How to Select the Right Bowling Ball

The wrong bowling ball might not roll well on a bowling alley's lane, or it might not have an ideal weight. Consequently, your game could drop, or you could hurt your wrist or back. If you want to keep your game at peak level, you need the right ball. Choosing the right bowling ball might seem daunting, but it will protect you from injury or embarrassment, and it only requires that you follow a few important guidelines.

Instructions

    • 1

      Match the bowling ball's weight to your sex or strength, knowing that a man's higher strength will require a 14-pound to 16-pound ball, and a woman's lower arm strength works well with 10-pound to 14-pound bowling balls. Juniors should use a formula of one pound per age, so a seven-year old could use seven-pound ball.

    • 2

      Match your proficiency to the ball's construction, and select a polyester (plastic) ball for beginners and a urethane or resin ball for skilled bowlers. Plastic balls roll straight and allow bowlers very little hook (curve), while urethane and resin balls grip the floor and allow bowlers to hook the ball with a twist of the wrist.

    • 3

      Fit the ball to your hand or drill the holes so the knuckles of each finger rest directly over each finger hole.

    • 4

      Compare prices. Polyester bowling balls cost $49 to $100, and urethane balls cost $58 to $140. Resin balls cost $129 to $350, as of July 2010.