The Ultimate Guide to Choosing the Best Bowling Balls in 2023

Believe me when I say it sucks to love bowling if the ball is not at its best quality!

How can you let a bowling ball roll over the bowling lane without even knowing its specifications?

Some days you are the best out of all games, but some days you’re not.

You cannot practice at your best attempt if you own an infirm bowling ball, so we got the best bowling balls for you to narrow down your best options.

You need a bowling ball with the appropriate size and weight, so we introduce you to the best we have in the market.

Best For Beginners

Brunswick Rhino Bowling Ball


best for medium to light oil conditions

Motiv Venom Shock Bowling Ball


Best for heavy oil conditions

Roto Grip Hustle Ink Bowling Ball


best for intermediate to advanced players

Hammer Black Widow 2.0 Bowling Ball


best for a predictable ball reaction

Storm Hy-Road Bowling Ball


Ready to check them out? Let’s go!

Top Picks for the Best Bowling Balls of 2023

Hammer Black Widow 2.0

With a spider-like logo design put on the surface part, this Hammer Black Widow 2.0 bowling ball can be your best ball to roll on the bowling lane during practices, tournaments, and more!

This version 2.0 bowling ball showcases the original black and red colors that compliment the ball’s surface appearance and the updated reaction shape on performing nicely in a good lane condition. 

Even when you are just training to become a better player in your tournament, this ball can provide you plenty of traction in medium to heavy oil conditions!

It all depends on how you play with bowling, but this ball can assist you in becoming a better player.

This bowling ball produces a massive continuous ball motion that is ideal for hitting the pins. It provides more angle definition resulting in decent score hits you can get every time!

The Gas Mask core is inside this bowling ball, the same as the original, and it is wrapped with a Carbon Fiber outer core, providing power and durability.

This bowling ball can help you get the grip, but you have to be careful in practicing with it or using it in a tournament.

Pyramid Path Rising Bowling Ball

Just as much as you want to rise to the top, the Pyramid Path Rising Bowling Ball also wants to help you reach your goal!

This bowling ball is one of the best entry-level cost pieces with high-performance pyramid technology that will not disappoint you on the spot or even for your daily training. With your best bowling posture and determination, you need not worry about this bowling ball as your best friend because your best friend will help you at its maximum performance!

With the ever-changing variable of the bowling sport, may it be the bowling lane, ball speed, or rev rate, this bowling ball’s technology won’t disappoint! It allows any bowler to achieve peak performance levels in medium to medium-dry conditions.

This ball has medium flare potential with a differential of 0.032, a 2.54 Radius of Gyration, and a perfect scale of 181.30. 

So many numbers, isn’t it?

A versatile ball motion is featured at the ball’s core, which can offer a nice motion once rolled on the lane for bowlers of all skill levels.

Even when this ball can be a good one for use, the surface can be an issue sometimes.

Brunswick Tzone Deep Space Bowling Ball

One of the most famous companies for billiards, Brunswick, has established products for sports other than billiards which includes bowling, and now we are lucky to have one of their bowling balls in store.

The Brunswick Tzone Deep Space Bowling Ball is another good choice for bowling sessions, and you need not worry about how it works and if it works for your skill level.

This ball has a high gloss polish, and it will be best for a bowler who has a slower ball speed or plays in dry lane conditions. It also comes with either a plastic or a polyester coverstock to protect the outer surface of the ball, making it last longer to spin on the lane smoothly.

The hook potential of this bowling ball is 25 on a scale of 10-175 low-high. 

Beginners and advanced bowlers can use this bowling ball; however, this ball can have durability issues, especially when the user still has no idea about how bowling works in every meticulous detail.

This bowling ball comes in various colors, and you can have fun training for bowling while checking out the ball’s color every time!

Storm Pitch Black Bowling Ball

If you are looking for a bowling ball with a solid and one-color design, the Storm Pitch Black can be the bowling ball you ever dream of!

This bowling ball can roll on the lane bringing the power that it holds from your throw, and you can quickly put on your posture while bringing this to a swing because it only weighs 12 lbs, a manageable weight for you to train on.

The Capacitor Core is where you get the ball’s motion, and it does not disappoint because it helps you regulate your flare potential, making you the ultimate master of your ball motion throw.

The pitch-black design gives this ball a powerful look, and it also comes with a 1000-Grit Pad factory finish that contributes to the speed of the ball. The Control Solid Urethane coverstock also helps the ball move at its fast pace, and you can get this ball shined if you are a bowler with a slow speed.

The matte finish provides a good style for the bowlers, and this bowling ball also has a great hook.

You only need to be careful because the surface finish might quickly get dents, so always look at your bowling ball every after use.

Pyramid Antidote Solid Bowling Ball

The Pyramid Antidote bowling ball is the perfect solution when the oil starts to spread because this bowling ball can give you a smoother reaction!

The Pyramid company has made this Antidote bowling ball wrap the core with their proven GPS Navigational Solid coverstock to provide the best remedy on medium-heavy oil bowling lanes. This bowling ball is finished at 2000 Grit Abalon or factory finish polish, which will give you a more robust, earlier, and smoother reaction once rolled on the bowling lane!

This bowling ball has a perfect scale of 201.60, a 2.55 Radius of Gyration, and a differential of 0.054 with medium flare potential.

The antidote core equipped in this ball is the New Era 149 Symmetric core, which has a high RG/high differential core technology that provides bowlers with the maximum flare potential and continuation! 

You can maintain your proper posture and angle, and analyze where the ball will go – if you are a professional.

This ball is excellent for entry-level performance, and it has a great hook at the same time.

The marbled design might be too vibrant; however, it does not affect your performance improvement.

Things to Consider Before Buying a Bowling Ball

Holes

The bowling ball’s finger holes are crucial for bowlers, especially when you can only hold a ball properly if the number of holes matches the number of fingers you use to throw the ball. 

Holes are essential to your performance, and you don’t just buy a bowling ball without checking out the holes in it.

Your hand angling will control the ball, and it won’t happen if the finger holes don’t help your grasp!

You should also check out the hole size to see if your fingers fit.

If you love checking reviews online, it would be better to check the photos of the bowling ball and the customer reviews to see if they held the bowling ball well and if you are confident enough that you can, too.

Surface Finish

When you are in a bowling arena or lounge, you can notice that the bowling balls stacked in one place have different finishes or coverstock. Some are shiny, while some are matte, and some balls also are glossy but matte at the same time.

These finishes affect your game, and you should choose a bowling ball that matches your speed.

If you are a player with a slower speed, probably, the bowling ball that matches you is the one with a glossy finish. 

If you are a high-speed player, a dull finish bowling ball will be your best selection, and if you are a medium-speed player, a medium finish or shiny but matte bowling ball shall be your top option.

You can always make your ball shinier or more matte, so the factory finish may not matter if you are willing to upgrade the ball’s coverstock.

Weight

Usually, bowlers have to start with a bowling ball ten percent of the bowler’s weight. This weight analysis ensures you can execute a proper posture and swing while attempting to throw the ball without exhausting your arm.

If you have already gotten used to the ball’s weight of ten percent of yours, you can always increase the weight so long as your arm does not get sore when you try to swing the ball.

Always make sure that the weight is not too heavy for you because it can affect your performance, plus it can ruin your arm muscles and joints. The ball’s weight should complement your strength, and your posture must be a priority when assessing how heavy the bowling ball is.

Some FAQs about Bowling Balls

  1. What are the best bowling balls in 2023?

    In my opinion, the best bowling balls in 2023 are Hammer Black Widow 2.0, Pyramid Path Rising Bowling Ball, Brunswick Tzone Deep Space Bowling Ball, and Storm Pitch Black Bowling Ball.

  2. What are the most important factors to consider when buying a bowling ball?

    The size and weight of the ball, the material it’s made of, the ball’s reaction shape and performance, the hook potential, and the ball’s design are some of the most important factors to consider when buying a bowling ball.

  3. What type of coverstock is best for a bowling ball?

    The best type of coverstock depends on the bowler’s personal preference and playing style. Some of the most common coverstocks are Plastic, Polyester, Reactive Resin, and Urethane.

  4. How do I know if the weight of the bowling ball is appropriate for me?

    The weight of the bowling ball should be comfortable for you to lift and throw. A good rule of thumb is to choose a ball that weighs around 10% of your body weight.

  5. What is the difference between a reactive and a non-reactive coverstock on a bowling ball?

    Reactive coverstocks on bowling balls are designed to provide more hook potential, while non-reactive coverstocks are designed to provide more length and control.

  6. What is the importance of the ball’s core in a bowling ball?

    The core of the bowling ball plays a crucial role in determining the ball’s reaction and performance. It affects the ball’s hook potential, speed, and back-end reaction, so it’s important to choose a ball with a core that suits your playing style and skill level.

Final Words

Finally, a grasp of bowling balls you want to have and hold during your bowling sessions!

The sport of bowling may be too complicated to understand, but once you throw your ball to the lane and see the pins hit, believe me: there’s no better excitement than to throw another bowling ball for a new attempt!

Many bowling balls are available in every bowling lane, but these balls vary depending on your skill. So, pick the ball that suits your skill, and it will be your best resort to fix your throw attempts, letting the bowling pins go down!

Hopefully, we helped you in the most convenient way possible.

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Author

James Arnold
I'm James, and I call Stanislaus County, California, my home. My journey into the world of Bowling began 3 years ago. Although, I won't claim that I'm an expert,but I'm improving my skills every day. I hope my articles will help you to improve your game.