There are a number of bowling ball characteristics to consider in selecting the best ball for an individual. These include composition of the ball, radius of gyration and weight. Also important are lane conditions and matching the ball to conditions. Ideally, a person should have two bowling balls--one for strikes and another to convert spares.
Composition
According to bestbowling.com, plastic, urethane, reactive resin or textured particles are the primary ingedients in the main types of bowling balls. Plastic bowling balls--the house balls in bowling alleys--skid, which makes them harder to control and less likely to hook; they are good for dry lane conditions. Plastic balls are adequate for beginner bowlers, and they are the least expensive.
Urethane bowling balls have softer covers that give the balls more hook potential.
Reactive resin increases the ball's grip on the lane providing even more hook potential. They skid on oil producing speed and hook strongly on dry lanes.
Particle-based bowling balls have textured particles like glass added to resin. This texture gives the ball grip in oil, a controllable hook style, and great power. Professional bowlers and very good league bowlers use these most expensive balls.
Radius of Gyration
According to bowlingball.com, the radius of gyration, a key measurement engineers use to locate the mass of a bowling ball is an important factor in selecting the best bowling ball. There are three types of radius of gyration: low, which concentrates mass toward the center of the ball, high, where mass is toward the cover of the ball, or medium, in between the two.
Bowling balls with a low radius of gyration produce a fast and early revolution rate and have a strong roll pattern on the beginning, or front of a lane. Use this ball on medium to heavy oil lanes.
High radius of gyration balls roll down the lane saving energy and pick up its strongest roll pattern on the end, or back of the lane. Use this ball on medium-dry to dry lanes.
Medium radius of gyration balls pick up its strongest revolution rate on the mid-portion of the lane. Use this ball on medium oil lanes.
Weight
Bowling balls come in weights ranging from six to 16 pounds. The heavier the ball, the harder the impact on the pins, but the harder to roll. Since professional bowlers want the most power, they use 16 pound balls. League players may opt for a lighter ball, 14, or 15 pounds so that they can roll it faster and get more pin action.
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