Agree with the comment about the expensive ball.
If the beginner is really new, generally I try to get them into a plastic ball with a conventional grip. Once they master a straight ball and if they are interested in a hook, one of the entry level Reactives is what I would recommend. Something like a Power Groove Reactive.
In terms of layout, since there is no way to know the PAP, we will lay the ball out with the CG in (or near) the grip center and swing the pin out to approximately 1:30-2:00 for a righty (mirror for lefty). The Pin should end up near the Ring finger. I do not recommend drilling the Pin out for a beginner as it changes the ball's characteristics.
This layout is very safe and generally will provide a medium reaction for most bowlers. Usually the Pin ends up in a fairly strong location once the PAP is established later on. Another good side effect of this layout is that it is easy for the bowler to see a reaction and to create one for that matter.
In terms of Pin distance, it depends on the span but, usually something around 2-3" works fine.
If for some reason the ball is Pin in with a short pin then, consider placing the Pin under the ring finger with the CG as close to the grip center as possible. For "0" Pin distance, place the Pin on the center line and under the fingers. in this case be careful with the finger weight.
The reason for keeping the CG in near the grip center is to avoid issues with static weights. But, beyond that if you need to bring the ball back to legal where would you put the weight hole? Since you have no PAP, you have no reference to find a VAL to locate the hole. So, it is best to avoid that situation. In the case of pin in, should you end up with excessive finger weight, just drill the finger holes deeper to compensate.
Regards,
Fran
