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Bowling Ball Buyer’s Guide
Plastic, entry level, mid and high performance compared, and who each one is for
Bowling balls come in four performance levels: plastic rolls straight, entry level adds a mild hook, mid performance is the league standard, and high performance gives the most hook on heavy oil. Buy the lowest level you can still strike with. Moving up too soon costs control, not pins.
Not sure? Take the Ball FinderUpdated November 12, 2026
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Which level is right for you
Levels group balls by how much they hook and how much oil they can handle, not by price. Pick the lowest level you can still strike with.
| Level | Best for | Why choose it |
|---|---|---|
| Plastic | Beginners, casual bowlers, spare shooting | Goes straight, lasts for years, costs the least |
| Entry level | New bowlers ready to hook; dry lanes | A mild, forgiving hook that is easy to control |
| Mid performance | Most league bowlers on a house shot | The most versatile motion for typical conditions |
| High performance | Competitive bowlers on heavy oil and sport patterns | Maximum traction and the sharpest move at the breakpoint |
Plastic bowling balls
First ball, casual bowlers, and the spare ball every league bowler carries
- Hook
- Lowest, rolls nearly straight
- Coverstock
- Polyester
- Core
- Simple, usually a pancake block
- Lane conditions
- Any lane, because it barely reacts to oil
A polyester cover does not grab the lane, so the ball goes where you aim it. That makes plastic the easiest ball to learn with and the ball experienced bowlers throw at single-pin spares, where hook only gets in the way. It is also the least expensive way to own a ball drilled to your hand instead of a house ball.
Choose plastic if: You are buying your first ball, you bowl a few times a year, or you want a dedicated spare ball.
Best-selling plastic balls right now
Ranked by what BowlersMart customers bought in the last 30 days. Prices and stock are updated nightly.
Entry level bowling balls
New bowlers ready to hook the ball, and dry or light-oil lanes
- Hook
- Mild
- Coverstock
- Urethane or a mild reactive resin
- Core
- Symmetric
- Lane conditions
- Light to medium oil
This is the first ball that hooks. A mild reactive or urethane cover reads the lane late and turns gently, so you can learn a hook release without the ball over-reacting. Entry level balls are also the right call for experienced bowlers who face dry lanes or short patterns, where a stronger ball hooks too early.
Choose entry level if: You can throw a plastic ball consistently and want to start hooking, or your lanes are dry.
Best-selling entry level balls right now
Ranked by what BowlersMart customers bought in the last 30 days. Prices and stock are updated nightly.
Mid performance bowling balls
League bowlers with a repeatable release on a typical house shot
- Hook
- Medium
- Coverstock
- Reactive resin, solid, pearl or hybrid
- Core
- Symmetric or mildly asymmetric
- Lane conditions
- Medium oil, the standard house pattern
Mid performance is where most league bowlers should live. The covers are strong enough to hook through a house pattern and still predictable when the lanes change during a set. Balls like the Storm Hy-Road have stayed in this tier for years because they give a controllable, continuous motion that scores on a wide range of conditions.
Choose mid performance if: You bowl league every week, average roughly 150 to 190, and want one ball that handles most nights.
Best-selling mid performance balls right now
Ranked by what BowlersMart customers bought in the last 30 days. Prices and stock are updated nightly.
High performance bowling balls
Competitive bowlers who need traction on heavy oil and sport patterns
- Hook
- Strongest
- Coverstock
- Aggressive reactive resin, often solid or hybrid
- Core
- Asymmetric, high differential
- Lane conditions
- Medium-heavy to heavy oil, sport and tournament patterns
The strongest covers and the most dynamic cores. A high performance ball digs into heavy oil early and makes a sharp, angular move at the breakpoint, which is what tournament bowlers want when the pattern is long or the lanes are fresh. That same strength makes it the wrong ball for dry lanes or a new release: it will hook too early and lose energy before the pins.
Choose high performance if: You compete in tournaments or sport leagues, see heavy oil, and already own a ball for medium conditions.
Best-selling high performance balls right now
Ranked by what BowlersMart customers bought in the last 30 days. Prices and stock are updated nightly.
Compare the four levels
| Level | Hook | Coverstock | Core | Lane conditions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plastic | Lowest, rolls nearly straight | Polyester | Simple, usually a pancake block | Any lane, because it barely reacts to oil |
| Entry level | Mild | Urethane or a mild reactive resin | Symmetric | Light to medium oil |
| Mid performance | Medium | Reactive resin, solid, pearl or hybrid | Symmetric or mildly asymmetric | Medium oil, the standard house pattern |
| High performance | Strongest | Aggressive reactive resin, often solid or hybrid | Asymmetric, high differential | Medium-heavy to heavy oil, sport and tournament patterns |
Pearl, solid and hybrid describe the coverstock finish inside a level, not the level itself. Manufacturers name their tiers differently; these four levels are how BowlersMart groups every brand.
Before you buy
Level is the first decision. These five settle the rest.
Weight
Most adults bowl 14 to 16 lb and most kids 6 to 10 lb. A ball you can swing comfortably for three games beats a heavier one you muscle.
Drilling
Every new ball is drilled to your hand after you buy it. Drilling is what makes a ball yours, and a drilled ball cannot be returned, so get fitted at a pro shop.
Coverstock
Within a level, the cover decides when the ball hooks: solid covers read earlier, pearls go longer, hybrids sit between.
Core
RG and differential numbers describe how the core rolls. Inside a level they separate smooth, controllable balls from angular ones.
Oil pattern
The house pattern most leagues bowl on suits a mid performance ball. Sport and tournament patterns are where high performance earns its price.
Questions bowlers ask
What are the performance levels of bowling balls?
BowlersMart groups bowling balls into four levels by how much they hook and how much oil they handle: plastic (straight, for beginners and spares), entry level (a mild hook), mid performance (the league standard for house shots) and high performance (the strongest hook for heavy oil and sport patterns). Brands use their own tier names, so the same ball can be called different things on different sites.
Which bowling ball should I buy first?
A plastic ball if you bowl occasionally or want the easiest ball to control. An entry level ball if you already throw a consistent shot and want to start hooking. Most new league bowlers are best served by an entry level reactive ball, then a mid performance ball once their release is repeatable.
When should I move up to a mid performance ball?
When you have a repeatable release, you bowl league regularly and your entry level ball hooks too little to carry on a house shot. If your average has stalled and you are moving your feet to find the pocket, a mid performance ball is the next step.
Are high performance bowling balls only for professionals?
No. They suit any competitive bowler with a refined release who bowls on heavy oil, sport patterns or tournaments. They are a poor first ball because the strong cover hooks early and is hard to control on dry lanes.
Does a more expensive ball hook more?
Usually, but hook is not the goal. The right ball matches your speed, rev rate and the oil you bowl on. A high performance ball on a dry house shot hooks too early and leaves you with less at the pins than a mid performance ball.
Is a plastic ball good for spares?
Yes. Plastic is the standard spare ball at every level because it rolls straight through the oil, so single-pin spares are the same shot every time regardless of lane conditions.
Next lesson
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