Wondering what does a polishing ball do and if it’s a good idea to get it done? If you are a professional bowler, then you must know that studies have found surface finishes to be a big determinant of how a best bowling ball reacts when going down the alley.
If you want to give your best performance, then it is important you always keep your bowling gear clean and tuned.
Cleaning your bowling ball will not be difficult if you have access to the correct chemicals and cleaners, but tuning might require a little more effort.
So, what does polishing a bowling ball do?
All balls come with a specific factory finish which is also known as the “box finish”. While a lower grit number creates a more aggressive finish on the ball, it also creates more traction. Dull sanded balls tend to become rather glossy when the peaks wear down. On the other hand, if a ball is highly polished, then it becomes vulnerable to scratches in the track area after a while. This can lead to problems once you roll the ball down the alley.
Just a ball cleaner will not be enough to maintain your excellent performance. You will have to treat your bowling balls with some extra love and care if you want them to come through for you. This is where polishing comes in. The right polish will restore the bowling ball to its best condition so that you can have a hassle-free experience.
There are different kinds of gel polishes available in the market which you can use to make your bowling balls look as good as new. Some of them multitask as a ball cleaner which makes it very easy to use. You can use these formulae on polished bowling balls whenever you feel that it is losing its touch.
This will help tune your performance according to your needs. You are also free to use the polish on sanded equipment if you find that the ball is reading the lane very early. This will help create more skid length and hence improve your overall game.
Polished bowling balls that have a higher grit rating are also known to be more durable in general. They will have to be resurfaced less frequently because the profile tends to wear down much more slowly as a result of which they will last longer.
You should be really careful about altering the surface of your bowling ball because it makes an enormous impact on your game. If you do not anticipate in from beforehand, you will be surprised during the game which is highly unwanted. In case you are in the middle of playing a tournament, you should check their rules to see whether they allow alteration of the bowling ball surface just to be on the safe side.
When to polish?
After a bowling ball arrives at your home polished and new from the factory, it wears down based on the amount of usage. In fact, the factory polish can completely wear off if you play 6 to 12 games, depending on the surface of the bowling alley.
As a result, your bowling ball may begin to hook earlier and lesser in the backend of the lane. You will be able to hit the pocket with a lower entry angle and that will make it much harder for you to strike. You will end up leaving more corner pins which will effectively destroy your pro game. As the polish starts disappearing, you will see that the track area has become much duller.
It will roll up early on the lane which means that you will lose significant ball reaction towards the back end. The ball will not skid down the lane smoothly making the ball’s hook less aggressive. If the ball skids through the front part of the lane, it will retain more energy for the final hook.
If you polish your bowling ball regularly, you will be able to keep it looking new. Moreover, its reaction will be consistent and you will not be in for any undue surprises.
Polishing:
When you polish your bowling ball, you are effectively reducing the skid and friction which the ball faces as it rolls down the lane. As a result, it conserves energy which can be later utilised when it hits the pins.
You can polish your bowling balls with different kinds of compounds and ball polishes. Compounds usually have a moderate effect. When you use a ball polish containing a slip agent, it will give you the maximum length and least hook.
You need to experiment in order to find the polish that works best for your ball. It’s your answer to what does a polishing ball do.
Thanks! Erica Barker