One of the biggest limitations for bowlers is where they live. This is because the alleys in that area are probably where they’ll go bowling the most. What this means is that they won’t be able to choose which lane conditions they’ll be playing on freely. If the bowling alley you usually go to has dry lane conditions, then you will need to invest in the best bowling ball for dry lanes.
Choosing the best bowling ball is largely influenced by the lane conditions in which you’re going to use it. In this article, we’ll be discussing our picks for the five best bowling balls for dry lanes.
Additionally, we’re going to provide some useful tips for choosing the best bowling ball for dry lanes as well as other useful information for bowling in dry lane conditions.
Without further ado, here are our picks for the title of the best dry lane bowling ball!
- Best Bowling Balls for Dry Lanes – Our Picks
- What Causes Bowling Lanes to Become Dry?
- How to Bowl on Dry Lanes
- Choosing the Best Bowling Ball for Dry Lanes
- Verdict
Best Bowling Balls for Dry Lanes – Our Picks
1. Pyramid Pathogen Plague – Overall Best Bowling Ball for Dry Lanes
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This is already a well-established brand with a lot of high-quality bowling balls in its catalog. They have a unique design approach that makes their balls instantly recognizable. Unsurprisingly, the first best bowling ball for dry lanes is their Pathogen Plague. It perfectly showcases Pyramid Bowling’s unique style.
What makes this the best dry lane bowling ball is how solid yet gentle the controlled motion is when used on dry lane conditions. There are hardly any other balls that can rival it in its ease of use and accuracy.
One of the ball’s solid signature features is its GPS Navigational coverstock. This type of urethane coverstock has been designed specifically for dry lane conditions. It ensures the best power delivery, all without the user needing to make adjustments to a more aggressive curve.
2. Storm Mix Bowling Ball – Runner-Up
Available in other colors (Click to see)
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If you’re searching for the best bowling ball for dry lane conditions, then you can’t possibly go wrong with this ball from Storm. They are already well established as being among the best bowling ball brands these days, and for a good reason.
The Storm Mix perfectly showcases the brand’s capacity to make high-quality bowling balls. It is already considered one of the top bowling balls for dry lanes by many people.
The Storm Mix has a lot of great things going for it. However, its biggest strength lies in how predictable and consistent it is. Knowing exactly where your ball is going and how it’s going to hit the pins is crucial if you want to win games consistently and have an overall smooth experience. If you need to knock down pins that are far apart or require some finesse, the Storm Mix will be your savior.
One of the main things to consider when playing on dry lane conditions is adjusting your shot, so it doesn’t hook early. In the case of the Storm Mix, its low flare potential in combination with the weight block’s symmetrical design helps a lot. When using this ball, you won’t have to adjust too much in order to retain a predictable path even in dry lane conditions.
With that said, the same things we just mentioned can be seen by some bowlers as a disadvantage when they need a more aggressive hook. You’ll rarely too an aggressive hook, so it’s not like you’ll be compromising your play style by using this ball. This ball’s predictability and accuracy make it one of the best bowling balls for dry lanes.
3. Brunswick Twist Bowling Ball
Available in other colors (Click to see)
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Just like all of the other bowling ball brands mentioned so far, Brunswick is among the best in the business. Hearing that one of their bowling balls might be the best dry lane bowling ball shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. The best part is that you can get this amazing ball for an affordable price.
If you’re looking for the best dry lane bowling ball at an affordable price, look no further than the Brunswick Twist. The main design philosophy behind this ball is to provide as much length for as little effort, which still has a good backend reaction.
One of Brunswick Twist’s many advantages is how accessible it is when compared with other bowling balls around the same price range. It has also succeeded in its design goal, where many other bowling balls failed. The Brunswick twist comes in weights between 16 and 8 pounds and features numerous color choices.
4. Brunswick Rhino Bowling Ball
Available in other colors (Click to see)
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If you’re looking for a powerful and versatile ball with great hooking potential, then the Brunswick Rhino might be the best bowling ball for dry lanes for you. It also features a symmetrical core for easier drilling and improved balance.
Covered with a R-16 reactive coverstock, the core allows for a slight hook. This makes the Brunswick rhino an impeccable choice on dry lanes. The core is shaped like a light bulb, which ensures great pin action and improves your odds of scoring.
Furthermore, the Brunswick Rhino meets USBC specifications. The ball has been designed with low differential/high RG core in order to prevent it from overacting in dry lane conditions. When it comes to the weight of the ball, it ranges from 10 to 16 pounds, which is relatively heavy, ensuring that the ball won’t bounce on the track.
Aside from having consistent and stable performance, the Brunswick Rhino looks elegant. With its clean finish and a multitude of color options, you’ll be spoiled for choice.
5. Brunswick TZone Bowling Ball
Available in other colors (Click to see)
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If you’re a novice bowler who’s looking for the best bowling ball for dry lanes, the Brunswick Tzone bowling ball is definitely worth considering. This bowling ball has a polyester coverstock, which allows it to go straight through the lane without minimal friction.
One thing that’s worth mentioning is that the Brunswick Tzone doesn’t come with pit holes. This gives the user more freedom to adjust the layout of the ball and get the perfect grip for them. Additionally, this bowling ball is rather lightweight, which makes it easier to use. However, there are heavier options if you fancy a heavier bowling ball.
Furthermore, the Brunswick Tzone features a symmetrical core with low differential. What this means is that the ball doesn’t have a strong reaction to the lane conditions. This prevents it from suddenly changing direction once you throw it. This ball is very predictable and will help you improve your experience and score more often.
Lastly, the Brunswick Tzone comes with ten color options, all of which are unique and great to look at. You won’t be disappointed with this ball at all, be it in performance or looks.
What Causes Bowling Lanes to Become Dry?
There are a couple of reasons as to why bowling lanes can become dry. The most obvious one is that, with time, bowling lanes can become overused and if they’ll become dry as a result. If you were to go to an alley and they would have left their lanes untreated, they’ll be light on oil or even dry.
Another reason behind lanes being dry might be a deliberate choice by the bowling alley. There are different oil patterns that you’ll come across, and some of them are drier than others. This is why you should always keep an eye for dry lanes and be prepared to deliver your A-game no matter the conditions.
Make sure you carefully test out each lane to identify its patterns. If you run into dry lane conditions, you’ll have the best bowling ball for dry lanes if you go with any of our picks in this article. Even though dry lanes can be finicky, they’re challenging in a fun way, especially if you’re well prepared.
In the next section, we’ll be giving you some tips that will help you step up your game when you’re playing in dry lane conditions. If you follow these tips while using the right bowling ball, you’ll have no issue when bowling in these conditions.
How to Bowl on Dry Lanes
The biggest turn off for people when it comes to bowling on dry lanes is that the bowling ball construction won’t have an impact. Dry lanes require much more raw skill than other lanes, and it’s all about the right technique and bowling ball.
Here are some bowling on dry lanes tips that you can apply right away:
1. Bowling Ball Layout
There are 3 kinds of layouts for a bowling ball:
- Early rolling layout
- Arching layout
- Flip layout
The latter is the most suited for dry lanes. If you go with any of our picks for the best bowling ball for dry lanes, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.
2. Throwing Technique for Dry Lane Conditions
On dry lanes, we recommend going with balls that have lesser hook since they’re much easier to maneuver. Make sure that you minimize the movement of your finger while you’re releasing the ball. Take your fingers out of the ball and push it forward from the outside instead. Keep your thumb in the ball while tilting back your wrist so you can get more length.
3. Dry Lane Angle Adjustments
Each lane will require you to adjust the angle of your throws. To know which adjustments you need to make, just perform a regular throw and see if the ball leans to the left. If it does, then the lane is dry. Make sure to angle your next throws a bit to the left in order to adapt to the lane conditions.
4. Speed
When throwing the ball, make sure to increase the speed in order to avoid an early hook. This will also give the ball enough length and force to hit the pins. We recommend using a polished bowling ball for dry lanes.
Choosing the Best Bowling Ball for Dry Lanes
If you’re looking for the best dry lane bowling ball, there are certain criteria you need to take into account in order to pick the right choice. Two parts make up any bowling ball. There’s the coverstock, which is the ball’s surface, then there’s the core of the ball.
While there are other elements such as the weight plates and whole layout, the coverstock and core are the essential components that make or break a bowling ball.
When picking the best bowling ball for dry lanes, you need to pay close attention to the ball’s coverstock since it will control the ball’s reaction to the lane while the core will control its motion. We recommend a bowling ball that has a plastic-looking cover with a high polish. These balls will have stiff coverstocks that are perfect for dry lane conditions. Poly-urethane coverstock bowling balls are the best choice here.
Verdict
Now that you know how to deal with dry lanes, you should be able to handle them comfortably and deliver your best. Choosing the best bowling ball for dry lanes coupled with the correct technique will make playing in these conditions much easier and fun.
If you haven’t found anything you fancy in our list, refer to our buying tips, and you’ll be able to make the best choice confidently.
Last update on 2024-09-09 / Product Images