What Bowling Balls Do the Pros Use? Top 5 Pick for 2024

Indeed, bowling is so much about your personal skill and strength, but an ideal bowling ball plays an important role throughout your entire gameplay. But here’s the catch. Finding the right equipment, like bowling balls, for your arsenal is often confusing to many of us.

You’re probably wondering what are the best bowling balls for professionals, which is what we’re going to talk about today. If you’re soon to be promoted or have already been promoted as a professional bowler, or just want to know more about bowling balls used by pros, keep on reading!!

Top Pick

So what bowling ball do the pros use? Well, we have your answer right here. A long-awaited bowling ball- Storm Phaze III is our top pick. It is the newest addition to Storm’s Master line. This professional ball is made to overcome every obstacle. Extraordinarily clean through the fronts, smooth during hooking, and goes right through the pins aggressively- Phaze III is exactly what a pro bowler wants. And its ball motion and continuation? Well, that’s relentless. No doubt, this Hybrid Reactive bowling ball is just the thing you need before your next league game.

What Bowling Balls Do the Pros Use? Top 5 Reviewed

1. Hammer Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid Bowling Ball

The Hammer Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid Bowling Ball marks a significant milestone in the evolution of high-performance bowling equipment, especially among professionals who demand nothing but the best. This ball, a much-awaited addition to the Hammer line, is not just a piece of sporting equipment; it’s a symbol of precision, power, and consistency on the lanes. The Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid is renowned for its ability to glide smoothly through the fronts while delivering an aggressive strike downlane, a characteristic that sets it apart from its predecessor, the Black Widow Ghost. This enhanced performance is courtesy of the innovative HK22 base coverstock combined with the Aggression Hybrid additive package, creating a ball that offers a balance of control and explosive power.

Professionals in the bowling world have quickly taken a liking to the Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid, admiring its reliability and effectiveness in various lane conditions. The ball’s core, the celebrated Gas Mask core, is a fundamental component that contributes to its exceptional lane behavior. This core is known for its ability to make bowling balls exhibit the ideal motion on the lane, which in this case, translates to a potent impact with the pins, leaving a trail of devastation in its wake. The ball’s build and performance characteristics not only meet but exceed the expectations of professional bowlers who are always in pursuit of perfection.

In addition to its technical prowess, the Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid impresses with its aesthetics and durability. Customers have expressed immense satisfaction with its appearance, smoothness, and overall quality. This ball is not just about hitting the mark with great hooks; it’s about delivering value and quality that is evident in every roll. It’s a testament to the Hammer brand’s commitment to excellence, offering a blend of reliability and innovation that professional bowlers have come to love and trust.

The Hammer Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid Bowling Ball, a favorite among professionals, boasts several impressive features:

• PROVEN IN THE ARENA: This ball has undergone the most extensive testing in its family, surpassing all its predecessors in the Black Widow lineage, to guarantee a seamless integration into your bowling repertoire.
• WEAVING ITS WAY TO SUCCESS: The Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid is spun with the latest HK22 base resin and the Aggression Hybrid additive package. Expect this ball to travel further down the lane with a more pronounced snap at the end, offering a stark contrast to the Black Widow Ghost.
• ENDURING THE BOWLING BATTLES: At its core, the ball employs the renowned Gas Mask core, renowned for delivering the classic Black Widow ball reaction and pin carry that professionals have come to rely on.
• DRESSED TO IMPRESS: The ball showcases the new HK22 base material, giving it a visually striking appearance and an ultra-responsive reaction at the backend. This innovation brings a fresh dynamic to the range of pearl, hybrid, and shiny solid bowling balls.
• A WEB OF CONFIDENCE: With a 2-year limited manufacturer’s warranty, the Black Widow 2.0 Hybrid ensures you can make your purchase with the utmost confidence, knowing you’re getting a quality product backed by the Hammer brand.

2. Hammer Rip’d Pearl Bowling Ball

Another top-notch bowling ball by Hammer is their Rip’d Pearl bowling ball. The name Pearl might give you the idea of a late snappy flip. But the Hammer has developed the amazing Rip’d Pearl ball that is purely unique. This pearlized ball has an Aggression CFI cover. The Asymmetrical Rip’d core is surrounded by the pearl reactive matte coverstock.

The hook or flare potential of this ball is also very promising. The ball is recommended to play on a Medium-heavy volume pattern, and because of the matte surface, it will react to the lanes pretty decently. From the release, till it hits the pockets, you’ll get a satisfactory ball travel o the lanes.

Not to mention, this ball gets through the front part of the lane super clean, and then with the stored energy, it hits hard in the back end. You’ll see no disrupted ball rolling, nor loss of energy. It will let you keep your angles to the point and react accordingly. During the ball travels, it reads the midlane a little more aggressively but manages to move off the spot on time to hit the pins with maximum power. Clearly, you cannot go wrong with a ball like this one. If you’re a professional or a soon-to-be one, get this ball today and have fun.

Video: Hammer Rip’d Pearl Bowling Ball

Pros:

•  Easiest and cleanest line read
•  No under/overreaction
•  Sticks to its performance
•  Doesn’t absorb the oil
•  Uninterrupted ball movement from start to end
•  You can select the weight of your choice

Cons:

•  Falls under the high-end expensive category

3. Brunswick Infinity Bowling Ball

The Brunswick Infinity Bowling Ball is not just a piece of equipment; it’s a gateway to limitless achievements on the lanes, especially for professional bowlers who demand excellence in every roll. With a name that evokes the endless, the Brunswick Infinity lives up to its moniker by offering boundless possibilities in the world of bowling. Whether you’re facing a challenging oil pattern or seeking that perfect strike sequence, the Infinity is your go-to solution, ready to deliver performance that seems to defy the laws of physics.

At the heart of the Brunswick Infinity’s prowess is the A.X.H. Hybrid coverstock, polished to perfection with a 500, 2000 Siaair Micro Pad finish. This combination ensures maximum forgiveness, allowing the ball to glide with grace and strike with force. The innovative DynamiCore outer core technology further amplifies its impact, mimicking the power of a thick shell and ensuring an explosive impact at the pins. What’s more, the ball’s durability is enhanced by the revolutionary DOT technology, reducing the risk of cracking and ensuring that your Infinity continues to perform, game after game, just like the ever-lasting strikes it delivers.

But the Brunswick Infinity isn’t just about power and durability; it’s about filling the perfect spot in your professional arsenal. Its medium strength asymmetric core situates it neatly between larger asymmetrics and symmetric balls, making it an invaluable asset in any condition. The core shape, combined with the Activator Extreme Hook hybrid cover, gives bowlers an extensive footprint on the lane, increasing forgiveness even when lane conditions are less than ideal. The Infinity isn’t just a bowling ball; it’s a promise of strikes for days, a testament to Brunswick’s commitment to creating balls that help bowlers push their limits, or should we say, push to infinity and beyond.

4. Hammer Statement Hybrid Bowling Ball

Make a statement with the all-new Hammer Statement Hybrid bowling ball. The succession rate among pros with this pro-performance bowling ball is undeniable. Specially designed for professional bowlers, Statement Hybrid is widely versatile. It features a statement core, wrapped with a Hybrid reactive coverstock which is polished to a 500/1000 Abralon with the Powerhouse factory finish polish.

Having an asymmetric core, this ball has the capability to exhibit huge amounts of track flare. This string asymmetrical ball will not stop rolling during the backends and give you an aggressive movement down lane. Right, after your release, the ball will read the lane immediately. It’ll offer you more skid through the front as well.

Because the Hammer Statement has high hook potential, it works best on medium to heavy or even on heavy lane conditions. Asymmetrical bowling balls often tend to lose energy during the travel on the lane as they spin too quickly. But don’t you worry! This bowling ball has standard downlane recovery. So, with needed preparation and proper aim, you can style your release any way you want.

This ball will surely give you enough control on the lanes and during transitions. The controlled break-point will ensure the strong backend so it doesn’t go sideways. With a perfect hook rating of 236.1, you know for sure how pros would love to hit the pins with the perfect arcing motion.  

Pros:

•  Lets you control the arc point
•  Changes direction without the loss of energy
•  No under/overreaction
•  It will help you improve your average
•  Durable and very strong
•  Beautiful black, aqua, and silver color combination
•  Comes in multiple weights
•  Will rev up on the heaviest of lanes

Cons:

•  Not ideal for straight shots and beginner bowlers 

5. Track Paradox Red Bowling Ball

One of the basic pro performance balls is this beautiful Track Paradox Red bowling ball. Whether you play in a league or tournament, this ball will seal the deal after making you a winner. Unlike the other balls from the Paradox line, this ball has a solid reactive Prime ET coverstock and offers a comparatively stronger down-lane motion.

This Paradox Red ball is finished with a combination of 500/2000 Abralon. In addition to that, it has a 235.1 hook rating and Dual-density ai-Core 2.0 asymmetrical core. These clearly indicate its high flare potential. The ball will hook pretty easily on the heaviest of lanes as the ball surface also has a matte finish. You can get sufficient hook due to its easy traction on the lanes.

Additionally, the solid aggressive cover of the ball rips through the heavy oil pattern of the midlane and gives an instant recovery at the downlane for a decent shot. It goes clean through the front and reads the midlane, and delivers you the expected arching motion. You’ll see no over or under reaction at any point.

The ball responds to friction well and you’ll see the intact stored power in it. The unchangeable power will hit the pins like a truck. Enjoy unlimited strikes with this solid reactive Paradox Red bowling ball.

Pros:

•  Reads the lane well
•  Smoothest ride on every throw
•  Won’t absorb too much oil from the heavy lane.
•  Continuous ball movement on the lane
•  Powerful and indestructible

Cons:

•  Quite expensive
•  Solely recommended for professionals

Bowling Balls that Are Hard to Find

The following bowling balls are no longer manufactured, but if you do find one for sale or come across one of them in the back of a relative’s closet, you will know you have a winner.

1. Columbia 300 Authority Bowling Ball

Get ready for infinite strikes! Whether you’re a speed dominant player, or high rev player the Authority bowling ball by Columbia 300 is about to be on your wishlist. Almost similar to the well-known Baller, Authority has ERT 2.0 pearl reactive coverstock with the asymmetric Authority core in it. The coverstock is nicely finished at 500/1000 Siaair pad with the Crown factory compound polish.

This attractive pearl ball is truly a masterpiece because it’s packed with advanced technology which makes it a pro performance ball. The new asymmetric core allows the ball to change its direction harder and give you more versatile drilling options.

As soon as you release the ball, it gets down the lane easier than the other balls by Columbia 300. No chance of going sideways and nice pattern reading to the end. If you’re looking for the best bowling ball for professionals, this ball will surely increase your average.

You’ll see smooth and clean ball roll through the heads with a strong mid-lane read, and also great uninterrupted continuation all the way. The ball is recommended to play on medium to heavy lane conditions and it won’t burn up the lanes. As per the perfect scale, the hook rating is 232.2. So the chance of the ball to hit the headpin after an arcing motion is pretty decent and stays consistent with the pin carry. You won’t even have to put extra force or speed to get a strike with this ball.

Pros:

•  Strong backend motion
•  Consistency from the front part of the lane to all the way to the pocket
•  Smoothest boll rolling with full energy
•  High flare potential
•  You can be creative with the shots
•  Beautiful lime, black, and silver exterior

Cons:

•  Will get tricky on dry lanes
•  A bit on the pricey side   

2. Motiv Trident Nemesis Bowling Ball

The Trident Nemesis by Motiv is undoubtedly one of the most attractive pro performance bowling balls. Motiv had engineered this ball with a lower differential, but higher RG. As exterior, you’re getting the Infusion HV pearl reactive coverstock which has wrapped the asymmetric Sidewinder core placed on the inside.

This first-quality bowling ball is super hyped ever since its release. So we took a closer look to justify its popularity. This unique bowling ball can provide the strongest angularity compared to other Motiv balls to this day. The 5500 LSP polish ball is recommended to play on medium-heavy lane conditions– something every pro would prefer.

The core does a good job storing the energy while traveling down the lane and then unleash the power on the pins to ensure the strongest hit. Those who cannot open their angles enough and chew up the front, this ball will indeed help you with enough flaring power, and that allows the ball to move on the front after a fast ball-reaction, and also read the midlane well. Motiv has also designed this ball for a high-powered snappy backend motion when it takes an angular turn to hit the pins.

The ball shines best during the transition on the lanes. This ball is also indifferent in many ways. The vibrant color schemes on the ball help you see how well the ball is performing in the midlane to gain traction only to explode that off downlane. It might seem that the ball is reading the midlane faster, but it will deliver you pleasing results by hooking more. Unlike the other Motiv ball, it won’t burn up the lanes and will keep your game going.

Pros:

•  Continuous and clean motion
•  Extremely sharp and strong backend motion
•  Powerful continuation from start till end
•  Stylish and durable
•  Will improve your average   

Cons:

•  Can get quite stronger than you expect
•  Pretty expensive

What Weight of Bowling Ball Do Pro Bowlers Use?

Pro bowlers are more likely to score strike and spares. To score those, pros need bowling balls that have a higher flare or hook potential and can hit the pins hard. Some of the other aspects they look for in pro-performance balls are their coverstock, core type, RG, Differential, materials, etc.

Similar to these, ball weight is another important factor professional bowlers check. Every bowling ball needs to be in the range of 12 lbs to 16 lbs. The higher the ball weight, the more it will carry power and force to knock down the pins. With lighter balls, pros cannot possibly score strike or spare. This is why pro bowlers go for 16 lbs ones for a higher impact on the pins.   

What bowling ball beginners use?

Beginners, who don’t have much experience and skill in bowling should go for polyester or plastic balls. These balls are lighter in weight and easy to control. Polyester/plastic balls are also ideal for straight shots which is what new bowling players do. If they use a higher performance bowling ball, they would not get a satisfactory shot. Most of the plastic balls have a symmetrical core that ensures straight shots. This is why beginners use plastic/polyester bowling balls at the beginning.

Frequently Asked Question

Conclusion

Professionals and bowling experts choose their balls very carefully after intense scrutinizing. Each roll, each shot needs to be precise for a probable strike. This is why we did proper research to add information. If you are about to be a pro or already one, pick any of these selected balls. They are almost similar to one another, so focus on your priority, get a pro-performance bowling ball and enjoy the unlimited strikes. 

Last update on 2024-04-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API