Hi Don,

The most important thing you want to have in a bowling ball is a ball that fits correctly and that is an appropriate weight. A good fitting ball will allow you to hold it through your approach and swing with minimal grip pressure and will let go of you at the moment of release. You will also want to choose a weight that allows you to participate in your league session without fatiguing, but that is heavy enough to provide good hitting power and a consistent swing.

The material that you should choose will be dictated by your general skill level and budget. If you are new to the sport and are working on the fundamentals, are not concerned with hook, and/or want to keep the budget low, a polyester ball with a smooth nonabrasive/nonporous cover stock would be common choice that provides a basic straight style shot that makes spare shooting simple without breaking the bank. If you are concerned with generating a hook for more striking power, then a reactive resin enhanced urethane ball would be a proper selection. This type of ball will vary by design in amounts of abrasiveness and porosity in the cover stock and will also have an enhanced weight block designed to match the friction potential of the cover. For these types of balls there can be a wide range in price based on the newness of the technology used in the ball. When shopping for these, I would highly recommend having a shop technician watch you bowl and help match the ball choice to your individual style and budget.

Thank you for your query. If you have any other questions about this, feel free to call me at the shop or email me through the "contact us" button on the right if the page. Good luck and good bowling!