New bowling ball advancements can help the average bowler improve their score.
By Jackie Polzin
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New bowling ball advancements can help the average bowler improve their score. |
| Source: Bill Ketterhagen |
A ball, you say. And you would be right. But bowling
balls today are a marvel of the scientific world. Finding the best ball is as
difficult as finding that special someone, though at least bowling balls come in
the same shape and size. As you’ve always been told, it’s what’s under the
surface that counts. And yes, they are worth spending a little more of your
pocket cash on to obtain.
Decades ago, rubber was the primary material used
in the manufacturing of bowling balls. It served its purpose of a) rolling, and
b) providing the traction needed on the lane to throw an
effective hook ball. For all of the bowling amateurs or non-bowlers
out there, the hook ball is the key to increasing your bowling average to a competitive
level. Plastic soon overtook the rubber balls because it allowed for more versatility
in manufacturing and is cheaper as a raw material.
Urethane balls and resin have both had their moment in the spotlight as the avid bowler’s choice, but like anything in life, improvements simply pave the way for more improvements. Such is the history of the bowling ball. If you consider materials science of bowling a trivial matter, there are Ph.D.s working with Columbia 300, Brunswick and other bowling ball manufacturers that would readily disagree. Bowling is a billion-dollar enterprise and much of it is up for grabs.
The latest in bowling ball innovation is particle technology. Bits of mica, pigment, glass or other solid materials are mixed into the coating material. It adds traction to the surface of the ball, much like snow tire cleats. This allows for a great hook shot even on the oiliest of lane conditions. Lanes are regularly oiled, but the amount of oil is subject to change, even within a game. A ball that performs consistently throughout changes in the lane conditions will prevail in the quest for the ultimate bowling ball.
With all the improvements made in bowling balls in recent years, average bowling scores have increased. The perfect game of 300 is not the historical landmark it once was, though a bowler of my status would still wet her pants on the occasion. As average bowling scores continue to increase, there is talk of making the game more difficult to bring scores back down to the par of days past. It is possible that the bowling ball of the future will be a ball of disadvantage.
Along those lines, Ebonite manufacturing company has focused their latest line of bowling balls on looks as opposed to function. Yes, the ball still rolls. It just bears an original design, such as the giant billiard ball collection, various sport ball imitations and even one model containing a boxing glove imbedded in the core of a transparent ball. For all you hell-raisers out there, the skull model has recently made its debut. It is only a matter of time before Britney and the boy bands are dueling head to head for the designer bowling ball market.
Right here on campus, Union South plays its part in keeping our bowling facilities up to the changing times. However, if you are looking for designer balls, you had better bring your own.
Bill Woehrle’s bowling classes are as popu-lar as ever. In his 16 years instructing bowling, he’s witnessed most of these changes firsthand. While technology has changed the face of the game, it hasn’t interfered with his work of building bowling champions. He will be the first to agree that the person who lands the newest bowling ball innovation will have spent their time wisely. So, get to it. As for the shoes, don’t bother. They are still as cute as ever.
Author Bio: Jackie is a senior at UW-Madison, majoring in English. She is currently in training to master her hook shot and to improve her bowling average under the instruction of Bill Woehrle.
HTML Markup by Daniel J. Klein , an avid bowler.