How to Choose Your First Bowling Ball

Choosing your first bowling ball comes down to four questions: which weight you can throw consistently, how the ball is drilled for your hand, which coverstock suits the way you bowl, and where you buy it. This guide takes you through each step in a sensible order.

House ball or your own bowling ball?

A house ball belongs to the bowling center and is not drilled for any one bowler. That makes it fine for trying the sport, but the hole spacing and sizes rarely match your hand exactly. Under USBC rules, house balls have a polyester or basic urethane cover.

Your own ball is drilled for your hand, so it feels the same every time you pick it up. That makes it easier to build a repeatable delivery. If you are just getting started with your own equipment, our guide to starting with your own bowling equipment gives an overview.

Step 1: Choose a weight you can throw consistently

Under USBC equipment rules, a bowling ball may weigh no more than 16 pounds (about 7.26 kg); there is no minimum weight. That is a competition limit, not a recommendation. The popular "ten percent of your body weight" rule is only a rough starting point.

• Control: choose a weight that lets you keep your balance, tempo and release through a full session.
• Fit first: a ball with holes that fit you often feels lighter than a house ball of the same weight. Compare weights with a proper grip.
• Several tries: test more than one weight over several shots, not just one.
• Comfort: if your shoulder, elbow or wrist hurts, stop and have both weight and fit checked.

More on testing different weights: how to choose the right bowling ball weight.

Step 2: Choose the coverstock

The coverstock is the outer shell of the ball, the part that touches the lane and the oil. It has the biggest influence on how much the ball hooks, together with the surface finish, the core, your speed and rev rate, and the lane conditions.

Polyester (plastic)

Polyester creates the least friction and rolls the straightest. It is the usual choice for spares and a sensible first ball if you throw straight.

Urethane

Urethane creates more friction than polyester and a smoother, more gradual hook than reactive balls. It suits bowlers who want a controllable curve, especially on drier lanes.

Reactive resin

Reactive coverstocks have microscopic pores that absorb oil, which gives them more grip and hook potential. An entry-level reactive ball is a common choice for bowlers who are learning to hook the ball.

The differences in detail: bowling ball coverstock types explained.

Step 3: Conventional or fingertip grip

The grip describes how the ball is drilled for your hand.

• Conventional grip: the middle and ring fingers go in up to the second knuckle. It feels secure and is familiar from house balls.
• Fingertip grip: the fingers go in only up to the first knuckle, with a longer span. At release the thumb leaves the ball first and the fingers can lift and rotate it more, which supports more revs and hook.

Which grip suits you depends on your hand, flexibility and the release you are learning. Discuss it with a pro shop or coach. What happens during drilling is explained in our guide to bowling ball drilling.

Step 4: Pre-drilled or custom-drilled?

Some entry-level balls are sold pre-drilled in a few standard sizes; many other balls come undrilled and are drilled after purchase.

• Pre-drilled: span and hole sizes are fixed. Only worthwhile if the pattern really fits your hand.
• Custom-drilled: a pro shop measures your hand and drills span, pitch and hole sizes for you. Ask what follow-up adjustments are included.

For USBC competition, every gripping hole must be used on every delivery (house balls are exempt). So tell the driller exactly how you hold the ball.

Where to buy your first bowling ball

• Local pro shop: measures your hand, discusses your game and drills the ball. The simplest route for a first ball.
• Online: check model, weight, coverstock, drilling status and return terms, and plan in the drilling at a pro shop.
• Used: check model, weight and condition. Cracks can make a ball ineligible for competition, and old holes may need to be plugged and redrilled.

Compare complete packages rather than shelf prices: ball, drilling, inserts and follow-up adjustments.

Do not forget your shoes

A repeatable delivery depends not only on the ball but also on a predictable slide. So when you invest in your own ball, it makes sense to think about your own shoes as well. BOWLIO bowling shoes are made of genuine leather, top and bottom, with a slide sole under both shoes, so they suit left- and right-handed bowlers, from beginners to professionals. More on this: why your own bowling shoes make a difference.

Checklist for your first bowling ball

1. Your style: do you want to throw straight or learn a hook?
2. Weight: tested over several shots with a suitable grip?
3. Coverstock: polyester for straight shots and spares, urethane or entry-level reactive for a hook?
4. Grip and drilling: hand measured, conventional or fingertip decided?
5. Purchase: drilling, adjustments and return terms clarified?