Bowling Balls

There are essential elements in bowling that would make up for a superb game of unending strikes. The talent and skills in bowling are not enough to ensure you can exhibit the play of a champion. Instead, you will need the right grip on the right bowling ball. What does this mean?

The first consideration when choosing bowling balls is the weight. We all know that bowling balls can weigh as much as 16 pounds! That’s probably more than the weight of all other accessories in your bag combined. Depending on your strength, some balls can be too light or too heavy to handle. Men should try balls between 14 and 16 pounds in weight, ladies between 10 and 13, while children can probably handle any weight below 9 pounds. Another method to choose a bowling ball is to use your body weight. The ideal bowling ball should weigh 10 percent of your own weight for easy handling.

Types Of Bowling Balls

Now that you have some idea on how to choose bowling balls, it helps to learn the four different types of balls, which are classified according to the material used to make them. Today, the popular types of balls are: plastic (polyester), reactive, urethrane, and particle.

Plastic (Polyester). This type of balls are sometimes used by professional bowlers when lanes tend to be too dry than normal since it has a low-friction property. Plastic bowling balls, as they are more popularly known, are the preferred balls in many homes because they are lightweight and durable. If you’re capable of throwing straight balls, plastic balls are recommended for you. An example of a plastic (polyester) ball is the Ebonite Skull bowling ball.

Reactive Resin. Manufactured in the early 1990’s, resin particles were added to urethrane coverstocks which made the ball stickier than plain urethrane. This significantly increased its friction ability, which likewise improved backend reaction giving bowlers more striking possibility compared to older types. Experienced bowlers choose reactive resin coverstocks on most lane conditions. Storm bowling balls and Brunswick bowling balls are a few of the brands that make this type of ball.

Urethrane. This type of ball was the result of an experiment by manufacturers to make coverstocks that are softer than polyester to improve a ball’s hook potential. The polyurethrane coverstock (urethrane) exhibits higher friction ability to prevent it from skidding away from the targeted path. The advantage of this type of ball is that it can be polished or sanded to regulate its potential to hook. This is the preferred type of bowling ball used by beginners but it’s also the choice of experienced bowlers for dry lanes.

Particle. Manufacturers had to come up with a ball type that combines the properties of reactive resin and urethrane since experienced bowlers preferred using both types of ball on similar occasions. The result was a ball with textured particles (typically ceramic and glass) added to the polyurethrane-resin combination balls. The end-result was a ball having both the properties of reactive resin and polyurethrane, that is, it featured more grip in the oil but maintained the backend power of reactive resin. Because of this property, particle ball types are best used on oily lanes alone. Yet, with the experimentation of the size of particles used particle balls are now moving on to more versatile lane conditions.

For versatility, it’s best to choose a bowling ball that exhibits most of the properties of the four types of balls, if at all possible. Although different ball brands may slightly differ in durability, some brands are a cut above the rest. To enjoy a game of bowling without interruption, you may opt to buy more than one ball in anticipation of various lane conditions.