Selecting the Right Ball for You

Every bowler  is unique in his style of approach, delivery, and follow through. Some bowlers roll the ball down the lane at a leisurely pace, while others throw the ball with such force that if it were rolling down the freeway, chances are, several speed laws would be broken.  Some bowlers prefer rolling a straight ball, aiming directly into the pocket, while others prefer varying degrees of hook.  

That is why there is a myriad of bowling balls on the market.  Some hook early, some hook late, some have tremendous finishing power, while others don't, some are designed to react well with synthetic lanes, while others are designed for the traditional wood lanes.

The ball you use should be chosen to correspond to your manner of bowling, as well as to the lanes you bowl on.  To this end, your Pro-Shop operator is skilled in helping you select just the right ball for your needs, including the proper weight, and drilling of the finger and thumb holes. 

I had been using the same bowling ball for over 12 years. When  I purchased it, it had been out of production for a number of years, but it seemed to work just right for me, as I was used to bowling on fairly well oiled wood lanes.  With the advent of the new synthetic lanes, however, I found that there was no way I could roll a decent game, and God forbid if the lanes were the slightest bit dry.  The final blow came when I was bowling in a friendly tournament, where the lanes were wood, and about as dry as a Ben Stein oration.  I couldn't control the ball, and never once did I even come within 50 pins of what my average should have been.  Needless to say, when I left the bowling alley, the ball stayed behind.......They must have put it into their museum of antiquity.  I immediately purchased a new ball, had it drilled to fit, and proceeded to bowl better than I had ever dreamed possible.......averaging 40 pins better than I ever had before. 

As time had passed, my hands had changed, the finger and thumb holes were no longer positioned correctly and my style of approach had dramatically changed from the time when I had first had the ball drilled.  Fortunately, our pro shop operator was able to determine what type of ball would work, how to drill it to get the most out of its balance, and then give a few pointers on how to deliver the ball for maximum performance.