Bowling Ball Speed Chart

Written By: Rich Carubba | Written On: Wednesday, January 23, 2019 | Updated On: Tuesday, January 7, 2025

Using a bowling ball speed chart

Using a bowling ball speed chart will help you determine your ball speed at impact with the pins. If you wish to learn more about your speed control and average ball velocity, then use the bowling ball speed chart below to identify information relating to your delivery style.

Following the guidelines provided by the manufacturers and the United States Bowling Congress' (USBC) recent Ball Motion Study regarding optimum ball speed will help you determine if you need to alter your normal ball speed range for the best results.

The information compiled from field studies shows that an effective bowling ball speed is about 16-17 miles per hour (mph) measured at impact with the pins and about 20-21 mph when the ball is released onto the lane, plus or minus one mph tolerance, and about 18 mph overall average speed.

Typically, a bowling ball takes about 2.5 seconds elapsed time, plus or minus 0.15 seconds, to contact the pins at an instantaneous velocity of 16.7 mph, a recommended time by USBC and by ball manufacturers. This is very near 18 mph average velocity.

Factors Influencing Ball Speed

Elapsed travel time varies in accordance with three key factors:

• Lane oil conditions
• Bowling ball coverstock surface texture
• The amount a bowling ball hooks as it travels down the lane

Measuring Your Ball Speed

Using the help of a friend, deliver a series of shots down the practice lane while your friend clicks a stopwatch at the precise moment you release the ball from your hand and then clicks it again at the precise moment your bowling ball contacts the head pin. Using a stopwatch is one way to determine the elapsed time your ball takes to travel down the lane and impact the pins.

This elapsed time information can be calculated into an instantaneous speed at impact with the pocket so you will know roughly how close your speed matches the USBC field studies and the manufacturer’s recommendations for the best ball speed to provide optimum performance and pin carry.

Bowling Ball Speed Chart

Here is a Bowling Ball Speed Chart to help you convert your elapsed time into ball speed data:

Elapsed Time	Ball Speed
3.0 sec.	13.9 mph
2.9 sec.	14.4 mph
2.8 sec.	14.9 mph
2.7 sec.	15.4 mph
2.6 sec.	16.0 mph
2.5 sec.	16.7 mph
2.4 sec.	17.4 mph
2.3 sec.	18.1 mph
2.2 sec.	19.0 mph
2.1 sec.	19.9 mph
2.0 sec.	20.8 mph

Conclusion

As we can tell from the chart, the elapsed time it takes your ball to reach the pins gives you a good idea if your speed range aligns with the recommended speed by the ball companies or the USBC field studies. Being in the middle readings of the chart suggests you are in good shape with your average ball speed and should strive to maintain that speed when bowling competitively.

If your speed is slower or faster than the mid-range readings on the chart, consider making adjustments to your technique to alter your delivery speed. Without access to specialized measuring devices like the C.A.T.S. (Computer Aided Tracking System), a stopwatch is a reliable alternative for estimating your bowling ball speed.

Use a series of deliveries and average the results to get an idea of your ball’s speed. Keep in mind that variables like lane oil conditions, the amount you hook the ball, and the ball’s surface texture can influence the results. If you have uncertainties, consult with a certified coach or bowling professional to refine your technique and achieve consistent speed control.

Maintaining a consistent and effective ball speed is a crucial factor in achieving high scores. By understanding and controlling your ball speed using the Bowling Ball Speed Chart, you can improve your performance on the lanes and enjoy greater success in your bowling game.

Because of this, use of the stopwatch system and the Ball Speed Chart can help you get a fairly close reading of your speed and can thereby lead you to determine if you require adjustments to your delivery speed, either faster or slower, to best match with the optimum speed the computer data offers.

Variables such as the volume of oil used in the lane dressing procedure, the amount you hook your bowling ball, and the texture of the surface of your ball are all contributing factors in measuring elapsed time readouts by use of the stopwatch method.

If you have uncertainties, we highly recommend you consult with a certified coach or local bowling professional to learn more about your present ball speed and how to make any possible adjustments in technique to develop effective ball speed control. Any coach will tell you that once you find the right ball speed at a given time you are bowling, maintaining consistent speed control is a key factor in producing good results and high scores.