every other week and it has paid off. A lighter ball I found is also better with the 3-6-10, another common leave for yours truely.
Lighter balls hook more and heavier balls hit harder causing better pin action.
In theory, if you have heavier oil, you can use a lighter ball to get more hook without having to move your mark, but most of the time, all you need to do is move your mark to hit the same spot…depending, of course, on lane conditions.
I have bowled in several allies where they neglected to take good care of the lanes or oil them properly…lane conditions can get pretty horrible sometimes. A simple mark change doesn’t always help.
I have an extreme amount of revs. I use mainly a 16 because I can throw it pretty hard and get a lot of pin action…but, when I end up on extremely oily lanes with blotches all over the lanes, where you can’t really tell where the oil is…I will throw a 16 plastic ball with no hook, from board 1 to center…pretty much a straight ball.
I have tried a 13-14 with a normal hook…moving my mark to all kinds of locations…and no good results…due to the fact that you couldn’t find a consistent line on the lane…oil in one spot, then no oil…then a huge blob of oil…then dry again…no way you can get a smooth arc in that lol.
That being said, I now carry a selection of different weights and rev levels. Depending on the lanes I am on…some allies are better than others…At the moment, I have 4 different balls…a 16 lb. Columbia Hyjinx…a 14 lb Plastic Storm…a 15 lb. Messenger…and a 15 lb. Hammer…different balls for different conditions…
Things that matter…oil pattern, oil condition (quality of machine used…or knowledge of person using the machine…they aren’t that difficult to run…but if you get a place that uses old equipment and doesn’t upkeep it…the machine oils in blotches and you get randomness)…strength that you can handle throwing comfortably…can you hook a heavy ball with ease? Do you NEED to hook it? Lots of different variables.
Weight DOES matter…depending on your level of skill and the quality and patterns of the lanes.
Moving to the Game Room, a forum that didn’t exist when this thread was started in 2002.
Colibri
General Questions Moderator
Since this question has already been addressed in various forms in the last 13 years or so, I’ll just add that I’m a little surprised by the number of people here who apparently carry differently weighted balls in their arsenal. I’ve always been taught (and believe) that it’s a bad idea because it messes with having a consistent feel at your release point. I think the only time I’ve ever had two different weights in the same bag is when I first switched over to using 16-lb. gear, but I continued to use a 15-lb. spare ball.
And, not to pick on even sven from a different decade, but there is no such thing as a four-pound ball in ten pin bowling.
The deflection that a lighter strike ball gets reminds me of a knuckleball in baseball. You can get mixed results.
So far I haven’t seen anyone mention “roll” which is the forward spin on the ball as it goes down the lane. I’ve seen big strong guys really throw a ball fast down the lane, but it sort of skids along the boards and has little action when it hits the pins. A young woman barely weighing 100 pounds who has good lift (follow through) and gets a good roll on a 14 pound ball can be a more effective keggler than a 270 muscle man who just wings it down without good lift and roll, even when the ball follows essentially the same path.
To be fair, I think she was 8 years old back in 2002.
There are four pound balls in 5-pin bowling.