The Best Bowling Balls
Buying a bowling ball is like picking a teammate. With the right qualities to match your skills, your next bowling ball will work with you to bowl strike after strike. There are tons of bowling balls to choose from, all with different styles, sizes, materials, and suitability for various techniques and lane conditions. Don't worry, we're here to make the choice easier for you. Whether you're a novice bowler in search of a straightforward ball or you're an alley veteran hoping to add some pizazz to your collection, you'll find the best of the best in our round-up below.
Brunswick Tzone Bowling Ball
Make it a Super Bowl
If you want a high-quality bowling ball with many style options and a great price point, you can stop your search right here. This ball will serve you well on the lanes, no matter your skill level. It comes in a variety of flashy colors and a wide range of sizes, so you can get one for every member of the family.
Pros:
- Wide range of color and weight options
- Works well as a spare or beginner ball
- Comes in sizes small enough for some children
Cons:
- Some designs might be more matte and less shiny than others
Brunswick Rhino Bowling Ball
You'll Be Hooked
It’s tough to find a better value than this when shopping for a bowling ball that will help you improve your hook technique. It has a light bulb-shaped core to give its center of gravity just the right amount of spin at the end of the lane. If you’re ready to tackle new techniques but don’t want to empty your wallet, this entry-level hook ball is a must.
Pros:
- Excellent value, especially for this type of bowling ball
- Great entry-level hook ball for bowlers ready to try new techniques or old pros who’ve already mastered the hook ball
- Choose between three eye-catching designs
Cons:
- The weight range is 10 to 16 pounds, which will work for most but perhaps not all bowlers
Columbia 300 White Dot Scarlet Bowling Ball
A Solid Start
This is a perfect beginner’s ball. It’s designed to roll straight down the lane, so you don’t need to worry about tricky hooks and spins. It also has an old-fashioned, classy quality thanks to its rich scarlet color. If you’re a more experienced bowler and want a stylish ball to work on your straight game, this is a great choice for you, too.
Pros:
- Rolls straight, so you can focus on learning the basics before adding any spin
- Classic scarlet color
- Size ranges from eight to 15 pounds
Cons:
- Is not designed to react to hook or curve techniques
Pyramid Path Bowling Ball
Ready to Roll
If you bowl straight or need a backup ball for finishing off those pesky spares, you’ll like this one. It’s got an enticing price point, a variety of styles, and a reliable, durable build. Plus, you can add a hole-drilling service if you already know what standard size your fingers need.
Pros:
- Perfect for straight bowling techniques
- Cool black-light effect on most designs
- Option to add pre-drilled finger holes
- Wide range of weights to choose from
Cons:
- The black-light effect is more visible on some designs than on others.
Frequently Asked Questions
Will my bowling ball come with pre-drilled finger holes?
Most high-quality bowling balls arrive with no finger holes so that you can have them drilled to fit your hand. Since you’re investing in a good ball, you want to make sure it fits you well. Just take the ball to a sporting goods store or bowling alley that provides the service and have a professional measure and drill.
What size bowling ball should I get?
A heavy ball will give you more force, but you’ll risk injury and lose control over your throw if your ball is too heavy for you. If you don’t already know what weight you prefer to bowl with, consider that it’s a common belief that your bowling ball should be about ten percent of your body weight. That won’t be a perfect equation for everyone, so take into account your general strength and how well your shoulder can handle repetitive motion. Try different weights out to see what works for you whenever possible.
What’s the difference between “straight” and “hook” balls?
Depending on your bowling technique, you’ll want the distribution of weight inside your bowling ball to be different. If you want to roll the ball straight in an uncomplicated line down the center of the lane, which is often the case for beginners, then you want a ball with the weight evenly distributed so that it doesn’t spin off course. This kind of ball is also handy as a “spare” ball, or a ball you use when you need to finish off spare pins. A hook ball has weight distributed in an uneven shape in the core so that the ball curves at the end of the lane to knock down the pins at an effective angle. Most people who are new to bowling do best with a straight ball.
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