Reactive vs Plastic Bowling Balls: Which Should You Use?

Reactive or plastic: the short answer

A reactive resin bowling ball creates more friction with the lane and can hook into the pocket – it is the typical choice for the first ball in a frame once you throw a hook. A polyester ball, usually just called a plastic ball, creates much less friction and rolls straighter – which makes it the typical choice for spares and a common first ball for beginners. Many regular bowlers carry both: a reactive ball for strikes and a plastic ball for spares.

The difference lies in the coverstock, the outer shell of the ball that touches the lane. The core, the surface, the drilling, your release and the oil pattern also shape the reaction. For the wider picture, see our guide to bowling ball coverstocks.

How reactive resin works

Polyester balls have been in use since 1959; urethane covers followed in the early 1980s. Reactive resin appeared in the early 1990s: additives in the urethane cover create microscopic, oil-absorbing pores that increase the cover's grip on the lane. Research by the USBC found that the surface of the cover and the friction between ball and lane are among the most important factors in ball motion.

In practice, a reactive ball skids through the oil in the front part of the lane and hooks when it reaches the drier back end. How early and how strongly it does so depends on the cover formula, the surface, the core, the layout, your speed and rotation, and the oil pattern.

Why plastic balls roll straighter

A polyester cover generates much less friction with the lane than reactive resin. Even with some rotation, a plastic ball therefore hooks little and holds its line. That is exactly what you want in two situations: on spares, and on very dry lanes where a reactive ball would hook too much.

Straighter does not mean automatic. A plastic ball still goes where you throw it; direction, speed and a repeatable release remain your job.

The strike ball: reactive

If you throw a hook, a reactive ball helps you reach the pocket at a better angle. More hook is not automatically better, though: a ball that hooks too much or too early misses the pocket just as easily as one that does not hook enough. Choose a ball whose reaction you can control on the lanes where you usually bowl. Whether a hook or a straight ball suits you better is covered in our guide to hook versus straight.

The spare ball: plastic

Plastic is popular for spares – especially single pins such as the 10 or the 7 – because you can throw a straight line from across the lane instead of allowing for hook. The friction of the lane also affects a plastic ball far less, so your spare line stays more consistent as the lane changes during a session.

A separate spare ball is optional. Some bowlers throw their reactive ball with less rotation at spares. Try out which method works for you on the lanes you play.

What should a beginner buy?

If you are just starting out and throw the ball fairly straight, a plastic ball drilled for your hand is a sensible first ball. You can keep using it as a spare ball later. If you are already learning to hook, a reactive ball with a controllable reaction may be the better start. In both cases, the fit and the weight matter more than the cover – have the ball drilled in a pro shop and read our guide on choosing the right ball weight.

You do not have to buy both at once. Add a second ball when you notice a specific need – for example, when your reactive ball hooks past the corner pins on spares.

The other piece of equipment that makes a difference early on is your own shoes, because a consistent slide is the basis for a repeatable delivery. BOWLIO bowling shoes have a full-length leather sole under both shoes, so they are suitable for left- and right-handed bowlers, from beginners to professionals.

Comparison at a glance

Care

Reactive covers absorb oil, and over time that changes their reaction. Clean the ball after play with a suitable cleaner and follow the manufacturer's instructions. More on this in our guides to cleaning a bowling ball and sanding and polishing.

Further reading: Choosing your first bowling ball · Symmetric and asymmetric cores · Spare shooting angles