How to Choose a Bowling Ball For Beginners

Deciding to buy your first bowling ball means you have some serious enthusiasm for the game. Loving the sport and having a research background, I found that the factors and choices can look overwhelming. Answering a few simple questions can get you onto the bowling alley with a ball that makes you smile and knocks more pins down as well. If you’re just looking to pick a house bowling ball, read this, otherwise read on.

How to choose a bowling ball for beginners? Get the weight as heavy as you can comfortably handle for 3 games. Pick a straight (plastic a.k.a. polyester) or hooking ball (urethane, active resin) based on your goals. Pick a coverstock based on your speed, the slower, the shinier. Above all, match your goals: fun, recreational, improvement, competitive, or being the best.

Your bowling ball is custom-fit for your strength, speed, style, and aspirations. You may have many colorful spheres in your bowling future with different coverstocks, cores, surfaces, and hole positions. Choosing a good match now will get the ball rolling.

What are Your Strengths, Habits, Reasons For Choosing a Bowling Ball?

Strengths

As a bowler, you need to consider your size and strength. A general rule is your ball should be a weight you can comfortably pick up, swing, and roll for at least 3 games without strain or undue fatigue. This is usually about 10% of your body weight up to 16 pounds. More accurately, take the house ball that you can comfortably handle for several games and add one or two pounds. The house balls have less than ideal finger hole positions and sizes and require more effort and strength on your part to bowl with them. You can handle a heavier well-fitted ball.

If you are a fast power bowler, you probably want a ball with less skid at the front part of the lane. This would mean a duller, rougher coverstock. If you throw a slower ball, you want the slicker skid of the shiny polished ball to maintain energy when it hits the pins.

If you are accurate with bowling straight at the pins, a plastic ball will do the trick. If you are an avid learner then a beginning level reactive resin ball would provide you with the opportunity.

Habits

It’s time to be honest with yourself. Look back at your last two or three projects, hobbies, or interests. How long did they last? Are you still engaged? What kept you engaged?

If you keep jumping to something new then stick with plastic unless you crave the excitement of an active resin ball snaking down the lane.

If you are non-competitive and seek simple enjoyments then a nice plastic ball for the home lanes, or maybe a urethane for a little hook, will do the trick.

If you are competitive and will stick with it then start with an entry-level active resin ball. You will have many balls in your future.

Goals

Do you want to improve your play? You need to step up to an active resin or at least a urethane ball. If you are staying with house pattern bowling, including league play, not sport patterns, then a urethane ball will give you a gentle, gradual hooking capacity. If you want to eventually work with the latest equipment and techniques, then the beginning level reactive resin ball will get you started.

The big question is, what are your bowling plans for the next 12 months and beyond? If you can’t commit to at least a year of bowling at least twice a month, then look back at your habits and pick an entry-level safe plastic or exciting active resin ball. If you are committed then remember, this is just your first ball. Pick plastic or urethane to hone your accuracy and spare-making skills. Pick an active resin ball for more strikes.

Just Go With the Pro Shop and Your Advisors

Chances are that if you are reading this, then you like to do at least some of your own research and don’t just go with the pro. However, the local pro is a great resource. So are your league buddies or friends who have been in the bowling scene for a while. Listen to them, get second and third opinions, and make up your own mind.

The pro shop advantage is that they are in the business of advising bowlers. They will listen to you, watch you bowl, and provide more objective insight. The disadvantage is they do have an interest in the equipment and services they provide. For a first ball purchase, this is fine.

If you are planning to bowl regularly at a specific alley or center, you are establishing rapport with the staff there. You want to have help when you need it. Working with the local pro and buying your first ball there is a great step in creating an excellent working relationship. For a beginner ball, the cost for the ball, drilling the holes, etc., is likely about the same as buying online. Do not take up the time of the pro, buy your first ball online at a discount, and keep asking him or her for advice. Bad form. It will cost you in many ways.

Similarly, if you are bowling in a league and you ask for advice from your bowling mates and keep ignoring it, your rapport will suffer.

Buy Your First Bowling Ball at Your Local Shop Not Online

Do it. We are talking about an exciting event, buying your first bowling ball. We want our full experience to be wonderful. You get a new ball, you customize it to fit your hand, and you begin your adventure to better bowling.

You’ve made the decision, I’m owning my own amazing bowling ball. You’ve decided what to look for in this ball. You know where you are bowling on a regular basis. They have the ball you are looking for. The pro there is an expert and accurately fits your hand to the ball, drills the ball precisely, and gives you some tips. Whatever happens, when you roll the ball down the lane for the first time is there for you to savor. Then, after releasing that ball 100 more times, probably sooner, you are a better bowler.

When you arrive, the people at the bowling center welcome you and help you. You are bowling with friends, laughing and striking and sparing and missing and having a great time. You are part of this bowling community. You’ve supported the pro shop using their equipment and services, and they’ve helped you enjoy your bowling more. It is worth the expense of establishing this wonderful experience.

Maybe you are that lone bowler who single-mindedly comes to the lanes, bowls, and leaves with your own thoughts and feelings. That’s fine, too. You are still part of the bowling community. The local pro shop is still there to help you.

Months or years after you have become a savvy bowler, sure, look online and buy your 2^nd, 3^rd, or 10^th ball at bowling.com, bowlingball.com, dickssportinggoods.com, or wherever.

I am Buying a First Bowling Ball as a Gift

What do you know about the bowler who is receiving the gift?

If they have enough experience to know what ball they want, then that’s the ball to buy.
If they bowl at a specific alley then talk with the pro there. Share what you know about the receiver’s desire and make a choice at the pro shop. Of course, get an undrilled ball and ask if the ball can be exchanged for another one if requested.
If you have little idea about where they might bowl or what ball would be appropriate, get an exchangeable plastic ball. Most people would prefer a real ball than a gift certificate.