Their bowling balls, techniques, and more serve as unofficial law in the sport.
One of the most common questions newbies have about pro bowlers is, “what size bowling ball do pros use?” You’ll find many answers online, but here you’ll find the facts.
Let’s get into the most commonly used bowling ball size for pros and everything else you need to know.
Note: All bowling balls are roughly the same size, so for the purposes of this article, we’ll focus on the ball’s weight.
Contents1 What Size Bowling Ball Do Pros Use?2 What Sizes Do Bowling Balls Come In?3 Advantages of Heavy Bowling Balls4 Are Heavy Bowling Balls Better than Light Bowling Balls?5 How to Choose the Right Bowling Ball Size for You6 Other Bowling Ball Characteristics to Consider7 Test Out Your Ball in Person8 Ask for Help8.1 Related Articles
What Size Bowling Ball Do Pros Use?
For anyone who’s ever wondered what ball size pro bowlers use, the answer is simple: whatever size works best for them.
Professional bowlers tend to choose a ball that fits their technique, body type, and personal preferences.
However, there are some general trends when it comes to the weight of bowling balls used by pros.
Most professional bowlers use a ball that weighs between 14 and 16 pounds.
Jason Belmonte, one of the top bowlers today, has a 227.59-point bowling average and uses 15-pound bowling balls exclusively.
What Sizes Do Bowling Balls Come In?
Let’s touch on bowling ball sizes in general.
Bowling balls come in various sizes, from 6 pounds to 16 pounds.
There are no regulation bowling balls smaller or larger than this range.
Some bowlers swear that it’s their ball.
Here are some of the top advantages of heavy bowling balls:
Here are some of the top advantages of heavy bowling balls:
Heavy balls produce considerable power, which can be especially helpful for bowlers who struggle with generating speed.A heavier ball is less likely to slow down as it rolls down the lane, giving you a better chance of hitting more pins.
The great debate between heavy and light bowling balls has been raging on for quite some time.
Some bowlers swear by the power of a heavy ball, while others prefer the agility of a lighter ball.
The right bowling ball weight depends on the individual bowler and their style of play.
For instance, a heavier ball has more potential to knock down all the pins at once than a lighter ball.
At the same time, throwing a heavy ball correctly can be a challenge.
On the other hand, a lighter ball doesn’t require as much strength to throw but often doesn’t have the same impact when it hits the pins as heavier balls do.
For this reason, it’s impossible to say definitively whether heavy or light bowling balls are better.
Bowling Ball Weight Vs. Speed and Pin Carry | How To Bowl Better With PhysicsWatch this video on YouTube
How to Choose the Right Bowling Ball Size for You
A bowling ball’s size affects its hooking potential, ball speed, throwing difficulty, and more.
That’s why it takes some real thought to choose the right weight bowling ball.
Knowing how a ball’s size affects all of these factors will help you choose the right bowling ball size for you because the bowling ball weight matter.
Keep reading for some guidance on selecting a ball weight.
If you’re a beginner, choosing a ball that is easy to throw is important.
For this reason, most beginners use 8 -12 pound bowling ball.Do you want your ball to hook or to go straight?
The size of your ball will affect its ability to hook.
If you want it to go straight, choose a lighter ball.How much power do you want behind your throw?
One of the most well-known unwritten rules on this subject is that the right ball for you should be about 10% of your body weight.
The rule only applies up to 160 pounds since the largest bowling balls are 16 pounds.
If you’re over 160 pounds, go for a 16-pound bowling ball.
A heavy ball wouldn’t be a good idea in cases like these.
Other Bowling Ball Characteristics to Consider
When choosing a bowling ball, weight should not be the only consideration.
In addition, the weight block plays a role in determining how the ball will behave.
With so many factors to consider, it’s no wonder that choosing the right bowling ball can be a daunting task.
However, by taking the time to understand the various characteristics of bowling balls, you can be sure to find the perfect fit for your style of play.
Test Out Your Ball in Person
Bowling balls are not one-size-fits-all – you’ll need to test out a few in person to find the right one.
Finding the perfect bowling ball is much like finding the ideal partner.
The ball should also feel good in your hand and perform in a way that plays into your strengths as a bowler.
The same goes for bowling balls.
If you’re still having trouble finding the right bowling ball, don’t hesitate to ask for help.
Most of them know their bowling balls like the back of their hand.
They can answer any questions you have and help you find a ball that suits your needs.
Though professional bowlers tend to use heavier balls, that doesn’t mean you need one.
We hope this article has been helpful to you, and we wish you the best in your ball search!Kira Byrd( CEO )Kira Byrd, who holds a B.S. in Accounting and operates as an Internal Auditor during the day, has been an enthusiastic bowler since she was a small kid.
Kira started Bowling for Beginners to teach new bowlers the game and help them improve their skills.
These balls are hard and vary in size and outer configuration a lot.
Balls for ten-pin bowling- which is the most common bowling- have three holes for fingers and the thumb.
The bowling balls – the most common ones- are about 8.6 inches in diameter and weigh about 6 to 7 kilograms.
The weight of the ball is a fundamental element that impacts the performance of the player.
Sometimes we get confused seeing other players using heavier balls.
It becomes difficult for us to choose the ball of the right weight for us.
This bowling ball weight guide is a tool to overcome these difficulties.
If the ball is too light, it may not knock down pins properly.
If the ball is too heavy and you throw it at a regular speed, it may lose momentum till it reaches the other end of the lane, unable to knock down the pins.
If you throw the ball with an extra force, it will knock down the pins, but you may sustain an injury at your wrist.So, both types of ball- heavy or light – have their advantages and disadvantages.
The right ball weight may vary from person to person, depending upon his body weight and expertise level.
If you choose a heavy ball that you can sustain and throw easily, the overall impact of the collision will be very high.
Because a heavy ball moving at a particular speed has a higher momentum as compared to that of a light object running at the same speed.
Bowling ball weight also creates a negative effect.
If a ball is too heavy, it is also possible that you may not throw it with full potential, which will result in an ineffective delivery.
Additionally, the too heavy ball will affect your health adversely.
You may also get an injury due to the heavy ball.
If a ball is lightweight, it will move with low momentum.
It is easy for the other physical factors, such as the flow of the air, to change the dynamics of a light ball when it is in the motion.
But, choosing the right ball weight cannot be generalized for every player.
We will have to take into consideration every factor before deciding the correct ball weight for a player.
Some people may not cope up with a ball weighing ten percent of their body weight.
The practical rule to find out the right bowling ball weight is that you should be capable of throwing it comfortably in repeated actions.
Suppose you throw a heavy ball successfully in the first throw, but you may feel discomfort in consecutive throws.
It is recommendable to go for a lighter ball in this case.
You will win the game by throwing the ball at the right speed consistently.
The bowling ball with the least weight available in the market weighs about six pounds.
This ball is for small children.The maximum bowling ball weight, which is permissible by the bowling associations in the USA, is around sixteen pounds.
These balls are for adults and professional players.So, we get a wide range of ten pounds in bowling ball weight.
We can choose a ball out of this range as per our choice and suitability.Bowling Ball Weight for Professional Bowlers In the recent past, the professional bowlers used to throw heavy balls – sixteen pounds balls.
They thought that they could easily knock down pins with the heavy balls because these balls move with higher momentum.
Additionally, the heavier balls do not bounce off at the collision.But, nowadays, the scene has changed.
A majority of professional bowlers now opt for slightly lighter ball weight.
Ball Weight for Post-Injury Cases It is very tough and painful for the bowlers to make a comeback on the bowling lanes after recovering from an injury.
The post-injury comeback process should be well-coordinated, and it should be in a phased manner.If you have resumed bowling after recovering from an injury, you should start bowling by using lighter ball weights.
The best recommendable ball weight in his case is six to eight pounds.
You have to increase the bowling ball weight gradually.
The ball throwing capacity of a bowler depends upon various factors viz.
But, it is a general observation that the average ball weight for an adult male is fourteen pounds.
This observation also shows that the average ball weight range for the adult male to bowl comfortably lies between thirteen pounds to fifteen pounds.The adult females generally use ball weights between ten pounds to fourteen pounds, depending upon their physical attributes.
But, this process will change the dynamics of the ball.
Additionally, the rules of bowling associations are so strict that a slight variation can disqualify you from the sports event.Final Thoughts The above lines have been written to help you select the most suitable bowling ball weight.
We have seen in the article above that the most preferred ball weight is fourteen pounds, but we have to assess our physical fitness and well-being before opting for any ball weight.
We hope that this article will guide you to ascertain the right bowling ball weight for you.Related Resources
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Bowling balls are pretty heavy!
On average, they weigh somewhere between 8 and 16 pounds, and that’s just the bare minimum – many bowling balls weigh as much as 20 pounds or more!
That’s one reason why it’s so important to keep track of your ball when you go bowling.
Learn all about it here in this guide to bowling ball weight!
Bowling balls are typically around 15 pounds, depending on your skill level.
Bowling alley owners have strict specifications for ball weight and size because if a ball is too light, it will lose kinetic energy and potential strikes as it moves down lane.
Lighter balls also run a higher risk of hitting pins before they’ve fully stopped spinning at their final resting place.
On average, heavier balls go longer distances and cause more damage to pins, while lighter ones spin more quickly and don’t travel as far.
There is no single correct answer to the question “Why are bowling balls heavier?
The real answer depends on who you ask and what kind of bowling ball they’re referring to.
The Physics Behind Bowling Ball Weights
To make a bowling ball roll straight down an alley, it has to be perfectly symmetrical—and therefore extremely heavy.
A heavier ball takes more energy (or force) to get moving, but once it is moving forward, its momentum keeps it rolling.
Read: why do bowling ball cracks?
Momentum is a measure of how much matter is in motion and its speed; when a heavier ball goes down an alley more slowly than a lighter one, it still has enough momentum at the end of its run to knock down all 10 pins.
Bowling ball weights start at 8 pounds and go up to 16 pounds.
It’s easy to think that if a heavier ball moves down an alley more slowly than a lighter one, it won’t have enough momentum at the end of its run to knock over all 10 pins.
But because momentum depends on mass, not speed, a heavier ball does just as much damage when it hits pins as its lighter counterpart does.
A bowler could throw a really light ball down an alley really fast or a really heavy one slower and still have enough power to knock over all 10 pins at once.
Lighter Bowling Balls as an Option for Beginners
People who bowl often believe that heavier bowling balls are better.
However, if a ball is too heavy, it will be hard to control and even harder to keep on track towards your target.
A lighter ball, in some cases, maybe easier for a beginner to handle since there is less weight on their hand and fingers.
Moreover, it can be easier for beginners to throw a lighter ball since they do not have as much strength or experience with how much force they should put into each throw.
Bowling ball weight is measured in pounds and ranges from 8 to 16 pounds.
The average weight for a men’s ball is about 12 pounds, but that can vary depending on your height and arm strength.
Women tend to use lighter balls than men of similar skill levels usually between 6-12 pounds.
If you’re new to bowling, it’s best to start out with a light ball because they have more forgiveness on off-center hits.
Also, read How to Clean Bowling Ball Figure Hole?
Ever wondered why bowling balls come in a wide range of weights, from as light as 12 pounds to as heavy as 16 pounds for men, and 8 pounds to 10 pounds for women?
The heavier a ball is, the less sensitive it will be to spinning—which means it’ll move faster.
Do Heavier Balls Help Bowling?
If your goal is to roll strikes, then yes—heavier balls can make all of the difference.
When choosing a ball, it’s worth taking into account how you bowl and how far away from pins you typically stand.
For example, if it’s difficult for you to approach pins and throw accurately with a lighter ball, then try switching to something slightly heavier instead.
How Heavy Should A Bowling Ball Be?
How Heavy Should A Bowling Ball Be?
How Heavy Should A Bowling Ball Be?
Bowling ball weights range from about 8 pounds to 16 pounds, but how do you choose which one is right for you?
The first step is knowing what a properly weighted ball will do for your game.
Lighter and heavier balls both have their advantages and disadvantages, but ultimately it comes down to personal preference.
Do Lighter Or Heavier Bowling Balls Spin More?
Bowling ball weight has almost nothing to do with how much it will spin or hook, and when it does affect those things, it’s only slightly.
For example, a lighter ball will slow down faster during its motion than a heavier one due to air resistance.
What Ball Weight Do Pro Bowlers Use?
Most pro bowlers use ball weights from 16-18 lbs.
While there is no definitive answer to what ball weight a pro bowler should use, these weights have been used by some of these professionals for years and they seem to be happy with their results.
It’s important to note that using a heavier ball does not necessarily mean that your game will improve.
If you’re new to bowling or if you haven’t bowled in a while, it might be best for you to start out with something lighter until your form is perfected and then move up in weight as needed.
Does A Heavier Bowling Ball Hook More?
A heavier ball definitely slows down your speed when you’re throwing it, which means there’s less spin on it.
How Do You Know If Your Bowling Ball Is Too Heavy?
How Do You Know If Your Bowling Ball Is Too Heavy?
If your bowling ball is too heavy, it can slow your arm down.
You will have to spend more time trying to get up to speed with a heavier ball.
A good rule of thumb is if you cannot comfortably lift your ball into position by yourself, then it’s probably too heavy.
Best Bowling Ball Weight For Hook?
Bowling ball weight can have a significant impact on how many hooks potential your bowling ball will possess.
The perfect bowling ball weight for the hook is 16 pounds.
One of the most important considerations when it comes to determining what’s best for your game is choosing a weight that works with your body type.
In Conclusion, Bowling Balls Are Heavy.
But before doing so, consider that a standard bowling ball weighs between 8 and 16 pounds—and some can weigh as much as 22 pounds.
It may seem like a lot of weight to carry around, but for bowlers who have been doing it for years, carrying a ball isn’t anything out of the ordinary.
We hope you enjoyed our post on why bowling balls are heavier.