For bowlers, choosing the right bowling ball can be a lengthy process. With so many bowling balls on the market, it’s hard to determine which ones are going to be winners. We polled our staff and determined the top bowling balls from the past year based on their responses.
Summary (TL;DR)
Here’s our picks for the top bowling balls from the past year. Continue reading for more information:
- Top Overall: Hammer Black Widow Ghost
- Top Solid Reactive: Columbia 300 Power Torq
- Top Hybrid Reactive: Track Strata Hybrid
- Top Pearl Reactive: Black Widow Ghost
- Top Urethane: Hammer Purple Pearl
- Best Choice for League Bowlers: Ebonite GB4
- Best Choice for Tournament Bowlers: Hammer Obsession Tour
- Best Value: Hammer Raw Series
- Best Benchmark Ball: Ebonite GB4
Top Overall
Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl
Everyone knows the Black Widow line to be one of the most successful line of balls in bowling. The Ghost Pearl is no exception. The Gas Mask core has always been a hit and seems to work with combination of cover and finish. The white pearl color on
this ball looks incredible and makes what would already be a top choice into an easy best seller. We polled a large number of team members and this ball was easily in the number 1 slot for top overall.
The Black Widow Ghost Pearl features the original Gas Mask core shape the bowling world knows and loves and is combined with a Carbon Fiber outer core for durability and power. This familiar core system is wrapped with Aggression Pearl and has a 500, 1000, 1500 Siaair / Crown Factory Compound finish.
2nd Choice: Hammer Obsession Tour
Top Solid Reactive
When Columbia 300 introduced the Power Torq, they made it clear that this is not a remake of the successful ball from the early 1990s. The name was revisited to pay homage, but the ball features new technology in the core and coverstock. The versatility of this ball makes it the favorite amongst solids, as you can use it on a variety of patterns.
The cover is the ERT base and is poured in a solid, and does contain a light load of traction-enhancing sparkle. The Power Torq is a solid, sanded ball but is not your heavy oil ball. It is designed to work on various conditions and will likely prove to be your most versatile ball.
2nd Choice: Hammer Obsession
Top Hybrid Reactive
This category saw the least amount of separation at the top. There were several balls that our team members loved and could rank as the top hybrid. The Strata Hybrid ended up on top as a big, strong hybrid that can really attack the lane. Track staffer Dave Han was pleasantly surprised with the reaction he saw from this ball. 
“My expectation between the hybrid cover and polish would be cleaner through the front and perhaps a bit more backend. However, what I got was a smoother, more forward rolling ball.”
With the Strata core wrapped around the QR-11 Hybrid cover, you can expect this to be a “1st out of the bag” type hybrid. It is finished with a coat of Crown Factory polish.
2nd Choice: Hammer Scorpion
Top Pearl Reactive
Hammer Black Widow Ghost Pearl
Yep, the top overall choice was also the top pearl choice (obviously). If you didn’t read the description from above, check it out here! Everyone knows the Black Widow line to be one of the most successful line of balls in bowling. The Ghost Pearl is no exception.
The Gas Mask core has always been a hit and seems to work with combination of cover and finish. The white pearl color on this ball looks incredible and makes what would already be a top choice into an easy best seller. We polled a large number of team members and this ball was easily in the number 1 slot for top overall.
The Black Widow Ghost Pearl features the original Gas Mask core shape the bowling world knows and loves and is combined with a Carbon Fiber outer core for durability and power. This familiar core system is wrapped with Aggression Pearl and has a 500, 1000, 1500 Siaair / Crown Factory Compound finish.
2nd Choice: Columbia 300 Eruption Pearl
Top Urethane
Was there any question here? The Hammer Purple Pearl has been the hottest ball since its release. 
The only people who have anything negative to say about it are those who aren’t able to throw it. If you’re in the market for a urethane piece, I don’t know why you would go any other direction. That’s not to say there aren’t other good choices; I just see those as secondary choices. The Purple Pearl is the standard for urethane balls.
2nd Choice: Radical Double Cross
Best Choice for League Bowlers
Not unlike the Black Widow line, the Game Breaker series has been a staple in the bowling world producing top ball after top ball for years. The new GB4 Pearl gives that same predictable motion you’d expect from a Game Breaker at a price 
point that can’t be beat. This makes it the top choice for league bowlers. Plenty of performance, reliable on a variety of lane patterns, and affordable for most budgets.
Compared to the GB4 Solid, you can expect a much cleaner ball motion with excellent continuation. This ball will not be the longest and strongest pearl ball in your bag. However, it will be the most versatile and useful on a wide variety of conditions.
2nd Choice: Hammer Raw Series
Best Choice for Tournament Bowlers
The Obsession and Obsession Tour have the same core shape; however, the Tour edition differential is .016 points lower, creating less flare, less hook, and a more controllable 
reaction compared to the regular Obsession. The Obsession Tour uses an updated version of the Tour cover found on the Web Tour balls.
The Obsession Tour will create a unique reaction that will allow many players to stand closer to the dry and be great for higher rev players. This makes it an ideal choice for tournament bowlers who are constantly bowling on tougher conditions. Obviously when it comes to tournaments, you’ll want to have multiple balls to attack different patterns, but the Obsession Tour is a good start.
2nd Choice: Hammer Purple Pearl
More from the Obsession line
Best Value
This was the easiest choice from our polled team members. Almost everyone agrees, the best ball for the price is the Hammer Raw. This series includes 4 different color choices; 1 solid, 1 hybrid, and 2 pearls. These are perfect choice for the new bowler looking to buy their 1st ball, as well as the experienced bowler looking for a lower end ball at a great price. The term ‘value’ implies that the performance is absolutely still there. This ball may be less than $100, but it is still in the same league as some higher priced balls.
Hammer Raw – Black (Solid)
Hammer Raw – Orange/Black (Hybrid)
Hammer Raw – Blue/Silver/White (Pearl)
Hammer Raw – Purple/Pink/Silver (Pearl)
2nd Choice: Ebonite GB4 Pearl
Best Benchmark Ball
The Game Breaker series from Ebonite has been the brand’s most famous in recent years because
of its performance and value. Most Game Breakers have fallen in that benchmark category, and in the past year, the GB4 has proved to be tops in that spot once again. Your benchmark ball is that first ball you pull out in practice to get a feel for how the lanes are playing that day. It’s your reliable, predictable motion right in the middle. An ideal arsenal will include a stronger ball and a weaker ball that you can adjust to based on how your benchmark is performing.
2nd Choice: Brunswick Knock Out Black/Blue
More from the Game Breaker line
Additional Resources
Use these additional articles to help narrow down your selection when buying a bowling ball:
How to Choose: Your 1st Bowling Ball