Consider the benefits of custom made bowling balls if you bowl in a league or professionally. The bowling balls offered by bowling alleys to bowlers are called house balls. House balls usually range in weight from 6 to 16 pounds. Note, however, that the diameter of all bowling balls should be the same. The finger holes on house balls vary as well. If you bowl on a regular basis, custom made bowling balls will fit your hand much better than a random selection at the alley.
Custom made bowling balls can be made from urethane, plastic, rubber, or reactive resins. In the early days of bowling, balls were made from wood. Even rubber balls are considered antique and are rare. The shape of the ball is a uniform sphere, except where the finger holes penetrate the surface. Sometimes an offset hole is drilled to minimize the effect of the finger holes, but this is rare. Space age polymers and plastics comprise today’s custom made bowling balls. The hole pattern for custom made bowling balls is usually a three-hole pattern in a triangle.
The top two holes are for the bowler’s middle and ring fingers. The lower, third hole is for the thumb. The normal depth of the finger holes is two knuckles. The thumb holes of custom made bowling balls are often one knuckle deep. Bowling balls with five finger holes are legal, though these are not often seen. Bowlers desiring more precise ball handling might opt for finger holes that are only one knuckle deep, although this requires more strength to throw.
There are many advantages to custom made bowling balls. The first is a custom fit. The ball maker measures your hand, including the location and distances between middle and ring fingers, and the thumb. The holes are drilled to this specification. Custom made bowling balls often have a rounded edge to the finger holes, providing greater comfort. House balls usually have sharp-edged finger holes that can cause pain and poor bowling scores.
Another advantage of custom made bowling balls is customization. Not only are the finger holes customized to your hand, but the ball’s appearance can be customized too. The color can be solid, dark, bright, swirled, or even a pattern. Most bowlers choose a color that is different from the black bowling alley house balls, and that will easily enable them to spot their balls when it is time to bowl that next spare or strike. Some custom made bowling balls can be crafted as if they were transparent, with the illusion of some object inside them. You’ll never misplace your ball if you have one of those!
Custom made bowling balls offer more comfort, increased precision and can suit your own style. Hopefully, the combination of all these advantages will have you bowling strikes, picking up more spares, and increasing your bowling average weekly.
