5 Tips On Selecting A Bowling Ball
Bowling balls come in a variety of materials and compositions
today. There are aggressive balls that are favorable to wide
high rev strikes and then those that are more favorable to
subtle inside line strikes. For anyone looking to find a bowling
ball, it is not easy. Most people think a bowling ball is
a bowling ball. How much difference can it make? Well, ask
any serious bowler and they will tell you it can mean the
difference from being a great bowler to an average bowler.
The following 5 tips are things to keep in mind when you
are ready to buy your bowling ball.
- A heavier bowling ball is not always the best
bowling ball
It is a big mistake selecting a bowling ball that is heavier
than what you can handle. All too often amateur bowlers
select 16 lbs balls because their egos won't let them select
a ball any lighter. This is a very dangerous idea because
there is a risk of injury. Also, if the ball is much heavier
than what you can manage, it is harder to control the ball.
Remember, you are rolling the ball potentially 23 times
in one game. After a while, your arm gets tired and your
game can be affected.
A good trick to finding the best weight ball for you is
to try the bowling armswing while holding objects of equivalent
weight of the desired bowling ball. Do this 23 times and
see how your arm feels when you are done. If it is sore
or tired then you may need to reduce the weight. If your
arm still feels good and not tired at all then it may be
too light.
- Get the best ball possible for your style
I know it is very appealing to be able to bowl like the
pros and produce wide hooking strikes that crash into the
pins and scatter them all over the deck. Unfortunately,
we can't all bowl like that. We are all different and when
looking for a bowling ball we need to find one that fits
our style and our preferred bowling technique. So you may
not be like Jason Couch or Brian Himmler who both have wide
hooking shots not to mention a ton of power. But your style
may be more like Walter Ray Williams Jr. who may not produce
the most spectacular strikes but he is unmatched in accuracy
and consistency.
- Talk to others about the bowling balls they use
Find those who have a similar style to your own and find
out what ball they use. Ask them why they selected that
ball and how it has helped their game. Also ask them what
kinds of problems they face using it.
- Consider the lane conditions you will bowl on
Not all bowling alleys are created equal and certainly
lanes are not created equal. Ask yourself where you will
be doing the most bowling. Will it be on the same lanes
week after week in a bowling league? Will it be at different
bowling alleys in tournaments? Will it be both? Where ever
you plan on bowling the most, consider the lane conditions
there. For fast lanes that have a lot of oil you want a
ball that can handle that. If you will do most of your bowling
on a combination of lane conditions, it may be worthwhile
to invest in 2 different bowling balls for different lane
conditions.
- Seek the advice of a well known pro shop
The guys who work the pro shop should become your
best bowling friend. They are usually former bowlers themselves
with amateur titles or even former pro bowlers. See what
line of bowling balls they carry and why they sell them.
Ask if they recommend a certain ball. Many times they are
willing to help you select a bowling ball.
So, when you start looking around for your next bowling ball
think about these 5 tips and you should have no problem narrowing
down your choices.
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