Does the Bowling Ball Make That Much Difference in a Game?

There are absolutely hundreds of bowling balls available on the market, which can be overwhelming and confusing to a person who is trying to choose a bowling ball. The key to choosing the right ball is to understand the differences between bowling balls and know what you are trying to achieve with your bowling ball purchase.

Some information you should know about bowling balls before making your purchase is that a bowling ball is mostly composed of two major parts, the Coverstock and the Weight Block. The Coverstock is the outer shell of the bowling ball. This is the part of the ball that you see and the most influential element of the ball when it comes to hook potential. This is because it is the part of the ball that is actually making contact with the lane surface.

There are four main types of bowling balls: plastic, urethane, reactive resin, and particle, which is proactive. The big difference between these coverstock materials is how they perform and react on the lane surface. When a ball is rolled down the lane, friction is created from the contact between the coverstock and the surface of the lane.

Plastic coverstock is a really smooth surface and creates the least amount of friction. Therefore it has the least hook potential available in a bowling ball. This type of ball is good for beginners who want their own ball with a proper fit to their hand. Intermediate and advanced bowlers also use this type of ball for shooting spares because of the balls very predictable reaction due to its very low hook potential.

Urethane coverstock is more durable than plastic and creates more friction between the ball and the lane surface. This means that urethane has a higher hook potential than plastic. Due to the increased friction on the lane, urethane tends to deflect less which results in better pin action. This type of ball is a more advanced step up from a plastic because it is still very controllable but also offers increased hook potential.

Reactive Resin coverstock is less durable than plastic or urethane, but creates more friction, hook potential, and pin action. Due to the much higher friction they create, reactive resin balls are more sensitive to lane conditions, and operator error. Therefore they are usually a little more difficult to control. This type of ball is designed for the intermediate or advanced bowler who wants to be able to hook the ball and a lot of potential lane reactions.

Particle coverstock has a very “bumpy” feel to it, which allows the ball to dig into the lane surface. This creates the most friction available on heavily oiled lanes. Mostly intermediate and advanced bowlers use this type of ball.

The Weight Block of a bowling ball is found inside the ball beneath the coverstock and has a lot to do with how your ball will perform. The two main types of weight blocks are high mass and low mass.

A High mass weight block will promote a lot of length down the lane because it doesn’t usually allow the ball to get into a heavy roll, and a Low mass weight block will allow for that heavier roll, which can increase hook potential.

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