Bowling ball manufacturers produce a variety of balls, made of different materials and weight distributions, and offering particular advantages. Consider your skill level and bowling style when comparing balls to decide which one to buy.
Beginning Bowlers
Step 1
Try out balls made of plastic and polyester. These balls work best for beginning bowlers because they grip less on the surface of the lane than other types of balls. A ball made of a higher-traction material will respond too much to accidental spin by beginning bowlers, causing it to veer into the gutter.
Step 2
Hold different balls and find one whose weight sits mostly at the center. To find a ball with this kind of weight distribution, look for a ball with a low radius of gyration, or RG. Balls that carry their weight at the center will tend to travel along straighter paths and will respond less to accidental spin.
Step 3
Find a ball with a weight that you can comfortably hold. Try lifting several different balls to see what weight you feel comfortable holding. Look for a 15- to 16-lb. ball if you are an average-size adult male, and look for a 10- to 12-lb. ball if you are an average-size adult female. If you are larger than average, look for a ball at the heavier end of these ranges, and if you have limiting physical factors, look for a ball at the lighter end.
Advanced Bowlers
Step 1
Check the grip on the ball. Balls that grip more on the lanes will respond more easily to spin and hooks, and urethane balls grip more than plastic balls but not as much as resin balls. These balls work well for advanced bowlers who want to throw hooks on moderately oily lanes. Resin balls grip the most. Use a resin ball to throw hooks on very oily lanes. If you bowl on dry lanes, look for a plastic or polyester ball. A higher-traction ball will veer too quickly if you try to hook it on a dry lane.
Step 2
Find a ball that carries its weight at the outside rather than at the center. To find a ball with this kind of weight distribution, look for a ball with a high radius of gyration. High-RG balls respond much more sensitively to spin and can hook more easily.
Step 3
Look for the heaviest ball that you can comfortably hold. Try lifting several different balls to see what weight you feel comfortable holding. Look for a 15- to 16-lb. ball if you are an average-size adult male, and look for a 10- to 12-lb. ball if you are an average-size adult female. If you are larger than average, look for a ball at the heavier end of these ranges, and if you have limiting physical factors, look for a ball at the lighter end.
Tips and Warnings
- Consider superficial features, such as the ball’s color, after you select a ball that best suits your game. Take your ball to a custom bowling ball driller to have your finger holes drilled according to your measurements.
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