Whether you are a beginner or an advanced bowling ballplayer, you would want to increase your pin-hit score and upscale your game. If you see more bowlers are going for a heavier ball, you might believe their performance secret lies in the weight.
So, if you are curious to know about heavier balls knocking down more pins, you have landed at the right place. Let’s debunk this mystery today!
Heavier bowling balls can knock down more pins than lighter balls. There are several reasons behind it, including increased hitting power, energy, and less deflection rate. Together, they allow the heavier ball to have a high pin-hit score. But, it is hard to control and often results in fatigue and tiredness. Ensure to opt for a heavier ball only when you gain more bowling experience.
Those playing bowling ball for a long time has their bowling preferences. This article will give you a deep inside about heavier bowling balls and their hitting ability and if they make the right choice for you.
Is It Better To Play With Heavier Bowling Balls?
When it comes to improving your bowling game performance, choosing the proper ball is something you cannot ignore. Similarly, ball weight is also a crucial factor that influences your game. Most expert players tend to deviate more towards heavier balls, while newbies feel more comfortable with the lighter ones.
Heavier bowling balls can knock down more pins than lighter balls. It is because heavy balls have more force when hitting the pins. They cause more pins to fall because they possess more momentum/energy to transfer to the pins. As a result, heavier balls increase your chances of a strike and elevates your game score.
However, it is not easy to control a heavy ball. So if you are a beginner, it might not be a suitable option for you. Lighter balls are more comfortable and easy to handle. Thus, the more command you have over the ball, the better the pin score. Only a powerful ball doesn’t need to always be the best for you.
Reasons Why Heavy Bowling Ball Knock Down More Pins:
Many reasons can give a heavier bowling ball an edge over a lighter ball. Let’s find out about them in detail.
- Increased striking ability
Heaving bowling balls have an increased chance of getting a strike. Because when you give it a throw, most of its inertia/energy gets transferred to the pins. It, in turn, allows you to have a higher strike ability and chances of knowing down more pins.
You might need to impart extra energy to the pins in the form of more intense striking. In bowling terminology, you call it “hitting power. It works more in advanced bowlers’ favor as they are skilled enough to put maximum force in their throws.
- Carrying more energy
Due to more weight, a heavy bowling ball carries more energy/momentum. This energy gets transferred to the pins, increasing your knock-down score. However, it might not do any good if the ball is too heavy for you. You will not have much control over it and won’t be able to give the ball the velocity it requires to hit the pins.
If you have a custom drilled bowling ball, you can easily handle it, even if it is heavy. As it perfectly fits your hand, it will provide you with better control, and you can exert much more energy for knocking down more pins.
- Less deflection
A heavier bowling ball also helps prevent deflection that can ruin your shot. They do not change their course as much after you throw the ball. A heavy sphere will provide less deflection when it goes through the pins. Many bowlers agree that this is one of the main advantages of playing with them. As they do not change their movement a lot, it is easier to predict how many pins they will hit, and you can then position the ball accordingly.
- Bigger hook
If you are a regular bowling player, you might have noticed it is much easier to create a bigger hook with heavier balls than a lighter ball. It allows you to manage larger hooks at more prominent angles. As the ball continues rolling down the lane, its angular momentum increases, making a hook more impactful than a straight shot.
When you can create a bigger hook, the ball’s energy evenly spreads among the pins of the pocket, whereas, with a straighter ball, the maximum of it gets transferred to the headpin. Thus, you can go with tricky shots and knock over the last few pins with a heavier ball.
- Free swing
Free swinging the bowling ball is easier with heavier balls than lighter ones. It is up to you how you can take advantage of the weight and use it in your favor. The ball rolling is dependent upon the strength of your arms and hands. If you can maintain a perfect posture while you swing the ball, it will rotate well and knock down maximum pins. It is why many experts prefer heavy balls over lighter balls.
Are Heavier Bowling Balls Always The Best?
Using a heavier bowling ball can have many benefits. But, it does not mean they are always the best for better pin score and performance. When someone is new to the bowling field, they believe that a heavy ball is an ideal option for them. They think that the extra weight will help them knock down more pins.
It is true but not in every circumstance, especially if you are uncomfortable with using a heavier ball. As a heavy sphere requires you to put more force while throwing it, you might exceed your body strength limit. As an outcome, you will not be successful in getting the results you desire. So, it is better to opt for a heavy ball only when you can physically handle it.
So For My Final Thoughts (I Think)
Heavy bowling balls are always a top pick of most professional bowlers because they dramatically increase the pin scores. They take up more energy, resulting in a forceful hit and knocking down more pins. They also provide a larger hook and natural swing that allows you to experiment with your shots and elevate your gaming experience. Nevertheless, as much as it sounds promising, it is much hard to control a heavy ball than a lighter one. Thus, it is necessary to choose your ball wisely.
