How To Choose An Ideal Bowling Ball
Learning
how to choose an ideal bowling ball is a matter of giving thought to three important factors:
- Desired Ball Reaction
- Volume of Oil
- Coverstock & Core Selections
The first step in determining
how to choose an ideal bowling ball is to identify your existing ball reaction for every ball you presently own. Next, visualize the reaction you are missing and would most prefer to have before you purchase a new ball. It is important to match a ball to the lane conditions you most frequently encounter. Since no one ball is perfect for all lane conditions, the ideal ball is one which works very well on conditions you bowl on most regularly, such as in leagues, open bowling, or in local tournaments.
In recent years the leading manufacturers such as
Storm,
Hammer,
Ebonite,
Roto Grip,
Hammer,
Columbia,
AMF 300,
MoRich,
Lane #1,
900 Global and
Brunswick, just to name a few, have placed great emphasis on developing well balanced lines of top performance bowling balls including versatility in design and ball reaction capabilities.
For dry lane conditions, choose a pearl or stiff coverstock and a high length potential rating so the ball will slide easily in the front end of the lane and conserve energy for the back-end of the lane. Examples of bowling balls which are proven to work well on dry lanes are the Tropical Storm series, the Ebonite Tornado series, or the Brunswick Slingshot series balls, all of which are readily available at
bowlingball.com.
Pink PantherIf the lane conditions where you wish to find a good matching ball have medium to medium-heavy oil, choose a ball with a solid, pliable cover and medium flare potential such as the
Riot, the
Reign of Fire, or the
, also available at our site. A 4-5" flare potential rating coupled with a modestly aggressive coverstock rating will provide a modest back-end overall ball reaction.
For heavy oil on the front end, choose a solid, pliable, and aggressive coverstock to increase gripping action and with a low RG rating and a medium to high flare potential rating. Examples of such balls are the
Virtual Gravity, the
Big Curve or the
Mutant Cell , all of which provide the strongest ball reactions for challenging oily lane conditions.
The core design of any given bowling ball is a key element in selecting an ideal ball and determines length potential and hook potential ratings which, in turn, govern the overall skid-length of your bowling ball in the front end of the lane and in the mid-lane and how sharply your ball reacts on the back end of the lane.
"Length potential" is a combination of how aggressive of a coverstock you choose coupled with the RG (Radius of Gyration) rating which determines when a given ball picks up its strongest rolling pattern. A low RG ball rolls quickly in the front end of the lane, as example, while medium RG reacts in the mid-lane, and high RG rolls strong on the back end providing good skid distance.
"Hook Potential" is categorized by the flare potential rating which is how sharply a given bowling ball will hook on the back end of the lane coupled with a high RG rating (radius of gyration). If you wish to see the strongest possible back end reaction, find a ball with a 6 inch flare potential rating or higher.
Our “Perfect Scale®” rating feature is also useful and provides comparisons of the latest bowling balls in today’s market against our sophisticated rating scale system. The “Perfect Scale®” can be easily accessed from our home page by clicking on the button and then browsing the information provided at the “Perfect Scale®.”
bowlingball.comhas created our own hook rating system using a method for indicating a ball’s hook potential and a way for consumers to compare bowling balls made by the leading manufacturers. Our goal is to simply make it easier for you to compare products and feel confident in your purchase selection process. We hope these tips help.
bowlingball.com has become the No. 1 “e-tailer” of choice for bowling equipment by the consumers of America. Ordering is an easy process by following simple online instructions or merely by calling (888) 265-2695 and one of our sales associates will be available to assist you 24 hours a day, every day of the year! Thanks for visiting
bowlingball.com!