I'm wondering if people moved down from a 15 pounder to a 14 pounder and found a significant difference between the two weights.
Would the power behind the ball change a lot?
I'm asking this because I might need to move down to a 14 because of pain/discomfort issues. I can't seem to hold on to the ball in the position that people are telling me to hold.
Any thoughts? Suggestions?
Anything will be appreciated.

The obvious answer is to not hold the ball the way you are being told because it is painful. Unless of course the people telling you this are coaches.

That aside, a 14 pound ball will definately feel lighter so you'll have to be wary of muscling the ball (too much deflection can be detrimental to your game). Actually the power really won't be affected too much provided your swing stays free. I believe that 14 pound balls have more overall hook and decent carry. I don't remember though.

If you really need help deciding go to bowl4fun.com and check out Ron Clifton's article on 14 pound balls.

Other then that could you be a bit more descriptive about what is occuring.

What position are you trying to hold the ball in? You should not have to squeeze the ball to hold on to it, it should hold on to your hand. If you do have to squeeze, your ball does not fit your hand right, and that *will* cause pain, no matter what weight you use.

It sounds like the pain you're experiencing may be more an issue of improper ball fit (span too long or improperly drilled finger pitch angles) and/or you are using a hand position that causes your arm swing to be faulty. Before you drop down in ball weight, I'd suggest finding a USBC certified coach to watch your technique and to examine your grip & span. You may be better served being re-measured and the ball re-drilled.

That being said, I've used both 14 & 15 lb gear and I prefer the 15 lb balls. I find there is less deflection which results in better pin carry for me. On the other hand, with the lighter 14 lb balls, I get it gives me a bit more ball speed and allows me to generate higher rev rates with less effort. The 14 lb gear also helps me when I have bowled many games and have started to feel the fatigue setting in.

While many folks today feel that a heavy ball is advantage the primary factor should be the comfort of the bowler. The advice to have your grip checked is spot on. There is no reason that a properly fitted ball should cause pain. Feeling that something is too heavy is not painful, just heavy. Some pros have used 14 lb balls in the past, and in today's game 14 lb balls frequently have a higher differential that the other weights. Properly delivered balls will strike no matter what the weight is.(Notice: properly delivered.)
Okotte

So, in order to see if I have proper fit, how do I approach a USBC coach? How much do they usually charge?

My UBSC silver coach charges $40/hour which includes video.

He is also a driller for two local bowling centers and he only charged me $12 to evaluate and fix my ball fit. The $12 was for the cost of the thumb slug. He spent a total of about 3 hours with me.

If you can find someone that drills and coaches that would be ideal...

go to bowl.com and find a coach

let me add that getting a proper fit can be a real pita sometimes. It was for me, and I'm still not done.

let me also add, don't be afraid to wear a good wrist support. It can help a lot.

Some people say not to wear them because they can become a crutch and you won't be able to bowl without one, but I think they can be a good instrument for learning to keep a firm wrist, and helping learn the proper release.