Selecting a bowling ball with the right weight and material can improve your game significantly. If you bowl with a ball that you cannot comfortably hold, or a ball that will not properly grip the lane, you will not be able to bowl consistently. Women should consider their size and skill level, as well as the surface of the lanes on which they typically bowl, when they choose a ball. Overall, female bowlers should consider the same factors as male bowlers when selecting a ball, with the exception that women might need a slightly lighter ball.
Step 1
Look for a plastic or polyester ball if you are a beginner or a recreational bowler or if you are an advanced bowler and want to throw hooks on dry lanes. Plastic balls grip less to the lane’s surface than balls made of other materials. If you try to throw a hook with a high-traction ball on a dry lane, it will veer quickly into the gutter.
Step 2
Look for a urethane ball for advanced bowling on lanes with a moderately oily surface. A urethane ball will grip more than a plastic or polyester ball and will respond moderately well to spin.
Step 3
Look for a resin ball if you throw hooks on lanes with a heavily oily surface. The resin ball grips even more than the urethane ball, and can therefore respond to spin on oily surfaces. Beginners might have trouble bowling with a resin ball because it can respond to unintentional spin and head to the gutters.
Step 4
Look for a high-RG ball for more hook potential or a low-RG ball for less hook potential. RG stands for radius of gyration. Balls with a higher RG carry more of their weight near the outside rather than at the core. This weight distribution makes balls respond more readily to spin, meaning they have a higher hook potential. Beginners typically feel more comfortable with low-RG balls.
Step 5
Select a 10-lb to 12-lb. ball if you are an adult woman of average weight. The average woman bowls with a lighter ball than the average male, who often bowls with a ball as heavy as 15 lb. or 16 lb. If you are larger or stronger than the average woman, select a ball on the heavier end, such as a 13-lb. ball. If you are smaller than average, or have any physical limitations, select a lighter ball, such as a 9-lb. ball. To see what weight you feel most comfortable holding, go to a bowling alley or retail shop and pick up several balls of different weights.
Tips and Warnings
- Have your finger holes drilled by a custom bowling ball driller, according to your specific finger span and size measurements. Let the driller know whether you use a conventional grip or a fingertip grip.
- Extreme heat and cold can damage bowling balls. Your bowling ball might warp if you store it in a hot place or crack if you store it in a cold place.
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