Ball Talk
Everything You Need to Know About Buying a Bowling Ball . . .
but Were Afraid to Ask
Brand Names
At
McCorvey’s PRO SHOP we only sell pro line equipment from top manufacturers such as
Columbia,
Ebonite,
Brunswick,
Track,
MoRich,
Hammer, and
Storm. All of the major
ball manufacturers offer a wide range of ball choices to suit a particular style of bowler.
Too Many Choices?
For a newcomer the vast selection of ball choices can be overwhelming. We offer many different
brands and models to give our customers more choices, but selecting the right ball is not as difficult
as it may seem if you understand the basic differences between balls. First a bowler should decide
what type of reaction they are looking for in a new ball. From there you will find several models
that will satisfy your general needs and all that is left is to decide on the right layout and surface
preparation to make the ball exactly what you need. Be careful of choosing a ball by color or price.
What Makes it Hook?
You do. That’s right, bowling balls do not hook by themselves. The bowler must impart the correct
force on a ball to make it hook. This is a learned skill. A ball may hook too much for one bowler and
not at all for another. This is why it is important to work with a qualified pro shop technician to help
choose the ball that will work best for you!
Coverstocks
The coverstock is the most important element in ball performance because it makes contact with the
lane surface and determines the amount of friction. The coverstock material plays a big part in
determining the price of the ball. More friction generally means more hook and will also cause the
ball to wear out sooner.
- Polyester
- introduced in 1960
- Polyester, also called plastic, has the least friction of today’s coverstocks. It is used primarily in
entry-level balls. Its features include vivid colors, low price and
controllability.
- Urethane
- introduced in 1981
- Urethane is a durable coverstock with more friction than polyester. While very popular in the
1980s, there are few balls that use a conventional urethane coverstock on the market today.
- Reactive Resin
- introduced 1992
- Reactive resin is a urethane coverstock that has
plasticizer additives that increase the friction
characteristics thereby increasing a ball's hook potential. Reactive resin is available in many
formulations, each with varying characteristics to help a ball perform as desired by the
manufacturer. Bowling balls with reactive resin coverstocks are more sensitive to lane conditions
and operator error, so reactive balls are generally used by bowlers with higher skill levels.
Reactive resin can be easily sanded or polished in the pro shop to alter the hook characteristics to
suit the bowler's style and/or needs. This type of coverstock is by nature less durable than
conventional urethane or polyester, but offers more striking power.
- Particle Technology
- introduced in 1998
- This type of coverstock starts with a reactive resin base with the addition of very small particles
mixed in to increase the friction characteristics in the oily part of the lane. The particles can be
made of glass, ceramic, rubber, mica, silica, or various other non-metallic materials.
Manufacturers can can control the amount of particles they add to the coverstock to create a wide
variety of ball reactions. These balls are a must for tournament bowlers and give the recreational
and league bowler more options when selecting a ball to work well on heavier oil patterns.
Core Designs
The inside of the bowling ball, the core, has gone through dramatic changes since 1980. All bowling
balls are made with some type of weight block to offset the weight removed when drilling holes.
Various core shapes and materials are used to alter the ball’s movement down the lane. The two
most important numbers used to compare different cores are
radius of gyration
and
differential. A
ball with a lower RG will start to roll sooner on the lane while a ball with a higher RG will slide further
before it starts to hook. A ball with a higher differential has more
flare
potential and will be more
reactive to the lane.
This is a very brief explanation about bowling balls. The right ball selection is as important as the
correct fit. We are always available to answer any question you might have concerning bowling balls
or bowling in general. Thank you for choosing
McCorvey’s PRO SHOP.