Choosing a Bowling ball

Bowling balls are made so that one side, where the fingerholes will be drilled, is heavier than the other side. But after drilling that side still remains heavier and bowlers use this to their advantage.

By bowling with the fingerholes at the side, and not underneath, the ball is bowled out of balance and as it travels down the lane it turns over to get into balance. This creates the hook, where the ball turns and accelerates into the pins.

There are two basic types of ball:

A bowler's first ball will be manufactured in the same way as a House ball. There is an outer shell of hard coloured plastic surrounding a solid core. A piece of heavier core material is located just beneath the shell where the holes are to be drilled. You may hear this called a three piece ball.
This places the extra weight far from the centre of the ball, so it takes more effort to get the ball rotating and the ball is less likely to hook. This makes it easier for a beginner to control.

This type of ball is usually used by experienced bowlers as their 'spare' ball where a straighter, more accurate shot is often needed.

Drilling is usually 'conventional' meaning that the fingers are inserted up to the second joint.

See now how to check the fit of a conventionally drilled ball.



In order to obtain more ball rotation and hook, a bowler will progress to a ball made in a different way.

A small central core is shaped to create extra weight on one side and this is buried deep inside the coloured ball material. This is known as a two-piece ball. Because the extra weight is close to the centre it is far easier for the fingers to rotate the ball to create the spinning necessary for hook. The plastic ball material is chemically softer to the extent that it actually grips the lane to achieve even more turn. The term 'reactive' is often used for these balls but strictly it relates to the properties of the plastic rather than the easily rotating core.

There is a huge number of balls of this type on the market, with differing core shapes and grades of ball material. It's vital that you choose a ball suited to your style of bowling by consulting an experienced driller. The best results are obtained by buying the right ball for you, which is not necessarily the most expensive that you can persuade your parents to finance!

These balls are usually drilled 'fingertip' so that the fingers are only inserted up to their first joint. This puts the finger movement further away from the thumb and adds even more rotation.

See now how to check the fit of a fingertip drilling.