back to bowling after 30 years

[Ricardo]

Can you guys help me.  I was scouted to be a pro at 14 with a 185 average.  Lost interest soon thereafter and only bowled occasionally, still with the same average.  I have been practicing and want to get back into the game and join a league, etc. I still have my old Ebonite semi-figuretip, Mark Anthony black ball (see, even my language is old school).  I don't get tired when I bowl, a regular gym goer, so weight isn't the issue.  question is, what ball do I buy, stay with the heaviest ball? In my day, serious people (so my Dad taught me, and he still bowls at 75) only had black balls lol I really don't know where to start again. so much to choose from. - Ricardo

[Artimust]

I came off of a 23 year break from bowling about 3 years ago.

I would say that if you can comfortably throw your old ball, say if it's 15#, then stay with that. The ball technology has really advanced from 30 years ago, so that is another thing you need to look at.

[JohnP]

Today''s lane conditions use a lot more oil than you''re used to, and a new reactive resin ball will react better than your old (rubber?) ball.  I would suggest a mid price range ball, all the manufacturers have them.  I tend to recommend Hammer equipment, and their lower midrange balls are the Vibe series and the upper midrange balls are the Raw Hammer series.  I think you would be happy with any of these.  Regarding weight, the majority of male bowlers today use 15 lb balls, the new balls hit so hard that the lower weight carries as well as 16 lb.  --  JohnP

Edited on 1/20/2010 5:20 PM

[Mr880]

I think you mean Earl Anthony? lol

[Juggernaut]

quote:I think you mean Earl Anthony? lol

 I was thinking that myself .

  WOW, welcome back! Now for the hard part. Making a ball recommendation from scratch is virtually impossible these days. Bowling balls have become highly technologized and specialized. Not only that, but drilling them has gone from an art to a mystical mix of science and black magic that needs to be performed by a skilled artist/craftsman/magician.

 ALL ball companies make some really good stuff, but not all of it works for everybody. Here are some questions that will help people answer your query in a better fashion.

 1. How fast do you throw the ball?
 2. How many "revs" do you impart to the ball upon release?
 3. What conditions do you play on?
 4. Do you know what a "pap" is, or where yours might be?
 5. Do you know your tilt degree?
 6. Do you know your axis rotation?
 7. Do you prefer a "rolly" arcing reaction or a hard breaking one?

 I realize some of these questions seem strange, but trust me, these things have become the basis of building a ball reaction anymore. The physics of a rolling body in motion have been incorporated into bowling balls now, and they can have very good, or very bad, influences on your ball reaction if you get them right or wrong. Bowling balls can be very gyroscopic in their nature today.

 Give us as much info about your game as possible, and I'm sure one of us can give you an educated guesstimate.
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Good transactions list in my profile

 ILLEGITIMI, NON-CARBORUNDUM!

[JohnP]

I thought he might mean Mark Roth.

Juggernaut -- You're going to overwhelm him with stuff he doesn't really need to know yet.  A midrange ball and a good driller will be plenty to get him started back.  The rest can come later.  --  JohnP

[BBU]

Get a Vibe, Tropical Storm, or a Groove...maybe even one of the new Urethane balls, like the Natural...
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Its Hammer Time!!
HammerHead 4 Life

[bassnatzii]

welcome back, its hard to stay away from this, i did it for like 4 years and came back that was long enough , it is hard to return after awhile,

go to your local pro shop let them see what you currently have, let them figure your span, you may want to go full finger tipped now, or stay same thats something they will help figure out for you.  As far as equipment, another person listed alot of questions for you which are very good ones to answer, but im sure a few of them you may not have answers on as of yet.

The balls to start off with welcoming you back to the game, can pick from any of these from your local shop

Tropical Storm
Power Groove reactive or urethan
Vibe Series
Natural from Storm
Columbia Jazz would be good also

These would be all good starting points, and you can choose 1 of them maybe by color? or price? or what not  

Just don't rush everything if you bowled good then it will come back to you, how ever be more learning now, with all the changes of the game.

Welcome back and enjoy yourself to this game.

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What do you expect to see here??

[JOE FALCO]

Welcome back .. Good luck .. I think the one thing that I see different in today's game is you don't need the speed that you needed years ago. Also.if you have the accuracy needed years ago .. you'll do OK in today's bowling. IMO
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J O E - F A L C O

RIP Thong Princess/Sawbones