If you have been bowling for quite some time, you should know that most experienced bowlers use what is called a hook shot. This is when the ball goes in a curved or angular motion instead of a straight or linear motion. If you have ever thought of pulling a hook shot yourself, then this is the guide for you. Here, we take a look at the best bowling balls for hooks.
If you need to understand the mechanics of a hook shot, the factors to consider before purchasing the best hooking bowling ball, or simply a list of the best hooking bowling balls in the market today, then keep reading!
What Are Hook Shots?
A hook shot is a technique used by experienced and professional bowlers to create a curved or angular movement pattern to increase the likelihood of getting a strike.
How exactly do hook shots increase the chances of strikes? Consider the two significant reasons below:
Pin Carry
Pin carry is essentially the result of direct ball impact and pin splash/scatter.
When hooking a ball, the ball goes down the lane more aggressively, and with a higher spin/revolution. This motion generates more power and can cause pins to get knocked down even without direct contact from the ball.
Hook shots are proven to be more consistent in garnering a strike in bowling.
Sweet Spot/Pocket
Another important factor is the sweet spot or pocket. Hitting this is difficult when throwing straight shots as there is little margin for error.
However, utilizing hook shots significantly increases your chances of colliding with the pins at the perfect spot to get a strike.
The sweet spot/pocket would be the area between pins 1 and 3 (for right-handed bowlers) or pins 1 and 2 (for left-handed bowlers).
If you curve or hook your way into the sweet spot/pocket, you are almost guaranteed a strike.
Choosing the Right Bowling Ball for Hook Shots
Coverstock
Generally, house balls made of plastic or urethane coverstocks are not so good when it comes to hook shots (although it is not impossible to pull off). This is because these types of balls have low friction and low hook potential due to the texture and material of their surface.
As such, we recommend using a reactive resin coverstock bowling ball as the best bowling ball for hooking.
Depending on how you want your early or late hook movement/trajectory to be, you can choose between the following reactive resin coverstocks:
Size and Weight
Choosing the proper size and weight for your bowling ball is just as important as mastering the hook technique itself.
Having a bowling ball that is too heavy may restrict your wrist and forearm from executing the proper hook technique.
A bowling ball that is too light, on the other hand, might generate excessive spin/revolutions, leading to overshooting the hook.
Try out different size and weight balls to get a grasp of which is the best for you.
Weight Block/Radius of Gyration
There are several kinds of shapes and sizes of weight blocks or bowling ball cores. There are gas mask cores, pancake cores, and lightbulb cores, but for the purpose of a bowling ball for hooks, we only need to understand the following:
A bowling ball with a symmetrical core is more stable and easier to control. This is because the weight is distributed evenly.
A bowling ball with an asymmetrical core is more aggressive and can generate more spin or revolutions, allowing for greater hook potential and stronger impact.
The radius of gyration is just as important, although a bit technical. To simplify, the greater the value, the more coverstock-heavy the ball is. The lower the value, the more core-heavy the ball is (this has relatively low hook potential).
If you are looking for a more aggressive ball that can produce more angular movement patterns, go with an asymmetrical core bowling ball with a high radius of gyration value.
Angles and Arcs
Angles and arcs refer to the trajectory the ball takes as it approaches the pins at the end of the lane.
When using hook techniques, the greater the angle or arc, the stronger the effect of the hook shot.
When you throw a straight shot (see balls for straight shots), the main driving force is the forward motion of the ball.
On the other hand, a ball that approaches at an angular trajectory retains more velocity and collides with the pins with greater impact due to the high spin or revolution count.
Lane Conditions
Lane conditions such as oil lane patterns and oil level are also a consideration before buying your reactive resin bowling ball for great hook potential.
On a heavy oil lane, we recommend going with solid or hybrid coverstock balls so that the ball enters into the roll and hook movement pattern earlier.
A pearl coverstock ball would typically just skid beyond the angular peak or breakpoint of the hook shot on a heavy oil lane, leading to imprecise collisions.
On a medium-dry or dry lane, pearl coverstock balls are the best as the ball comes into the angular breakpoint at a later period, allowing for more ferocity towards the end of the roll.
Lane patterns are also significant. Oil distribution on a particular lane can vary from alley to alley, but as a general rule, a lane is oiled more heavily in the mid lane and beginning third of the lane.
Grip, Drills/Fingerholes and Inserts
When performing a hook shot, utilizing the fingertip grip (as opposed to the conventional grip) is the better option, as this would allow you to generate more leverage and spin the ball for greater hook potential.
In this regard, it is important to have your personal ball custom drilled. This would cost you anywhere from $50 to $100, depending on the pro shop.
If, however, you have a bowling ball with drills/fingerholes that are too large, then you may opt for finger inserts so the wholes are more identical to the form and shape of your fingers.
Top 8 Balls for Hook Shots
Below are our best bowling balls in today's market.
1. Ebonite Aero Bowling Ball (Hybrid Coverstock)
If you are looking for a ball that prefers heavy oil conditions, then the Ebonite Aero Ball is truly a good fit for your performance needs.
It is good at reading the mid lane and retains a lot of energy for hard hooks and stellar pin carries.
The traction you get with this ball is just as good in dry lane conditions, and can also be used for either fast or slow shot techniques.
Regardless of the oil conditions of your local bowling alley, this ball can do it all for you.
2. Brunswick Zenith Bowling Ball (Pearl Coverstock)
The Brunswick Zenith Ball is immensely strong and dense. You could feel its power just by gripping it with your hand.
What is even better is that this ball can hook on absolutely any type of surface.
The pearl coverstock was made perfectly for heavy patterns, and even for beginners, the hook potential of this ball can make up for the inexperience or lack of practice.
Be wary when it comes to dry lanes, however, as you may tend to overshoot this ball when utilizing hook shots.
3. Storm Parallax Bowling Ball (Hybrid Coverstock)
The 1500 grit ball from Storm is one of the best bowling ball products in the market today. The Storm Parallax Ball is one of the best value-for-money options sporting a polished finish.
If you require a bowling ball that snaps hard in the middle or end of the roll, then this ball will serve the intended purpose.
If you are tired of pearl coverstock ball options hooking too late, then try this ball.
4. Storm Proton Physix Bowling Ball (Solid Coverstock)
Sporting an atomic core and a solid coverstock, the Storm Proton Physix Ball does not disappoint. Even at its premium price point, this is absolutely worth every penny.
This is good for oily lanes and is known as a powerhouse moving down the lane.
Due to the matte finish of this ball, the ball can absorb oil and grip the lane better and earlier than your average reactive resin ball products.
5. Pyramid Path Rising Bowling Ball (Pearl Coverstock)
If you need an affordable ball option from a young ball brand, then look no further. The Pyramid Path Rising Ball was made just for you.
This is one of the best bowling ball products if you are looking for a strong back-end movement.
Made of pearl coverstock, you will get to see its full aggression at the very end of the lane.
However, we would not recommend this for beginners as it would take more practice to master back-end hook techniques.
6. Brunswick Rhino Bowling Ball (Pearl Coverstock)
Are bowling balls cheap? Not always! However, if you are in need of a relatively cheap bowling ball that gets the job done with a pearl coverstock, then the Brunswick Rhino Ball is the perfect ball for you.
With a smooth movement pattern and a coarse finish, this ball will hook stronger and earlier than the others.
This is a good ball for those who are still practicing their hook techniques as this is more predictable and controllable than the others on this list.
7. Pyramid Antidote Bowling Ball (Solid Coverstock)
If you need a strong mid lane performer, then the Pyramid Antidote Ball is perfect for you.
As a result of its smooth coverstock, you can expect this ball to hook towards the middle of the movement.
It also has decent flare potential, but not at the cost of volatility or unpredictability.
The hook potential is pretty limited with this ball, but it is good if you want that hook performance with a little more control and predictability.
8. Hammer Black Widow 2.0 Bowling Ball (Solid Coverstock)
As a step-up from its predecessor, the Hammer Black Widow 2.0 Ball, fitted with a gas mask core, is a beast on the lanes.
Sporting the black and red design the model has been known for, this ball has been overhauled to perform its best in modern-day lane patterns and conditions.
This ball is good for mid to heavily oiled lanes and provides a continuous ball motion, allowing for a better angle and scoring potential.
Tips for Hook Shots
The Bowling Ball and Coverstock
Bowling has progressed so far since its inception, from Egyptians using rocks to knock down standing objects to professional and casual bowlers using unique balls to roll down mid-lane.
When it comes to a hook shot, however, people utilize the edges of the lane more than the mid-lane, occupying more surface area as it travels toward the pins.
This is where the type of bowling ball and the coverstock play a vital factor. Plastic and urethane coverstocks usually provide the least amount of friction, allowing for a more stable and predictable movement pattern, even in heavy oil lanes.
Reactive resin coverstocks, however, offer a more diverse and aggressive movement pattern, allowing for a more agile and diverse approach to the pins.
Choosing the right type of bowling ball can determine your performance and score, especially if you would like to stick to a particular style of rolling (straight shooting or hooking)
Lane Conditions and Friction
Without getting too technical, heavy oil lanes and dry lanes determine how much the bowler ball will "slip" or "glide" through the bowling lane before it begins to "grab" or "grip" the lane's surface.
If heavy oil is applied, then bowlers should be very careful when throwing hook shots, especially with regard to balls that have a very high hook potential, as the bowling balls may end up more often in the gutter rather than the pocket or sweet spot.
If the lanes are dry, then there is more room for an aggressive playstyle, especially for bowlers who prefer an early hook motion or trajectory.
Creating the Spin (Revolutions)
Even if you are the strongest, most powerful bowler, if you do not incorporate a spin to your bowling ball as you release it, there will be little to no hook movement.
There are several guides and techniques online, but the most important things to consider are how you position your wrist and timing the rotation of your hand and forearm as you release the ball.
This mechanic is somewhat similar to how basketball players incorporate a backspin to their shots or how football players throw the football with minimal wobble. In both instances, a decent amount of spin is required.
You can practice the spin mechanic with practically anything. You could toss a pen, a notebook, or a crumpled piece of paper to get a better understanding of the movement and mechanics behind the spin.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What's the best bowling ball for a hook?
The best bowling balls with the most hook potential are reactive resin bowling balls (pearl coverstock, hybrid coverstock, and solid coverstock) with asymmetrical cores.
The best bowling ball for a hook is ideally a bowling ball that has an asymmetrical core and a high-friction coverstock for the best aggressive movement and the best sensitivity in all types of lane patterns and conditions and oil patterns (heavy oil lanes, medium-heavy oil lanes, medium oil lanes, medium-dry lanes, and dry lanes).
2. What coverstock hooks the most?
The best coverstock that hooks the most would be the reactive resin coverstock bowling balls (pearl coverstock, hybrid coverstock, and solid coverstock), and depending on the specific type of coverstock, the bowling ball may react earlier, later, or somewhere in between.
Solid coverstock bowling balls are the best when you plan to hook the ball early, and will therefore have a more aggressive movement pattern in the beginning, then slowly grow weaker towards the end. Pearl coverstock bowling balls are the opposite. They have a relatively subtle or weak beginning and mid-point and will have the best hook motion towards the back-end of the roll. Hybrid coverstock bowling balls are the best if you want to be in between the two previously mentioned coverstocks.
Conclusion (Plus Our Personal Favorite)
Hook shots and straight shots are both important aspects of the game, but if you need to garner a higher score, then the former would be more beneficial.
For our personal favorite for hooking, we have to go with the Ebonite Aero Ball. The hybrid coverstock allows for solid performance in the mid lane and performs great in heavy oil lanes.
We have also tested this ball and it is great for both slow and fast shots. If you are looking for a high-quality investment that could provide you with better scores, then this ball is a good pick.
If you need to look for the best bowling balls for hooks, always refer to our guides for the best insight and top recommendations.