Significant developments in bowling ball materials (commonly known as coverstocks) as well as other advancements such as weight block designs have significantly altered the game. In short, they have made it a lot easier!
This phenomenon is most evident on everyday house oil patters which are already meant to give bowlers some extra leeway with their shots. The oil serves almost as invisible bumpers in that it guides the ball back to the pocket if the shot is going slightly wayward. The latest high-end bowling balls, then, when thrown properly, will meet little to no resistance from these easy house patterns. In tournament or sport patterns, however, where these built-in confidence boosters are nowhere to be found, close attention to your target and technique are paramount for high scoring. Here too, advances in ball materials are important for getting the precision you need for scoring.
Evolution of Bowling Ball Coverstock Materials
Much of the transformation of bowling balls began in the 1980s. Before then, most were made from a hard rubber and the earliest didn’t even have finger holes! But around that time, the polyurethane coverstock began to increase in popularity. The simple fact that their increased friction on the lane facilitated increased hook and a better strike angle was a big part of why they became so big.
Another innovation that gave another boost to the average bowler’s hook potential was the advanced core or weight block found under the coverstock.
As described by Bowling This Month, “manufacturers began experimenting with different arrangements of components. One such arrangement was to simply have a coverstock enclosing a large, dense, dynamic weight block. In early versions, the weight block was often a simple symmetrical shape, such as the famous “light bulb” weight block that remains popular to this day. This arrangement of components (thick coverstock and large, dense, dynamic weight block) became known as a two-piece construction.”
Today weight blocks are often referred to as “high mass” placed close to the ball’s shell (and usually the pancake shape) which promotes length and not as much heavy roll in the ball. Then “low mass” weight blocks are positioned more in the center of the ball, allowing for heavy roll and a greater hook.
In the 1990s, the advent of reactive resin coverstocks helped bowlers generate even more friction. Today, you basically have three options for a coverstock: polyester, urethane, or reactive resin. (Particle coverstocks are a type of reactive resin that can be considered a fourth type but which has decreased in popularity in recent years. You’ll also hear cores described as symmetrical or asymmetrical, and one measure of their performance is the radius of gyration (RG), or where the mass distribution is concentrated.
You don’t always need to know the nitty gritty of every material that goes into your bowling ball. But analyzing the coverstock and weight blocks that go into different balls can help you get a sense of how that ball should perform and whether it is a good match for you. Also keep in mind that ball manufacturers have constantly tweaked and improved their materials, so your odds of bowling a great game have never been higher!
Sources
https://www.bowlingthismonth.com/bowling-balls/
https://www.bowlingball.com/bowlversity/how-to-select-the-best-bowling-ball-rg
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