The Various Kinds of Bowling Balls

Bowling balls come in three types, 10-pin balls, 5-pin balls and candlepin bowling balls. Ten-pin balls have an 8 1/2 inch diameter and 3 finger holes. The 5-pin bowling balls will have a five inches diameter and do not have finger holes. One more type, the candlepin bowling balls, are lighter than five-pin balls. Bowling balls also differ in their weights as well. Balls for adults come in the range of ten to sixteen pounds. Bowling balls for children are available in 6 and 8 pounds. The ball is to be chosen considering the strength of the upper body, arm, and shoulder. A person with a strong build will be comfortable with a heavier balls rather than a person with delicate frame.

Bowling balls also can be classified depending on their coverstock. The main four classes are urethane, particle, reactive resin and plastic. Though bowling balls are perfectly round in shape for all categories, their manufacturing traits differ depending on their physical construction and force calculation. For example, urethane bowling balls have the softest outer cover and therefore the friction and resistance they produce is perfectly suited for wooden bowling lanes. These balls also drag with increased hook potential. For a bowler who tends to bowl into the gutter, these urethane balls help him or her in rolling the ball into the strike zone.

The reactive resin balls have fine resin particles mixed with urethane to produce a slightly tacky surface to increases the bowling ball\'s grip on the lane resulting in better hook potential. On oiled lanes, it tends to skid to produce faster speed. A modified version of the reactive resin balls are the particle bowling balls that have fine glass pieces with the mix to improve the ball\'s grit. These balls are preferred by professionals as the surface allows them to manipulate the spin and hook to improve their performance.

Plastic bowling balls are cheap and the most common type and are made of polyester. They withstand the wear and tear best and last long. They are liked by the new bowlers but not as much by the professionals, since they tend to skid in the oiled lanes and make it quite difficult to control. Lane conditions also drive the decision of selecting the type of balls. A urethane balls works perfectly on a non-oiled dry bowling lane. On the other hand, a reactive resin or particle bowling balls work better on an oiled surface. Selection of a bowling ball is also guided by the bodyweight of the bowler. A thumb rule is to select one with ten percent of the bodyweight of the player.

Bowling balls come with many patterns and colors, and some are even transparent or glows in the dark. The constructions of the core of the balls are also designed to impart different properties to dynamically imbalance to affect the stability and in turn the performance. Therefore, bowling style is one more criteria for selecting the right type of ball.