How to Properly Clean Your High Performance Bowling Ball

After throwing a few games with your bowling ball, you may notice it starts to react inconsistently, or maybe does not hook as much as the day you purchased your new bowling ball. The reason is that in order to maintain the most performance out of your high performance bowling ball, you must take care of it.

The first step in maintaining a high performance bowling ball is to know what type of bowling ball you have. Most high performance bowling balls today have an aggressive coverstock. It could be a hard plastic ball, a reactive resin ball, or a pearl coverstock. Each of these different types of coverstocks (outer core of the ball) have different characteristics that you will need to consider when cleaning your bowling ball. To maintain the highest performance of your bowling ball, you should clean the ball after every 6 - 9 games you have bowled with it (much less for a plastic spare ball).

When a bowling ball is thrown down the lane, the coverstock of the bowling ball actually absorb oil from the lane. Typically, a reactive resin coverstock will absorb oil faster than a pearl coverstock, and a plastic absorbs little or no oil as it is thrown down the lane. You can see this after throwing the ball by looking at the oil track that is left on your bowling ball. For the purpose of this article, I am going to focus on high performance bowling balls with pearl or reactive resin coverstocks. This oil is absorbed into the coverstock of the ball, which can actually affect the hook potential of the ball and could cause an inconsistent reaction. Properly cleaning your bowling ball will extend the life and help the ball maintain its highest performance potential.

To properly clean a bowling ball you will need either an oil-free terrycloth towel, or a 100% plush cotton towel. You will also need a good bowling ball cleaner. To clean the ball, you simply spray the ball with the cleaner and wipe in small circles, pressing down firmly, until the cleaner has dried. Repeat until you have cleaned the entire surface of the bowling ball.

After cleaning the ball, this will bring the ball much closer to the original state of the ball and possibly restore hook to the ball that you feel you have lost. Also, you can try different polishes and factory finishes which can alter the surface of the bowling ball, possibly giving you the better reaction you are looking for.

In closing, taking care of your bowling ball is as similar to taking care of your car. Your car has a maintenance schedule which the manufacturer recommends ensuring your vehicle lasts and runs at its optimal capabilities. This is no different in the sport of bowling. If you take care of your bowling balls, you will find they will last longer, and maintain that pin-destroying capability that it had the day you purchased it.

Why Do I Need So Many Bowling Balls In My Arsenal?

Probably the most common question I have been asked when talking about my bowling ball arsenal is why I need so many different bowling balls. The easiest way to answer this question is by firing a question back. Why do you need so many golf clubs? Why do you need different gears in your car? I could make quite an extensive list of questions that I consider relative, but for now let’s discuss the golf clubs. Obviously, you need different golf clubs to hit different distances and trajectories to give yourself the best opportunity to achieve a good score. With the gears in your car, you need multiple gears so you can safely drive at high speeds without your engine over-revving, and you save gasoline. For the same reason, I need multiple bowling balls. For one thing, when I am throwing at a spare, I do not want my bowling ball to hook, so I have a plastic bowling ball. Also, depending on what lane condition I am bowling on, I may need a bowling ball made for a high oil volume, a low oil volume, a long pattern, or a short pattern. Therefore, I have multiple bowling balls to tackle all these different “conditions”. The next time someone asks you why you have so many bowling balls, you have two options. The first would be to explain to them how the lane conditions can change. The second would be to give them a smart a** response and ask them why they need different golf clubs!

Bowling’s Official Website Has Changed

Bowling’s Official Website Has Changed

And Boy, has it changed dramatically! At first, I was a little skeptical, as most people fear change. But after cruising around the site for a while, I must say it grew on me. The new layout is awesome, not too mention the ease of looking up my bowling league recap sheet is a few less steps. And there is a really cool forum that you can sign up for and find out all about bowling tournaments domestic and international. You can even post to the forum yourself anything that they deem appropriate. I must say despite my usual fear of change, this was change for the better. If you have not seen Bowling’s new official website, you must check it out:

Bowl.com

Feel free to disagree with me and leave comments of what yo do not like about the site. I love constructive criticism.

Why Has Renting Bowling Shoes Gotten So Expensive?

I was in my home bowling alley the other day, and I took a glimpse up at the pricing board and I was shocked. I tried to pretend I was a normal, non league bowler, and I wanted to bowl a few games of open bowling. Would I be willing to spend 20 dollars just to rent a pair of shoes, bowl 2 or 3 games, and maybe drink a beer? Aboslutely not. Bowling has gotten very expensive. I saw that it was now 4 dollars to rent a pair of bowling shoes. You can buy a pair of bowling shoes for 20 bucks. If you do not believe me, click on the banner above and take a look. If you can get a pair of bowling shoes for 20 bucks, they have paid for themselves in 5 trips to the bowling alley! If promoting the sport and increasing league participation is the goal of the bowling world, they are not showing it by charging you so much money just to rent a pair of dirty, uncomfortable bowling shoes. Let's all ban together and buy your own shoes and making renting bowling shoes a thing of the past!

Product Registration for the PBA: Don't Wear Dynaroo Bowling Shoes!

Before you go into your first PBA tournament, keep one thing in mind. The PBA has a Product Registration Program now in effect that may or may not make your bowling shoes, bowling balls, or other bowling accessories illegal for use in competition. If you plan on bowling in your first PBA tournament, you better check out this webpage before you show up to bowl:

Product Registration for the PBA

Now before you start your panicking, most everything that you have is probably ok. If you have an older bowling ball you may want to use that was made before 1982, it can be used whether or not it is specifically listed on this page if the bowling manufacturer is currently product registered. One of the biggest issues I have seen in PBA tournaments is people trying to wear DynaRoo bowling shoes. These bowling shoes are not product registered for use in PBA competition. Also, you cannot tape over the logo and think this makes them ok to wear. If the tournament director finds out you are using no registered equipment, you will be asked to leave without a reimbursement of your entry fee, so make sure you check this site out and everything you want to use is ok.

Free Game of Bowling September 5th

Coming up in a matter of a few days starts National Bowling Week 2009, and to cap it off, bowlers worldwide are trying to set a new record. Last year, according to US Bowler Magazine, 548,721 free games were bowled the last day of National Bowling Week 2008 and we need to get together to blow that record out of the water. This year, the BPAA (Bowling Proprietors Association of America) and the USBC (United States Bowling Congress) is teaming up to provide anyone willing and able a free game of bowling on September 5th. All you have to do is go to Bowling's Official Website and download a coupon for a free game and go have a great time!

Fall Bowling Leagues Beginning: the USBC Needs You

Yes friends. It is that time of year again. Summer is almost over and fall bowling leagues are starting up again. This is one of my favorite times of the year. I love seeing all the people I missed over the summer, the competitive atmosphere, and the fun environment that my local bowling alley provides. I love the sound of a bowling ball crashing into the pocket, even if a stone 8 pin is left standing.

Despite how exciting this is for me and many other bowlers out there, the membership numbers for the USBC is on a slow, but steady decline. Many think it is due to the current ecnomic situation we are in, but I think there may be more to this story than people trying to save a dollar. The are many changes going on in the USBC right now, and I think some people are not taking them lightly. One thing I have noticed over the years is the awards given out for accomplishments seem to get cheaper, and some awards now are not given out anymore (like the big four I picked up in league this past week). This does not bother me too much, but it is nice to have our league President call my name before bowling league and present me with an award and perhaps a few claps.

Despite all these changes, the USBC is doing a wonderful job promoting our sport and making sure it is bowled in a fair and competitive nature. We now have great programs like sport bowling leagues, allowing us to bowl on the same conditions as those on the PBA Tour.

In this economic recession we are all trying to save some money, but can we really afford turning our backs on the USBC and on our sport when they need us the most? Let's all get signed up for fall leagues, have fun, become better bowlers, support the USBC, andas an added bonus, maybe win a few dollars! I hope everyone enjoys one of my favorite times of the year! Good luck!

How to Pick Up the Big Four Split in Bowling

How many of us out there have stared the 4 6 7 10 big four right in the face? Leaving the big four in bowling can be a pretty tall order, but with these tips, you may get lucky every now and then and pick up this tough spare.

The first thing you must consider when you are preparing to throw your bowling ball at this difficult spare is hit just on the outside of either the 4 or the 6 pin, depending on your comfort zone. Typically for a right-handed bowler, this would mean to throw it outside the 6 pin, sliding it over towards the 4 and 7 pins and hope they fall. In most cases, the best you can cut it would be into the 7 pin and if it reacts right, maybe a stray pin will also take out the 4 pin thus converting the second hardest spare in bowling.

The second step is to throw your bowling ball really fast. Throwing the ball faster will increase the chances of getting the pin to bounce off the sidewall or off the back ball curtain and end up back on the pin deck to knock down the other pins your bowling ball did not strike. If you cannot throw your bowling ball fast, this greatly reduces your chances of picking up this incredibly difficult spare.

The final step in attempting to pick up the bi four split happens just after you release your bowling ball. You close our eyes, put your hands together, and pray that you will get lucky and pick up this spare. I just converted this spare a few weeks ago in my USBC bowling league for the first time in 20 years of bowling. There is only 1 harder spare in bowling and trust me when I say there is no way to pick this spare up 100% of the time. It requires you to have some luck or maybe a helping hand from above. Good luck!

How to Pick Up the 7 10 Split in Bowling

For many of us out there, nothing can feel worse than leaving the 7 10 split while bowling. It is the most difficult spare in bowling to pick up. Well here are some tips on how to throw your bowling ball so you can maybe get lucky and pick up the split.

The first thing you must consider when you are preparing to throw your bowling ball at this difficult spare is hit either the 7 pin or 10 pin straight on. If you try and hit one of those pins on the outside to slide the pen across the lane, you will either throw your bowling ball in the gutter or hit the pin and undercut it. If the pin is in the exact position, there is not enough space between the pin and gutter to slide the pin straight across the lane. For this reason you need to aim and try to hit the pin straight on or just to the inside.

The second step is to throw your bowling ball really fast. Throwing the ball faster will increase the chances of getting the pin to bounce off the sidewall or off the back ball curtain and end up back on the pin deck to knock down the other pin your bowling ball did not strike. If you cannot throw your bowling ball fast, this greatly reduces your chances of picking up this incredibly difficult spare.

The final step in attempting to pick up the 7 10 split happens just after you release your bowling ball. You close our eyes, put your hands together, and pray that you will get lucky and pick up this spare. There is no harder spare in bowling and no way to pick this spare up 100% of the time. It requires you to have some luck or maybe a helping hand from above. Good luck!

Big Four Split In Bowling League: Where is my USBC patch?

I have been bowling for almost 20 years now on and off, and bowling very seriously for around 7. However, one of the accomplishments I have not made until now is picking up the big four split, which is the 4-6-7-10. I have hit 3 of the 4 many times, but never all of them until I did it tonight in bowling league. Then I go talk to the secretary about my accomplishment, only to find out that the USBC no longer gives out patches for this award. Now bear in mind, I do not bowl just to get awards. I do have 2 300 rings and I show them off every chance I get, but the gratification of bowling the 300 was worth way more than the ring I got for it. Hearing the crowd cheer on the 10th, 11th, and 12th strike were sounds I wish all bowlers could hear. But I do not expect a ring for this bowling accomplishment. However, a cheap, inexpensie patch showing that I picked up the big four would be really neat to have. That is a very hard spare that most people will never pick up in their life. I think the USBC should continue to reward bowlers for their accomplishments, even if it means that the patches may not be as nice.

How to Get a Bowling Sponsor

Bowling is one of the most participated in sports in the world, and many out there may be like me and want to make a living in the sport of bowling. However, without sponsorship, this dream can be difficult to reach. Here is a few tips on how to get sponsorship for bowling.

Since I did not do so in the introduction, let me clarify that this is not an article on how to get sponsored by a major bowling manufacturer like Hammer and bowl on the tour successfully. If you did not bowl in college and make a name for yourself, now you have to prove yourself. The first step is to obtain a local sponsorship. Many local pro shops may want to sponsor a good local bowler to bowl in tournaments and try and drive business to his shop. The shop owner may not pay you, but a significant discount on bowling merchandise, or paid entries for tournaments goes a long way when all you have to do is wear a shirt that advertises his shop and tell people how great it is.

Once you have completed this step, you may want to build yourself a bowling resume. Try and document all your accomplishments in the bowling world, as well as video of yourself bowling. This will be a great way to try and get local sponsorship from a restaurant or local retail store. Most businesses biggest expenditure, other than paying their employees, is advertising. If they can get you to advertise in front of hundreds of bowlers every week for cheap, they may be interested. Just do not walk in wearing a wife beater and too short jean shorts and ask for sponsorship. Treat this as a legitimate opportunity and explain to them how you can help their business, not just how they can help your career.

Finally, in the rare case that you become a successful bowler and are winning tournaments, try your luck in the PBA. I recommend using equipment from the same manufacturer so if a bowling ball representative is at the tournament, and you succeed throwing their equipment, it could increase your chances of getting sponsored and really hitting it big. Remember, if you try hard, practice hard, and really focus, you can make your game better. The better your game, the better your chance of getting sponsored and helping yourself and the company sponsoring you!

Earl Anthony vs. Walter Ray Williams Jr: Who Is Better?

The debate continues on who is the greatest bowler of all time, and honestly, there is only one or two small things that need to be done to end it. I am a big fan of Walter Ray Williams Jr, but I believe the right choice was made to select Earl Anthony as the all time greatest bowler for two reasons.

1. Earl Anthony's winning percentage per event is much higher.
2. Earl Anthony has won 3 more majors than Walter. Enough said.

Bearing that in mind, however, if Walter could win a few more titles, especially a major or two, I do not think you could argue that what he has done is not better. He has dominated the sport for longer that Earl, and pending he stays healthy, many more years to come. I mean come on, do you know what the record is for the highest conversion rate of single pin spares is for a total season? You can bet that honor is held by Walter Ray with a 100% spare percentage. Yes folks, in one entire season on the PBA Tour, he did not miss one single pin spare. I find that to be quite amazing, and surely that is why they call him "Dear-Eye", also because he almost never throws a horseshoe without throwing a ringer.

The debate may continue, but I feel with Walter having a few more decent seasons, the debate will be over. Feel free to leave a comment!

How to Bowl a 300, the Perfect Game

Bowling a perfect game is very difficult. Many people have gotten very close, but throwing your bowling ball the last frame for your last strike can make you very nervous. However, with the right mindset you can do it.

First of all, there is no magic equation to bowling a perfect game. If there was, some touring pros would do it almost every game. Sometimes the pins do not fall, and sometimes they do. The one thing to remember is that bowling well has a lot to do with your mental game, and getting nervous or not having confidence can affect your game. So step one is to have confidence in yourself and try not to get nervous.

If you have strung out a good many strikes in a row, maintain your confidence. If you have six strikes in a row, for example, do not think you have six more to go, think one more. Then think 1 more again. Eventually, you will only have one more for the 300.

Finally, do not be superstitious. If something happens that makes you step off, then you will think about that. Try to relax and throw good shots. Remember, this article does not guarantee you will throw a 300, but if you are close, stay confident and you can succeed!

How to Reduce Stress with Bowling

Have you had a bad day at work? Bad day at home? Stress can come in many forms, but some people may not know how to cope with the stress in their life. Bowling is a great way to ease your mind whenever you are mad or feeling stress. Follow these tips to make your day and life much better.

First of all, when you need to let off some steam and relieve stress, you need to do something physical. However, not all of us are into rigorous exercise or extraneous cardiovascular activity. For this reason, bowling is great. You get to really flex some of those muscles, then immediately sit down and rest.

The next thing you need to do is drive to your local bowling alley of course. Now get yourself a lane, grab one of those cheap house bowling balls, and see how fast you can throw it! The noise alone when the ball crashes into the pins can be quite exhilarating! Not too mention the satisfaction of a strike when the pins explode in all directions.

For special situations, like if your boss made you angry, picture his face as the head pin way down the bowling alley. I would never condone violence in anyway, but this can certainly calm you down and make you feel better if you strike the head pin with speed and fury. Now you are prepared to go back to work the next day and put that smile back on your face.

Don’t forget to invite your friends or family. There are few things more fun that sharing a pitcher of beer over a game or two of bowling with close friends! Good luck!

Bowling Video of a Beautiful Strike

Here is a video my friend made me throwing a strike with some background music courtesy of AC/DC singing Thunderstruck as my bowling ball crashes into the pins. It is a really cool bowling video.

How to Become a Professional Bowler

Have you ever watched ESPN on a Sunday afternoon and thought you could be a professional bowler as well? Well I have good news. You can be a professional bowler. Read on to learn more.

To start, this article is not going to teach you how to average 220+ on PBA Experience oil patterns, or get you on television making thousands of dollars. That requires lots of practice, and knowledge that I have not yet obtained, but am trying. This article can tell you how to become a professional bowler at the regional level and maybe even make a few bucks with hard work and determination.

There are two types of professional bowling tournaments. They are PBA Tour events and PBA Regional events. Regional events are competed on at a more local level. Tour events are for the best of the best at a National level. You can become a professional bowler one of two ways. The first way is to cash in two regional events. Cashing means you bowled in the top one-third of all competitors in the qualifying round of the tournament. At the regional level, the minimum to cash is 400 dollars. Not bad for a weekend of bowling in my opinion. The second way to join is to average a 200 in a league with at least 36 games bowled or a 190 average in a USBC Sport Bowling or PBA Experience League.

Now that you have accomplished the requirements, you can go to the link below to download the application. You can either join under standard membership, full membership, or even junior membership if you are a young, aspiring bowler.

There are many advantages professionals can take advantage of as a member. For one thing, you get 75 dollars off tournament entry fees at the regional level. Your membership pays for itself if you bowl in multiple tournaments a year. Also, as bowling ball companies release new equipment, you can in many cases purchase direct from the company for a greatly reduced rate. Having the latest and greatest equipment can really help you out on the challenging lane conditions you will be competing on.

For tips on how to accomplish this feat, check out these articles:

Bowling Tips

How to Have a Bowling Birthday Party

There are many ways to have a birthday party for your child, but few are more fun than a bowling birthday party. Bowling birthday parties are also very easy to plan. If you want to know how to have an incredible birthday party your child and his friends will never forget, read on!

The first step involves a little shopping around. Call all the local bowling centers in your hometown and find which one has the best rate. On average, you should be paying roughly five to eight dollars per kid, but this includes bowling for two hours, shoe rental and your food. You can usually select between hot dogs or pizza, and they will bring you some pitchers of soda as well. Having parties at home can become expensive feeding everyone, so this price is not that bad. Now just pick the date and time and be sure to make your reservations for the party.

The second step requires you to invite people. Invite all your child’s friends from church, in the neighborhood, or in their class at school. You can make up really cute invitations for very little cost using your home computer. If not, I am sure you can find some really cool ones at the store, or the bowling alley may even provide you some for having the party at their bowling alley.

The final step is to go to your local grocery store or bakery and pick out a cake. I would recommend a nifty bowling cake, but having a cake of their favorite superhero would be just fine as well. Also, try not to forget the birthday candles. The bowling alley will provide you with the plates and everything you will need to distribute your cake to the rowdy bunch. Now put on those slick bowling shoes, grab yourself a bowling ball, and have fun!

How to Choose the Right Bowling Ball

Bowling is a sport that has been around for thousands of years. It comes as no surprise that the equipment has changed. Even today, companies are making bowling balls that hook more, go longer down the lane, strike more, heck, they might one day throw themselves. Until that day, however, how do you choose the right bowling ball for yourself? Well here is your answer.

To open up, the first type of bowling ball is a plastic ball. This is a ball without a specific core, and the coverstock is plastic. I use a plastic ball for spares as they do not hook no matter the oil pattern you are bowling on, so you do not have to make adjustments to make spares. These type bowling balls are also great for beginners who do not know how to hook and their goal is to consistently hit the head pin.

Now, for more advanced bowlers, there are high performance bowling balls. These are balls that have a weight block, or core, that is shaped to cause the ball to hook. Furthermore, they have a more aggressive coverstock, like a pearl or reactive resin. These balls are designed to go far down the lane, and then hook into the head pin. This hook creates entry angle into the pocket and yields a higher percentage of strikes.

The problem with choosing a ball is knowing your characteristics, what pattern you typically bowl on, and what type of line do you want to play. Are you a full roller and stand use the whole lane throwing a big hook? Do you throw straight with a light hook? Are you somewhere in between? Fast? Slow? All these make a difference when making your choice. The best advice I can give you is to look online and find a ball that is designed for your type of game, and make sure you get it professionally drilled to suit your game.

If you have trouble picking a ball after doing your online research, visit a pro shop. You can explain your style shot, or the pro shop owner may know your game, and he can help you make a selection. Remember, although 99% of bowling is the skill of the bowler, having the right equipment in your hands can really help. Last time I checked, Tiger Woods does not use a wooden driver. If you are interest in what I consider the best bowling balls out there, check out Hammer's Official Website

How to Enter and Qualify in a PBA Tournament

If you are like me, you watch the bowlers on the PBA Tour bowling on Sunday afternoon on ESPN. While watching, you picture yourself on the big screen, bowling for the big dollars. Would you like to know more about the PBA and how you can qualify to bowl in a PBA tournament? Well, here is your answer.

There are a two main types of PBA bowlers. There are exempt bowlers that bowl on the PBA tour, and there are regular PBA members, that can bowl in Regional PBA events, as well as try to qualify for events on the PBA tour. Regional PBA tournaments are much smaller venues, typically paying around 2500 dollars for winning the event, with 425 the minimum cash if you qualify. To qualify in either event, you must bowl well in what is called the qualifying round. To sign up, visit the PBA's website and it will tell you how to sign up for tournaments as a member or non-member. The link is listed at the bottom of this article.

If you have no PBA experience, your first step should be to learn more about the conditions that you will face in PBA tournaments. The oil patterns they bowl on are much more difficult than the conditions you typically bowl on in a house shot. The lanes are much less forgiving, and spare shooting becomes a critical part of your game. In Regional events, to qualify, you must bowl better than roughly two-thirds of all competitors in the event. This will typically take at least a 200 average over the span of 8 games. If you qualify, you will get to bowl the next day in a second qualifying round in an attempt to make match play.

To qualify for a PBA tour event, you must bowl in a PBA qualifier. There are 64 spots available in the actual tournament, with roughly 55-58 exempt bowlers that automatically qualify for the tournament. This can vary if an exempt bowler chooses to defer his exemption or cannot bowl in the tournament. For example, if there are 7 open spots to qualify, you must bowl and finish in the top seven (with the exception that the highest amateur automatically qualifies). This gets you into the round of 64 and you again qualify to make the top 32 for match play. Some events have different formats, but this is the most common.

Now the big question, how do you bowl well enough to qualify? Well this is the difficult part. When bowling in a PBA event, you will be bowling with some of the best bowlers in the world. You need to do your homework. You can visit websites listed below to find information on sport bowling, and PBA conditions. They even have some videos that discuss how some of the touring pros tackle the tough lane conditions. Now you just need to choose the right bowling ball with the right layout and surface, and have yourself a game plan on how you are going to play the lanes. I have had most success with Hammer bowling balls, but this may not be your best option. Speak with your local pro shop operator on your game and what is right for you. Also, remember, spare shooting is a must if you want to score well. I can promise you that you will not strike as much as you do in your league. Good luck!

Official Website of the PBA

Bowling's Official Website

Bowling Video of Myself Throwing a Strike

This is a cell phone video of me throwing a strike while trying to play the outside line near the gutter. It was pretty sweet.

How to Alter the Surface of Your Bowling Ball and Why

Bowling balls are much more complicated these days than in the past when made of just plastic. Today’s reactive resin bowling balls require much more maintenance to maintain the overall hook potential. Other than keeping them clean, you can actually alter the surface of the bowling ball to achieve different results. Read on to learn more about altering the surface of your high performance bowling ball.

Altering the surface of your bowling ball is very easy, but knowing what grit to use can be difficult. Using a ball spinner is the easiest way to change the surface of your bowling ball, but you can use your hands and wipe vigorously all over the entire surface of the ball whatever grit you decide to use. To change the surface, you should first look and see what the factory finish your bowling ball comes with out of the box. Most come with a 2000 grit sanded, then polished factory finish. This combination should get you length and backend as the 2000 grit will smooth the surface of the bowling ball and the polish helps it get down the lane. This finish could, however, get you a strong backend as the bowling ball is retaining all its potential energy until it reaches the dry boards down the lane. This is a good starting point if you are trying to figure out what works best for you.

Another way to change the surface of your bowling ball is to use a lesser grit abralon pad, like a 500 or 1000 grit. This style will give a somewhat less smooth surface allowing the ball to read the lane earlier. This will cause the ball to hook a little earlier, and instead of snapping in the backend, have more of a smooth, arcing transition over the entire length of the lane. This style would be great if you are bowling on a long oil pattern that would require you to get your ball into its roll earlier.

The final advice I can give on altering the surface of your bowling ball is to talk to your local PBA professional or Pro Shop operator. They have extensive knowledge on ball layouts and surfaces and they can tell you what can work best on the shot you most consistently bowl on. Do not be afraid to try new polishes, different grit sandpapers, etc. Once you figure out what is best for you, the high average will follow!

Remember, DO NOT alter the surface of your bowling ball during USBC or PBA competition. This is against the rules. To clean and resurface your bowling ball, check out this bowling ball spinner:

Ball Spinner 1/2 Horse Power - $ 279.99
From: bowlingball.com, Inc.

Who makes the Best Bowling Balls? I think Hammer

Over the years I have thrown quite a few different bowling balls. If you have reached this page then you have probably asked yourself the following question: Who makes the best bowling balls? The answer to this question is simple, there is no right answer. Sure, if you come across a PBA sponsored bowler, he will tell you what he throws is the best. That may not mean that they are the right bowling balls for you. Everyone out there throws the bowling ball a little differently. Depending on your speed, revolutions, and the area of the lane you like to play, you may find you have the best luck with a bowling ball that I would never throw in a tournament. In any event, since you got here I might as well give you my opinion. I have had the most luck with Hammer bowling balls. They have great length, and incredible backend! They hit the pocket hard and I rarely have trouble carrying. That does not mean they are perfect and always strike, but I have had the best carry when I have a Hammer bowling ball in my hand. I have two sanctioned 300 games, and both were thrown with Hammer bowling balls.