Home Info Center Knowledge How to Choose the Perfect Bowling Ball: A Beginner's Guide

How to Choose the Perfect Bowling Ball: A Beginner's Guide

Sep 4, 2025

A comprehensive guide for beginners on how to choose the perfect bowling ball. Learn about weight, material, and types to find the best equipment for your game.



Stepping onto the bowling lane for the first time can be intimidating, especially when faced with the wall of colorful bowling balls to choose from. But finding the right ball is the first and most crucial step to improving your game. This guide will walk you through everything you need to know about selecting the perfect bowling ball, covering the types of bowling balls, bowling ball material, and bowling ball sizes to help you make an informed decision.


Understanding Bowling Ball Weight


Choosing the correct weight is the most important factor for beginners. A good rule of thumb is to choose a ball that is about 10% of your body weight, up to a maximum of 16 pounds. Most adults will find a ball between 12 and 16 pounds to be a good fit.

  1. Too heavy? If a ball feels too heavy, you'll have trouble controlling it and risk injury. You should be able to swing it smoothly without straining your arm or shoulder.
  2. Too light? A ball that is too light won't have enough force to knock down pins effectively, and it can also cause inconsistent throws.

The best way to determine the right weight is to test a few different balls at the alley. You should feel comfortable holding and swinging the ball without any discomfort.


The Different Types of Bowling Balls


There are three main types of bowling balls, each designed for different purposes and skill levels.


1. Plastic (Polyester) Balls


Plastic balls are the most basic and affordable option. They have a smooth, slick surface that doesn't grip the lane much. This makes them ideal for throwing straight shots.

  1. Best for: Beginners who want to focus on consistency, or for experienced bowlers who need a spare ball for picking up single pins.


2. Urethane Balls


Urethane balls were a huge advancement in the 1980s. They provide more friction on the lane than plastic balls, which allows for a controlled hook or curve.

  1. Best for: Beginners who are ready to learn how to throw a hook, as they offer more control than reactive resin balls.


3. Reactive Resin Balls


Reactive resin balls are the most popular type among advanced bowlers today. This material provides the most friction and "reaction" on the lane, creating a powerful hook and a strong drive into the pins. They come in many varieties, from low-end to high-end, and are a key part of any serious bowler's best bowling equipment arsenal.

  1. Best for: Intermediate to professional bowlers who want to maximize their hook and pin action.


The Inner Core and Coverstock


While the outside of the ball (the coverstock) is what everyone sees, the inside (the core) is what truly dictates the ball's motion.

  1. Pancake Core: Found in most plastic balls, this core is flat and symmetrical, providing a very straight roll.
  2. Symmetrical Core: These cores are uniform and predictable, making them a great choice for bowlers learning to hook the ball.
  3. Asymmetrical Core: These cores have an irregular shape, which allows the ball to rev up and hook more aggressively down the lane. They are typically found in high-end reactive resin balls.


Finding the Right Fit: Bowling Ball Sizing


Even the perfect ball weight and material won't help if the finger holes don't fit your hand.

  1. House Balls: The balls provided by bowling alleys are drilled to fit a wide range of hands. The fit is often loose, which can cause you to grip the ball too tightly and hurt your wrist.
  2. Custom Drilled Balls: For serious bowlers, getting a ball custom-drilled by a pro shop is a game-changer. A professional will measure your hand and drill the holes to fit your specific grip, allowing for a relaxed, natural swing and consistent release.


Where to Buy Your First Bowling Ball


While it's tempting to buy a ball online, visiting a local pro shop is the best choice for beginners. The experts there can help you choose the right ball for your needs, provide advice on technique, and most importantly, custom-drill the ball to fit your hand perfectly.

By taking the time to understand the basics of bowling ball material, types of bowling balls, and bowling ball sizes, you'll be well on your way to choosing the perfect ball to improve your game and have more fun on the lanes.

FAQ

where the bowling lane equipment for sale?

+ -

Some friends from different country and regions planning to open a bowling alley may assume they can buy bowling equipment near their home.

This is not the case. Bowling equipment is manufactured in only a few countries worldwide, such as the United States, China, and Germany.

Thus, people from most countries who want to purchase bowling equipment need to look for suppliers in these countries.

Beijing Redsun Bowling Technology Co., Ltd is located in Beijing, China, with a showroom in Guangzhou, China. We also have distributors in several countries in the Middle East and Europe.

Bowling equipment is generally shipped from our factory in Beijing to the nearby port of Tianjin, where it's then shipped to your destination.

Our installation engineers can travel to various countries and regions around the world to install and commission bowling equipment.

So, if you're looking to purchase bowling equipment from anywhere in the world, please feel free to contact us. We offer high-quality, affordable bowling equipment, meticulous installation services, and consistent after-sales service.

What type pinsetter red sun bowling equipment use?

+ -

Red Sun pinsetter is a string-type bowling equipment. Red Sun string bowling equipment

It uses strings for transmission to arrange the bowling pins.

This equipment has the following advantages:

1. Pin setting speed is more than 40% faster than traditional free-fall pinsetters.

2. Simple mechanical structure with extremely low failure rate.

3. No need for professional technicians for maintenance; general staff can master equipment operation and maintenance after simple training.

4. Low noise and low energy consumption during operation.

5. Powerful electronic control system; the reset button can solve most operational problems.


How to solve the string bowling pinsetter can not lock pin problem

+ -


The Red Sun String bowling Equipment report the fault code, when the string bowling pinsetter operation.

How to analyze the bowling equipment failure through fault codes? How to solve the problem?

As follow let us analyze and solve them one by one.

The fault code --from 40 to 49 show from the pin 1 to pin 10-- shows the pin has been put down which one should be lock.

Fault code and pin series comparison relationship is as follows


Fault Code

Pin No.

Existing Status

Correct Status

40

Pin 1

Falling

Should not falling

41

Pin 2

Falling

Should not falling

42

Pin 3

Falling

Should not falling

.

.

.

.

49

Pin 10

Falling

Should not falling


Let check the quiz question

In the bowling play, the first ball knock down the bowling pin 1 2 3 5 7.

The pin 4 6 8 9 10 keep stand.

Before the player play the second bowling ball,the pinsetter reset the bowling pin 4 5 6 8 9 10。

Please answer the bowling lane should report what fault code ?

The Answer is report fault code 44.

Why? Because the first ball have knocked down the pin 5 , before play the second bowling ball the pin 5 should not be lay down.

The pin 5 cable did not be lock by the white lock block(ZC 004 is the white lock block).

How to check this fault?


1.The white block (ZC004) move no smoothly. ---Loosen the fixing screw(ZC004 fix screw) of the white lock block.

  1. The small Spring (ZC003) which one pull the white lock block fracture --- replace the small spring (ZC003)
  2. The angle of the angle iron (ZC007) used to lock the cable together with the white lock block (ZC004)is not correct,so even when the white lock block is pulled to the extreme position by the spring,it still can not lock the pin cable together with the angle iron(ZC007).----adjust the angle of the angle iron so that the pin cable can be easily locked.
  3. Check whether the pin cable at the guide pulley correct track,the pin cable can’t run into the gap between the pulley(ZC005) and the iron hoop(ZC006).
  4. The electromagnet (ZC002) have been damaged or burnt. ---Replace it directly.



Follow is String Bowling Pinsetter Lock pin's cable device



How to Delivery these bowling equipment to destination?

+ -

Our company is near Tianjin Xingang Port, China, so we delivery these bowling goods to all world from Tianjin Xingang of China. 2 lanes complete bowling equipment need one 20 feet container. 4 lanes complete bowling equipment need one 40 feet container. All components are securely packed in reinforced cartons for safe transportation to your venue.


Why so many people like to play the bowling game?

+ -

Bowling sports can help to relieve modern society people's potential destructive desires and ease the work pressure.

Regardless of age, genderand children can participate, regardless of personal physical fitness is good or bad, can get good results.

It makes up the daily life and work lack of exercise.

Bowling sports are not affected by weather or seasonal influence.

Bowling is long unfading sport , bowling alley is a civilized social place.

According to the calculation, participate in bowling exercise and  can be compared with  several common sports exercise comparison.

  1. 3 game bowling sports= 20 minutes by bike
  2. 3 game bowling sprts= running 15 minutes
  3. 3 game bowling sports= Tennis 20 minutes


View More Type Bowling Equipment

bowling ally near me

Get a Quote

Hi,If this bowling equipment meets your expectations, please leave me a message to get the best quote and product information.
bowling ally near me
Contact customer service

whatsapp

bowling ally near me
Contact Red Sun Bowling

Start your bowling lane project!

Leave your contact information, Red Sun Bowling will give the detailed reply within 24 hours.

As an experienced full-service whole set bowling equipment manufacturer and solutions provider, we have supplied more than 10000+ lanes worldwide in past years, breaking the single situation of pinsetter bowling equipment, enriching the international market, and offering the customers a wider range of choices.

View more about Red Sun Bowling!

©2025 Redsun Bowling.

FOLLOW US:

Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions