Best Bowling Ball Reviews 2023

Price is a major consideration point when it’s time to choose a bowling ball. Many factors can affect the cost of a bowling ball. Some of the major factors include the coverstock and the core. We found that with between $45 and $180, you can get a good bowling ball, whether you need one for beginners or professionals.

You can also choose to get a more expensive bowling ball if there are some values it offers you that these do not. It’s only normal to pay more for more features. If you are looking for bowling balls that cost less than we have listed, we will advise that you avoid cheap bowling balls, especially if you want to get a product that will offer you good value.

Choosing the right bowling ball for you requires that you put certain factors into consideration. Carefully considering these factors will make it easier for you to find a ball that is perfect for you. Some features to consider include:

• Coverstock
• Weight
• Core
• Hook Potential
• Radius of Gyration
• Lane Condition
• Drilling

Let us explain these some more.

The type of coverstock a bowling ball is made of is very important, because it will determine how the ball can be used. There are three basic types of coverstock: plastic, urethane, and reactive resin. These have different levels of traction, with plastic having the lowest and reactive resin having the highest. Balls with plastic coverstocks are usually regarded as entry-level balls, while those with urethane coverstocks are regarded as intermediate balls. Professional-level balls are usually made of reactive resin.

In bowling, you can either shoot straight or with a hook. Shooting straight is used by experienced players to target spare pins left standing when they are not all knocked down at the first try. It is easier to knock down more pins, or even all the bowling pins, at the first try when the ball hits the pocket from the side, rather than directly from the front. The only way to achieve this is to throw a hook. Plastic balls are not meant for throwing hooks, because they are very smooth and have little to no friction with the lane even on dry lanes. You'll need a ball with urethane coverstock, or one with a reactive resin coverstock for an even wider hook.

Another feature to be considered is a ball's core. There are two types of bowling ball cores, the asymmetrical core and the symmetrical core. A symmetrical core has a more uniform weight distribution, at least along one axis. An asymmetrical core has its weight distributed more to one side. Symmetrical cores will have a more uniform shape, while asymmetrical cores will have shapes with various protrusions that will affect their weight distribution. If you need a ball that hooks hard and strong, then a ball with an asymmetric core is your best bet. To achieve a smoother line and a more gradual hook, get a ball with a symmetrical core.

Some other features, such as hook potential, flare potential, and radius of gyration, all derive from a combination of the two factors explained above – coverstock and core. The hook potential refers to how wide a hook a ball can achieve. The higher the hook potential, the wider the hook that ball can achieve. Flare potential is a measure of how much flare a ball can achieve on the lane. The more flare potential, the higher the hook potential, and vice versa. RG, or radius of gyration, refers to how quickly the ball will begin to spin when it is thrown. A high RG means the ball will start spinning slowly and will therefore start arcing farther down the lane. A low RG means the ball will start spinning quickly and start arcing sooner, resulting in a wider hook. All these points are interrelated and must be looked at in relation to each other.

Bowling balls come in different sizes, and these sizes are usually given in pounds. Choose a ball that is the right weight for the user. It will be both ineffective and risky to use a very heavy ball to play the game. Choosing the right weight will set the right tone for the game.

The user's level of experience should be considered. The type of core a beginner chooses will either make learning easier or more difficult. Symmetrical cores are easier to control than asymmetrical cores. This should be the beginner’s first choice. Though the asymmetrical core produces a more aggressive hook, combining a ball with an asymmetrical core with a strong coverstock will yield a strong hook with a motion that is easier to predict. Combining different cores with different coverstock types will yield different results.

The lane condition is another major factor. You could be playing on a dry lane, a medium lane or a heavily oiled lane. These lanes require different types of balls to achieve the best results. For a dry lane, your best bet is a ball with a plastic coverstock. This type of coverstock is stiff and smooth enough to slide on this type of surface. For medium lanes, go for a ball with urethane coverstock and a flare potential in the medium region. This type of coverstock will have enough friction to grip this type of lane. For heavily oiled lanes, use a ball with reactive resin coverstock and a low radius of gyration (RG). You need a ball that can grip the lane even in this condition, and this type of ball can.

One more factor that will affect how efficient the ball will be is how and where it is drilled. Aside from drilling the ball to fit your hand, making it easier to throw and reducing the risk of injuries, the position the holes are drilled in will affect the effectiveness of the ball. This is why most balls come undrilled, so each user can drill the ball to fit. This is something that requires some level of expertise and should be handled by a professional. Take your ball to a sports shop and have a professional drill it for you.