A bowling ball can be a great investment that provides years of fun and in some cases helps to improve your bowling game. These seemingly simple looking balls are more complicated than they would first appear, and it can be confusing to know which type and weight of bowling ball is going to be right for you and your bowling needs or skills.
There are three basic types of bowling balls that you can choose from. These are polyester, urethane or reactive urethane. Polyester bowling balls are the lowest quality, follow by urethane bowling balls in the mid-range, and finally the top of the line balls are reactive urethane.
Polyester balls are the cheapest style of bowling ball and are best suited for beginners or children. They are quite durable and are the balls that you usually see in-house at bowling alleys. Polyester bowling balls will travel nicely down the lane, but do not have the same hooking ability as the other types of balls. If you are a more serious bowler or want to work on your hook you would probably be better off choosing a different style of bowling ball. On the other hand, if you just bowl as a hobby, are looking for a ball for your child, or just like to have fun with bowling then a polyester ball may be all that you need.
The second type of bowling ball is the urethane ball. These balls are a great mid-range choice both for price and for greater hooking ability. Urethane balls have more hooking action than polyester balls but are more durable and require less maintenance than reactive urethane balls. If you are fairly serious about bowling and want to get a good, high quality ball that is still affordable, a urethane ball may be the right choice for you.
For serious bowlers who are really looking to develop their hooking action, reactive urethane balls are probably the best choice. Reactive urethane bowling balls provide the greatest hooking ability and provide more power upon impact with the pins. These balls are the most expensive of all three options, and also are a bit less durable than the other styles and will require greater maintenance. However, if you are a serious bowler or are looking to take your bowling game to the next level you may want to consider getting a reactive urethane bowling ball.
When choosing a bowling ball, you should also take into consideration the type of lane that you will be bowling on most often. Dry lanes, which have not been oiled, work well with urethane balls. Oiled lanes tend to do better with reactive urethane balls to provide the greatest hooking ability.
A standard rule of thumb that many people use when choosing the weight of their bowling ball is to choose a ball that is approximately l0% of their body weight. So, for example, if you weigh 130 lbs. you would probably want to look for a ball around 13 pounds. This is just a general rule of thumb, though, and the best way to choose the right weight of ball for you is to try out a bunch of different weights and see which is the most comfortable and allows you to bowl your best game.
Having your own bowling ball can be fun and rewarding. Taking the time to make sure you are getting the right bowling ball will ensure that you can use it for years to come and improve your bowling game.
