Hi all,

My oldest daughter will turn 13 next month and she has on her birthday list that she wants her own bowling ball.  I take her and my other daughter( bowling as often as possible.  They both enjoy it but she is tired of using the crappy house balls (I don't blame her!).  They both use the automatic bumpers and she has tried to get away from using them with varying results.  I think having a fitted grip and comfortable weight will help her get better.

One problem she has is being afraid she is going to drop the ball on the backswing so she tends to help it with her left hand until the ball gets into the backswing.  I think a well fitted ball will help in this area and that in turn will increase her accuracy.

She usually uses around a 8,9 or 10 pound ball but having a fitted ball might change the weight she can swing comfortably.

It's been a long time since I started out myself, and I'm not sure what kind of ball and drilling to get her started with.  I'm partial to and familiar with Brunswick equipment but not locked in on it exclusively.

My questions to all of you are as follows:

1.  What type of ball?  Plastic(Viz-a-ball or Target Zone) or a beginners line like the Groove or Power Groove (pancake or disk weighted).

2.  What kind of drilling?  Conventional with fingers and thumb inserted all the way or something between conventional and fingertip (can't see her starting out with fingertip?).  If something other than conventional, any type of grips?

Any advice or suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

BTW, anyone else out there with a child starting out?  If so how did/are you handling it?

Edited on 7/3/2006 8:53 PM

IF she has never had her own bowling ball before, just go with a plastic ball such as a Target Zone or White Dot.  I would just recommend a coventional drilling for now simply because even a conventional drill custom fit for her hand is going to feel alot better than the generic drillings of the house balls.  Once she gets used to that and especially if wants to start taking it more seriously (joining a fall youth league), then somewhere down the line, you can take that same plastic ball and plug and redrill for a finger tip.  If she happens to like the feel of the finger tip drilling, then step up to an entry level resin ball like a Tornado, Power Groove, or Tropical Storm.

The main concern for now is to not get her too overwhelmed.  Keep it simple as she will enjoy it more that she has her own ball.  Good luck to you and Happy 13th to your daughter.
--------------------
Steven Vance
Former Pro Shop Operator

If anyone out there is worried about the scores being too high, try duckpin!!

Thanks for the ideas and suggestions.  One thing that never occurred to me was weights that certain balls are available in (thanks Shelly).  I'll have to look into that.  Might have to go with plastic cause I don't know if she can go to 12#.  Next time we go to the bowling alley I'll have to get her to try some different weights.

Steve,
 I would go with a groove or maybe even a tropical storm. I would say that 12 lbs shouldn't be too much ball for her. Now this next suggestion is the best I can give...what she doesn't know won't hurt her. Don't tell her the weight of the ball, most beginners you tell them 12 lbs and they just freak!! So just buy it but don't tell her till she throws it secondly I also see that most kids are apprehensive about going conventional to fingertip. Because of her age, if she bowls with conventional too   long, she is gonna get stuck in her ways. Punch up fingertips for her and tell her that's how personal balls are drilled(not a lie), but it will stop her from saying what she can and cannot do with the ball. Let us know what you do and how it goes.

Bmm
--------------------
Roto Grip forever!!!! What else is there??

Twohands got it right.

just make sure to engrave her name on the ball. she will love it even more.
--------------------
Timothy @Juniors Pro-Shop
Staff Writer 7-10 Split Magazine,EGO Communications
Montreal, Quebec.

SJG -- Have you noticed that the folks that actually run pro shops are recommending a plastic ball with a conventional grip (although I would really like to see her throw the ball she's using now before making any recommendation)?  That should tell you something.  To check what weight she can handle, use a cloth ball sling.  Put an undrilled ball in the sling and have her grip the sling using the handles so that she's gripping right next to the ball and it can't come out of the sling.  Now let her swing it until she decides whether she can handle that weight.  If she can, go up one pound and try it again, if she can't go down one pound.  --  JohnP

Wow, thanks for all the input.  I guess the consensus seems to be to start with a plastic ball/conventional grip, then when appropriate redrill for fingertip or get an entry level groove/power groove with fingertip.  I guess just having her own ball with a custom fitted conventional drill will be the biggest first step.  Once she gets her mechanics/timing working well it will be time to step up to fingertip/Groove.  I'll check with my driller (Alan from Carters Pro Shop in Toms River NJ) for his input also.  I really appreciate all the help, thanks again to all of you.  Still got a month to go before her birthday, so anyone else feel free to chime in with your ideas or experiences.

JohnP, great idea about the ball sling, I've got a couple in my bag, I'll have her try that to get an idea of what weight we should get.

Steve

Well i was thinking maybe a Columbia Scout, drilled conventional. i actually for some reason still have mine from when i was 7 or 8, and i remember that was the first ball i ever hooked (it DIDN'T even have fingertips in it!).

So maybe you can start off with a Scout, then a Groove, and then something a little better.

But thats just my thoughts
--------------------
-Brian