Bowling ball Bowling ball A bowling ball is a piece of sporting equipment used to hit bowling pins in the sport of bowling. Balls used in ten-pin bowling are typically hard spheres with three holes drilled in them, one each for the ring and middle fingers, and one for the thumb. Regulating bodies such as the USBC maintain requirements for the properties of bowling balls, including size, hardness, and number of holes, as well as maintaining a list of bowling balls approved for competitive play. Other bowling balls, such as those used in five-pin bowling, candlepin bowling, and duckpin bowling are smaller,
Hook (bowling) or the 10-pin if the ball was just slightly right of the head pin. A hook ball can create strikes with less precise hits at the pocket. A hook ball can also help the bowler shape the shot on challenging oil patterns. In other games of bowling, such as duckpin bowling or candlepin bowling, a hook is virtually non-existent for experienced bowlers since the ball is much smaller than in ten-pin bowling, and rolls too fast to the pins to allow a hook to develop. There are two ways to produce a hook. The first method involves bowling technique. At