Maintaining your Bowling Ball

One of the most important things you can do to make sure that your bowling game goes well is to make sure that you are cleaning and maintaining your bowling balls properly. After all, you went to all the time, trouble and expense of purchasing it, why not take the time to care for it properly?

The condition of your bowling ball make play an important role in how well you play. The cover of your ball contributes a large portion of the variable in how your ball reacts. This is what is in contact with the lane, so it will quite naturally pick up oil. This can result in oil rings on your ball, particularly the track of the ball where it has rolled down the lane. Even if you don’t see an oil ring, that doesn’t mean there isn’t still oil there. All balls develop an oil track and that track can impact how well your ball performs. Therefore, it is important to develop a program for maintaining your ball to make sure it is kept in optimal performing condition.

In addition to the oil track, your ball will also likely pick up some small dirt particles and other marks that can mark up the grain. Your ball may also get some dings over time. As long as the ding is not in the track on your ball it may not be a big deal. If it is; however, it could spell trouble.

In developing a cleaning schedule you need to take two factors into consideration. One factor will be where you bowl. This is because some bowling alleys have strict maintenance schedules on their own and make sure that their lanes are stripped and oiled twice per day. Other centers do not have as strict a cleaning schedule and therefore their lanes may not be as clean. Generally, your ball will take longer to track up if you are bowling on a clean surface. As a result how often you need to clean your bowl will largely depend on where you are bowling and how often clean their lanes.

It is also important to note that where you live can also make a difference in how often you need to clean your ball. If you live in an area that is particularly sandy, for example, then you may need to clean your ball more often due to the amount of sand particles that will tend to get tracked into the bowling alley you frequent.

Another factor that can affect how often you should clean your ball is how often you bowl. You will typically need to maintain your ball less if you play less. Individuals who ball several times a week as well as do a lot of practicing will naturally need to clean their ball more often than the player who only plays occasionally.

A regular maintenance and cleaning routine can go a long way toward helping you to keep your ball in good shape. On occasion; however, you might need to take it in for a little extra treatment. Your local shop can help to advise you on what your ball may need. This can help to preserve the life of your ball as well.

Taking the time to maintain your ball and clean it on a consistent schedule can help to insure the investment you made in your equipment lasts for a long time as well as insure that you play the best game possible. Don’t allow your next game to be lost simply because you failed to take the time required to properly maintain your equipment.