Bowling Ball Expectations

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 3/2/2014; Updated: 12/1/2022

Are you pleased with your bowling ball equipment. Can you depend on consistent ball motion from competitive session to session?
Understanding your own equipment is the first step to making good decisions in playing the lanes. Playing lanes effectively requires making adjustment decisions when your ball does not react as planned and you miss the pocket.
Make certain you are totally familiarized with your bowling ball equipment and understand why your pro shop professional has recommended a given drilling layout based on the ball coverstock and flair potential rating.
Avoid going into the ball selection process without a specific plan in mind and a specific ball motion you need to fill in the void between your present equipment.
The most common mistake bowlers make is to look for more and more hook when, in fact, they are void of bowling balls which hook very little.
When a ball does not make any sudden or dramatic reaction shift when traveling down the lane, it is easy to rely on the overall motion and can be a great ball to use when all others do not react well on the back end when alignment adjustments are made.
Since most house conditions where most bowlers compete have an area of the lane to play where sufficient friction will help gain ball traction and help the ball recover when delivered wide of the chosen target toward the edge of the lane, it helps to have a ball which avoids any over-reaction by hooking too strongly when entering the high friction part of the mid lane.

Controlling your ball motion is critical in making sound adjustment decisions. Owning bowling balls which yield reliable ball reactions is the biggest part of making good alignment choices.
If you have a trusted ball to play on most conditions and if you also have a ball to switch to when you need additional traction in heavy oil, make sure you also own a ball which has minimal hook potential and low flair potential so you can play in the high friction parts of the lane and still get a reliable ball reaction.
Often, a low flair ball with a mild surface texture can double as an effective spare shooting ball.
If you are fortunate to have the budget to add additional equipment to your arsenal, then try to be careful to select coverstocks, flair potential ratings, and use drilling layouts which will help you fill in the gaps in your arsenal.
Your pro shop pro plays a vital role in helping you develop a sensible arsenal but ultimately, it is your responsibility to know your equipment and make the final decisions in your ball selection process.