There are tests performed by the ABC that still show that a 16 at the same speed as a 15(that is the critical point, can you throw 16 with same speed).

Outcarries all other weights with same speed and entry angle!

Also I've noticed that 15 carries great until strong carrydown sets in.
Was in a league last year with a stripping problem and all the 15ers finished well down from 16 pound throwers they were often equal too OR even better than!

Many smart bowlers have switched to the 15 1/2 pound range and it has allowed similar speed to the 15 with the hitting power of the proven 16 pounder!

REgards,

Luckylefty

Hoss, you have a lot more people paying attention to little details like that these days.  I can see some THS big gun whining about how he can't carry because he doesn't have a 15 1/2 pound ball to throw.  Some bowlers out there even claim that they can "feel" a 2 ounce difference between balls.  I find that very hard to believe.
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The summer...  time to get my ARSEnal in gear!

Thanks for the reply Garcia. I agree with Bob that many of us
stroker type players don't have a high rev rate and throw 20mph.

I mentioned both issues because i was curious what Barnes threw and what differnces people see by dropping weight.

I have about a 275 to 280 rev rate and release the ball off my hand at about 18mph. I was thinking if i dropped down to a 15 that i can increase my rev rate and speed. I am still debating. But many of my friends have dropped down and still have great carry plus they say they feel a lot better and can last longer in long formats.

I just dropped from 16 to 15 1/2 (15-8 before drilling) on my spare ball only. I have too much invested in my 16 lb. equipment to make a wholesale change, but with the spare ball that I throw fairly hard and straight it seemed like an easy move to make. (I didn't ask for 15 1/2 -- I got the ball on eBay as a "15 pound" ball but it was 15 1/2, which is better for me anyway, I think.)
After throwing it about 10 games, I can say that I really feel the difference between 16 and 15 1/2! Even though they would feel much better, I still don't think that 15 pound strike balls would work well for me because I muscle and pitch the ball. I think I would just consistently throw a 15 pounder through the break point every time. In fact, an older guy from my league (he's in his 60s) just changed BACK to 16 from 15 because he was having that problem, and we throw the ball very similarly. By the way, he throws the ball pretty good -- definitely not your typical 60+ year old bowler, as his 220 average would indicate!

Oh, and as far as Chris Barnes is concerned -- he could throw 12 pound equipment and still kick most of our rears!
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You weren't unlucky when you left that corner pin, so shut up about it already!!

Edited on 6/3/2004 4:27 PM

Edited on 6/3/2004 4:28 PM

Edited on 6/3/2004 4:30 PM

Last time I checked, a proper adjustment to either a layout change or tightening you're line to the pocket to achieve the "carry" angle is what strikes on carrydown, not 16 pound equipment.....