Best Bowling Ball for Seniors [According to Height and Weight] 2024

Best bowling ball for seniors

According to the USBC, Bowling is very popular among senior citizens and retirees because bowling is fun and suitable for spending time.  If you’re one of those senior bowlers, you probably know that bowling is good for your health too. There are plenty of suitable best bowling balls for seniors to pick from. Because of being plastic bowling balls, they’re very easy to control and quite lightweight. So pack a nice bowling ball for yourself to enjoy the spirit of this social sport in your golden time!

Top Pick

Why only young pros will enjoy a top-notch bowling ball? That’s not fair, right? Hence, the T-Zone Deep Space Bowling Ball by Brunswick– made just for the elder newbies, and seasonal bowlers for a fun bowling time. Because it’s a polyester ball, T-Zone is comparatively easy to control and not too aggressive, making it the best bowling ball for seniors. Roll it gently, the ball will pick up the lanes fast enough to knock down those pins. What’s great is that advanced/pro senior bowlers can use it as a spare ball. So, shoot spares or aim for the strike, T-Zone can do it all.

Best Bowling Ball for Seniors: Top 5 Reviewed

1. Brunswick Tzone Ocean Reef Bowling Ball

Brunswick Tzone Ocean Reef Bowling Ball
  • Country Of Origin : Mexico
  • The Package Height Of The Product Is 10 Inches
  • The Package Length Of The Product Is 13 Inches
  • The Package Width Of The Product Is 13 Inches

Are you an elderly bowler who enjoys bowling as much as anyone in the alley? Then you must own a ball of your own like the Tzone Ocean Reef bowling ball by Brunswick. Most of the bowling alleys don’t have the ideal or best bowling ball for seniors. Hence, you need this polyester bowling ball with the Crown factory shine and polished finish.

The TZone bullet symmetrical core of the ball makes the ball roll in a straight line for pinpoint accuracy. As the hook potential is very low, the ball will only roll straight no matter what type of grip you’ll have. On the bright side, the low hook potential makes the ball break less during its travel on the lanes. As this ball is polished, you’ll get the best performance out of it on a dry lane. 

What’s impressive about this ball is the color swirling as it goes down the lane. Despite having a low hook potential, it can still hook if you throw it fast enough. Otherwise, you may miss one or two pins. Whether you’re just starting in bowling after your retirement or an old professional player, I would suggest you go for this beautiful First-quality ball.

Because of the availability of the lighter version (9/10lbs) of this ball, they‘re great for seniors and it won’t tire or tear their hands. Plus, it’s also very easy to control. If you’re out with your friends and is looking forward to scoring above-average this Brunswick ball will be a great spare. With this ball, you can definitely bring up you’re A-game.

Pros:

  • Comes undrilled, so you can customize your grip
  • Clean hit every time you throw
  • Lighter, so don’t get your injured
  •  Doesn’t limit your strength
  •  Smooth continuation on dry to extremely dry lanes
  •  Eyecatching color combination
  •  Safe to use for seniors

Cons:

  • The cover has glittered on it which may not be preferable for some players

2. Columbia 300 White Dot Bowling Ball

Columbia 300 White Dot Bowling Ball
  • Cover stock: Polyester/Plastic
  • Core: 3 Piece Core
  • Perfect for recreation and entry-level bowlers

Columbia has introduced some of its finest bowling balls for all types of players. This includes seniors as well. The 300 White Dot by Columbia is one of those First-quality balls that any bowlers can play with.

As you get old, your arms and wrists can lose some strength. This bowling ball is available in various weight ranges, from 6, 8 to 15lbs. A less heavy ball will give you more control than the heavier ones without hurting your hands. Many professional bowlers use low hook potential ball as they’re easier to handle. Controlling the angles is also very easy and that is beneficial for older bowlers.

Like the previous one, this ball also has a symmetrical core along with a plastic coverstock. Because of being a polyester ball, it’ll be great for senior beginners. The polyester coverstock will make the ball roll straight. You can also it as a spare ball. The pancake-shaped weight block (core) promotes length as the ball travels down the lanes.

Regardless of your level of skill, this Columbia bowling ball will hook according to your throwing speed. Even though it has only 5.0 hook potential, this ball will get the job done. Having a high-polished finish, it will maintain a smooth continuation on the dry lanes. The color combination is also pretty amazing.     

Pros:

  •  Heavy rolling doesn’t occur
  •  Great for spare shooting
  •  Comes undrilled, so you can customize your grip type
  •  Smooth continuation on medium to dry lanes
  •  Eyecatching colors
  •  Suitable for young, adults, or seniors
  •  Good control
  •  Capable of boosting your average

Cons:

  •  The cover has glitter on it which may not be preferable for some players

3. Ebonite Maxim Bowling Ball

Ebonite Maxim Bowling Ball
  • Coverstock: Polyester
  • Reaction: Straight
  • This bowling ball ships UNDRILLED with no holes unless you add drilling services
  • Package Dimensions: 10.0 L x 10.0 H x 10.0 W (inches)

For the senior players who want to bowl in style, the Ebonite Maxim polyester bowling ball is ‘the one’ for them. The outstanding colors make the ball look super sleek. To get your scores higher and to impress the fellow seniors, this ball will surely do great.

This Ebonite Maxim will work great as a spare ball because of its capability of rolling in a straight line. Despite having a low hook potential, it can still hook if you throw it fast enough. Although, you may see no hook in the lighter ones. The polyester coverstock with a high polish finish is perfect for the dry lane condition.

The traditional 3-piece core may cause imbalance, which is why you need to ensure proper finger and thumb weight for a more relevant ball reaction. With the correct grip, you can enjoy superior balance.

The ball will allow an earlier roll in the front lane and roll smoothly in the mid lane. Moreover, the low flare potential does not let your balls go out of line.

Pros:

  •  Great control for straight shots in the pocket
  •  Comes in many weight ranges
  •  Works best for softcore senior players
  •  Comes undrilled, so you can customize your grip type
  •  Smooth continuation on dry lanes without the loss of strength
  •  Eyecatching colors, beautiful swirling

Cons:

  • Minimal to no hook in lighter ones
  • Glitter cover may not be preferable for some players

5. Brunswick Magnitude 035 Bowling Ball

Brunswick Magnitude 035
  • The magnitude 035 Pearl combines the relativity flip Pearl Coverstock with the magnitude low differential Symmetric core
  • The ball is finished with crown factory Compound to provide a Polished shiny look
  • The magnitude 035 Pearl will produce easy length Mid lane control and outstanding pin carry on medium oily lane...

Besides being amazing, the magnitude 035 by Brunswick is incredibly good for coordination, balance, and strength. It has Relatively Flip Pearl Coverstock paired with the 500 Siaair or Crown factory compound to give it a shiny polished outlook. This ball shows its best performance on medium to dry lanes.

The low differential indicates the ball’s super stability and low to medium flare potential. The symmetric core allows the players to hit the remaining pins precisely as a spare bowling ball. It also has a pretty good flip, control, and smooth backend continuation without modifying the strength.

Being First-quality and an upper-mid performance bowling ball, this will give you enough length as well as mid lane control. What’s great about this ball is its 185 hook potential which means your thrown ball can roll straight or in a curve pattern.

Another important thing about this ball is that they’re very adaptive. This is why Angular Breakpoint won’t be an issue with this ball. During your house shots, this will help minimize under/overreaction. This is very important for elderly players as they won’t have to throw the ball with excessive power. You can enjoy the best game in your life with this masterpiece by Brunswick. So grab one for yourself today and start practicing. 

Pros:

  •  Outstanding pin carry
  •  Comes undrilled, so you can customize your grip type
  •  Smooth backend continuation on dry lanes without the loss of strength
  •  Various weight ranges for seniors or children
  •  Amazing hook for curved rolling
  •  Good synchronization, predictable motion, and control

Cons:

  • There is nothing found which is bad for seniors

5. DV8 Poly Bowling Ball

DV8 Poly Bowling Ball
  • Polyester Cover stock
  • Pancake Core
  • High-Gloss Polish Finish

An affordable, First-quality ball by DV8 is the Poly bowling ball with the polyester coverstock. The beautiful exterior has high glossy due to its polished finish. The symmetrical pancake core promotes sufficient length as the ball rolls down the lanes. Plus, the polyester coverstock helps the ball roll straight at spares.

Comes in an abundance of weights, 6lbs, 8lbs, 10lbs to16lbs. So no matter your body weight and muscle, there’s a size for everyone. This durable ball also has some ability to hook. Although, it depends on how a senior bowler will throw the ball. Remember that this ball will work best on dry lane conditions.

Besides, the ball has a low to medium hook power. The 0.019 differential indicates its track is low flare potential. The differential is quite low which means this ball is stable and controllable, and you will get predictable results. As a senior bowler, you can expect good scores while playing with this ball. With proper practice, you can increase your average with this ball.

Pros:

  • Durable
  •  Super glossy finish and colors make the ball look amazing
  •  Predictable result
  •  Aimoriented
  •  Won’t lose power during surface friction
  •  Various weight ranges for seniors, adults, or children
  •  Comes undrilled, so you can customize your grip type

Cons:

  • Hooks only when the ball is thrown with speed

Bowling Tips for super senior low speedy bowlers

Bowling shouldn’t be all about getting high scores. A proper pocket hit and consistency in ball motion is very important. If you’re a super senior bowler and facing problems with the speed of your ball, here are some of the tips that can help you:

Choose a ball which has Low hook Potential

Pick a ball that has low flare potential, which means it will react to the lanes less aggressively. You’re already throwing the ball at a low speed, so, if your ball loses power during rolling, it will fail to give you enough skid length and less backend continuation.

Wear wrist Support

No matter how strong your arms and hands were once before, it’s time you wear wrist support gloves/positioner. It’ll keep you from getting injured while providing support.

Always check your foul line

Be certain that your ball gets over the foul line every time you throw it. Some seniors drop the ball on the front part of the lane which results in an early hook as the ball fails to cross the foul line. This literally ruins your chance of a perfect roll.

Rotate your hand according to your strength

Try not to rotate your bowling hands or fingers more than you should. It’ll allow you to minimize the amount of axis tilt countered to your ball. This lets the ball maintain a straighter and smoother line to the pocket.

Always Choose lightweight Bowling Ball

Indeed, a heavier bowling ball will boost your ball speed as well as your average. But that won’t be good for you considering your age. It might seem okay at first. But using a heavy ball can slowly cause damage to your wrists and fingers.

Keep proper balance

Proper Balancing is very important for every bowler, especially for seniors. You can be injured if your position becomes imbalanced while bowling. It even leads to serious injuries for seniors

If you are senior and serious enough in your bowling, you can read out my articles regarding bowling tips to improve your bowling

Frequently Asked Questions

How to increase bowling ball speed for seniors?

It is normal for senior bowlers to lose ball speed. But there’s nothing to worry about. You can try some methods to increase your ball speed. First, you can try increasing your foot-step speed, a.k.a ‘peppier’ or longer steps. You can also try to boost the pressure of your gripping till you swing the ball. Heavy balls can slow your speed. What you can do is drop a pound in your ball weight and see if that makes any difference.
A lighter ball will is also safe for senior players’ wrists. Remember that speed can affect your hooking. The more you’ll increase your speed, the less it’ll hook.

How to determine the bowling ball weight for seniors?

Indeed, a heavier bowling ball is more likely to damage pins and hook more upon release. But controlling and throwing a heavy ball can be physically difficult for senior bowlers. As a senior, if you feel pain in your wrist or fingers during swings, it means you need to go for a lighter ball. An easier method is the ‘rule of thumb’ – choosing a ball that is 10% of your total body weight. To clarify, suppose you’re 140 pounds, then go for a 14lbs ball. If you’re more than 140 pounds, go a pound down, not up, which means pick a 13lbs ball instead of a 15lbs.

Conclusion

We’ve tried to mention some of the best bowling balls for seniors here in this article. For your own safety, you need to select the most suitable one for yourself. Not only this is a good indoor sport but also a good way to exercise which is healthy. Remember, your age cannot stop you from dropping other players’ jaws. Show the best performance with any of this ball. And, most importantly, don’t forget to have fun while bowling with your friends and family.

Last update on 2024-04-11 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Brian

I’m an aspiring bowler with an immense love for bowling. I started playing the game at a very early age and it’s been an integral part of my life ever since.

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