14 LB vs 15 LB | Which Is BETTER?

I’m 34 and a PBA member, and going down to 14 is probably the best decision I’ve made in my bowling life. I see virtually no difference upon pin impact, and the light weight in my hand has made control and accuracy MUCH better. Plus it helps with my back swing since I don’t have a high back swing to begin with. I’m not surprised in the least that several pros on tour are dropping to 14.

I just dropped down to 13 lbs. I’ve been using 14 lbs for years. First 3 games with the lighter ball I averaged 180+. Seconds set I shot 692. Been bowling great with it ever since. My average is 202 and 204 with it. I’m 67 now and to be truthful it’s more fun bowling again.

I literally switched to a 14 recently just to cut down on the extra strain and I love it. Really looking forward to what you find here.

Thanks for the ball weight comparison video. I have plenty of speed and revrate at 15lbs at my current age and physical condition. I may ball down to 14lbs in a few years when I get into my 60s.

I'm 56 and have gone from 16 to 15 now considering 14. Promising snippet for me was the light hit @ 11:25, you still had enough to carry the 5 pin. Great video.

I'm 68 and switched to 14 a few years ago because I was simply leaving way too many 10 pins. The very first event after changing I won (Grand Senior Australian Open) and it was 12 games before I left a 10 pin. You do leave more 7's and 4's but there easy to pick up and your able to get it back from the dry. As the lanes get wetter I go up in weight as I did when I won in Malaysia. Your actually to strong and young to be bowling 14's. I only bowl maybe a dozen times a year and still able to average 215 and a local event 231. So the lighter ball is great as you get older.

I switched from 15 to 14 as an experiment. First 14 pounder was a Nova. 8, 700 series in a row and I will not be switching back anytime soon. Feels like the 14 hit so much harder. And 2 years before I was laughing at the guy with the 14 pound ball 😂. More control more speed and more accuracy wild.

Use the weight that optimizes your game and makes you hit flush most consistently. A 12lb hitting dead flush is still better than a 16lb missing the headpin right or going through the nose. Too light and you'll muscle your swing which leads to inconsistency. Too heavy, and you'll have trouble producing good ball roll and wont be able to take advantage of the oil.

Going through the years and the military I had to drop to a 14lb myself. I have not had any issues with it . I have love the weight and have done well with it. Thank You for the information with the difference. Keep it coming.

I went to 14lbs 6 years ago and have never thought about going back. I feel I can control it quite a bit better as a one-handed, no-thumb bowler Btw BrunsNick - THANK YOU got my NU Blue and Black Widow 2.0 hybrid and LOVE THEM. The Black Widow is a bad, bad man - I felt like I could see it digging into the oil and looking for some pins to hurt

I tried going from 15 to 14 and what I noticed the carry might be slightly better over all with the 15 but the biggest difference is for me was speed control. It is harder to control the speed and be consistant with the lighter ball.

I think it all comes down to consistency. If by the end of your session you are muscling it too much, or your fingers have swollen to the point of pain or a compromised fit, then I think it's clear that going down to a 14 from the start could be wise. Especially if the cores are the same. Not to mention, if you only have enough budget or room in your bag for a few balls then a lighter ball that gives you the ability to more easily dial in ball speed based on lane conditions could be beneficial.....aaaaaaaaand I just talked myself into it.

I wish I could bowl all day

Had to switch to 14lb after experiencing to much back and wrist issues. I can bowl again! The only thing about 14lb is the specs can differ quite a lot from the 15lb depending on the brand.

The only real issue I have had in my short experience with 14s is when I have to get inside 4th arrow. The half pocket hits never carried well due to the lack of continuation through the pins. My first 300 was with a 14 pound Black Rhino playing around 7-8 at the arrows. I figure that lower rev rates will see a more defined difference than someone with rev rates more than 350-400. But even with my rev rate, I did not see much of a difference at the pins until I had to play deeper inside.

I used to use 15 but as I got older I made the switch to 14 lb before I injured myself. I figured if I am going to bowl as a senior I might as well make the switch early and just get used to it. I do see a difference between 14 and 15 with the same ball. For me a 15 is earlier and smoother while a 14 tends to be longer and sharper. But these are subtle differences. My all time high series and high games and most strikes in a row were all done with 14 lbs.

This is the info and video I needed. After taking about 7 years off, I started to get back into it. I’m 51 now, but 7+ years ago, I was throwing 15lbs np with sn average of 198. Starting to throw again, I immediately noticed by the third game, my right wrist/hand started to get sore. I’m sure it has a little to do with the/my grip changing over the years, that the ball isn’t perfect for my fingers anymore, but the stress from the weight on my wrist was definitely noticeable. I have larger hands with thinner wrists, so that doesn’t help. I’ve been looking at getting a new ball and getting a 14lb one instead of a 15lb. I heard all the horror stories of the 10 pin/wont carry, but in the end, if I can practice and learn how to throw the lighter weighted ball, I will feel better, bowl better and not be in pain the next day. Thank you for the informative video!

I have a fairly low rev rate, about 225-250rpm. I dropped from 15lb to 14lb in the summer of 2019. I checked my stats and my pocket carry percentage in a house shot league in 2018-2019 was 71%. So far this year it's exactly the same, 71%. Looking at what pins I leave, I haven't really seen a change in 10 pins or 4 pins, it's just been more 7 pins and fewer 9 pins. Throwing 14 has helped me improve my release -- even though I am still not getting a lot on it, it's a little higher rev rate than before, but also I'm able to keep my hand in a better position throughout the swing. This helps med stay behind it longer and not come around it early. (I actually tend to be too up the back of it at times now!) That's improved my accuracy and consistency, and it's letting me get a better ball motion on sport shots in particular.

You NEED to do a 16 pound option!

I dropped to 14 last league I was bowling and it made a huge difference in overall endurance and enjoyment. Faster revs for sure as well as just being able to perform better for longer. I was worried about it carrying as much as 15 or I wanted it to and had no issues.