Your search for the best bowling ball for house shot conditions will likely turn up a ton of contenders claiming dominance over such oil patterns. However, there is definitely a much more finite and select group of bowling balls on the market today which can actually back up those claims with peak performance in house shot conditions.

Our list of the Top 6 Bowling Balls for House Shot in 2021 runs the gamut through a variety of different types of bowling balls with differing strengths and weaknesses. However, the unifying thread between all six of them is that they are primed to up a bowler’s mark count when faced with a typical house shot in league games or otherwise.

Top 6 Bowling Balls for House Shot in 2021 

1) Brunswick Twist

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While the Brunswick Twist has been perfected for use on dry lane conditions, it’s a fantastic house shot bowling ball for those looking for easy lane length leading into a powerful (and controllable) back-end reaction. Its overall reactivity is on the mild side. That makes it a perfect house shot ball for straight-line bowlers and those with easier, less sharp hooks to their credit.

Specs

Color: Black, Gold, Silver
Core: Twist Low Differential (Symmetrical)
Coverstock: R-16 (Reactive Pearl)
Finish: 500 Siaair / Crown Factory Compound / Crown Factory Polish
RG: 2.591
Differential: 0.018
Flare potential: Minimal
Recommended Lane Condition: Dry

Pros

  • The high-RG, low differential combination of the Brunswick Twist Low Differential core provides the ball its signature lane length and makes it an easy ball to keep slotted into the pocket.
  • The motion of this ball is very predictable and easy to learn for those who struggle with the overreaction of high-performance bowling balls.
  • The durability of the Brunswick Twist’s pearlized coverstock is undeniable. It hits hard and takes a beating without cracking or chipping.

Cons

  • While this ball performs admirably on medium oil patterns, it absolutely flattens out and loses its way in the deeper stuff. Keep this ball bagged when oil density is at its highest.
  • There just isn’t enough overall hook potential and angularity in the Brunswick Twist for those looking for a more aggressive strike ball.

2) Roto Grip No Rules

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The Roto Grip No Rules is versatile enough to attack fresh house shot conditions and the depleted aftermath with equal vigor and strength. It reads the middle of the lane like a book before jutting into an angular breakpoint motion worth videoing to watch over and over again. This ball turns oil into its own private playground. You’ll clear the fronts easily and quickly with this in your arsenal. 

Specs

Color: Neon Green, Neon Orange, Black
Core: Chaotic (Asymmetrical)
Coverstock: Micro DNA (Reactive Solid)
Finish: 2000 Grit Pad
RG: 2.51
Differential: 0.053
Flare potential: Significant
Recommended Lane Condition: Heavy

Pros

  • The Micro DNA reactive solid coverstock is an absolute superstar when it comes to initiating traction in the densely-oiled middle of a house shot. You’ll slot this ball easily into the pin pocket in the deeper stuff.
  • The Roto Grip No Rules makes full use of its Chaotic asymmetrical core design, offering peak angularity late which will open up your entry angle possibilities and increase your pin carry.
  • The rough box finish on this ball acts like studded snow tires in the deepest of oil. You’ll easily get the friction you need when you need it for some amazing hooks and fiery pin impact.

Cons

  • This ball will get unwieldy and lose its overall course in dry and medium-dry oil conditions. It needs oil to track itself and to feed its back-end reaction.
  • Asymmetrical core balls this aggressive will be tricky for bowlers with a straight-line throw or who like their hooks smoother and more predictable.

3) Storm Code Red

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The Storm Code Red pairs the proven RAD4 asymmetrical core design from the Code Black with the R2S Hybrid Reactive coverstock which set the bowling world alight as a key feature on the Storm Hy-Road. The result of this mixing and matching is a primed house shot bowling ball which garners impressive traction and angularity on medium and heavy oil patterns.

Specs

Color: Red Pearl, Red Solid
Core: RAD 4 Asymmetric (Asymmetrical)
Coverstock: R2S Hybrid Reactive (Reactive Hybrid)
Finish: 1500 Grit Polished
RG: 2.50
Differential: 0.058
Flare potential: Significant
Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Heavy

Pros

  • The Storm Code Red allows a multitude of different bowlers to throw from their most comfortable spot and still find success getting it slotted into the pin pocket.
  • This ball portends very easy lane length before revving up to an impressive degree in the middle of the lane. This leads into a distinct and strong move on the back end.
  • The hitting power of the Storm Code Red reverberates back down the lane. You can feel a difference when this ball hits and hits right.

Cons

  • The Storm Code Red’s reactivity and firepower will taper off as oil patterns start to deplete. Be sure to keep a change-of-pace ball in your arsenal for when things dry up.
  • Those looking for a smoother, more natural ride down the lane may be a little lost with the Storm Code Red’s innate angularity.

4) Roto Grip Show Off

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The Roto Grip Show Off may be the best value in the already affordable Roto Grip HP2 line. In fact, it has the most hook potential and angularity of any ball we’ve tested at such a price point. Whether your house shot conditions are a true medium or skew medium-heavy, this ball will turn any oil it sees into dynamite at pin impact.

Specs

Color: Lime, Purple, Blue
Core: Hotshot (Symmetrical)
Coverstock: Micro-Bite (Reactive Solid)
Finish: 2000 Grit
RG: 2.55
Differential: 0.045
Flare potential: Moderate to Significant
Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Heavy

Pros

  • If you want maximum hook potential for minimal investment monetarily, you’ve got the perfect ball lined up in the Roto Grip Show Off.
  • The flare potential of this ball offers some unique lateral movement and can open up different possibilities for increasing pin carry and garnering crazy pin trajectories.
  • This ball gets revved up super easily and will do a ton of damage riding down the deep middle of a typical house shot pattern.

Cons

  • This ball gets baked hard on the dry and loses a lot of its overall hook potential. You don’t want this ball leading the charge when oil conditions are sparse or depleted.
  • The Roto Grip Show Off will vex straight-line bowlers who are unable to account for its angularity and tendency to flare at will.

5) Pyramid Path Rising

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Another great house shot option for bowlers on a budget, the Pyramid Path Rising does a fantastic job turning mid-lane traction into sneaky firepower on the back end. Not only will it gives you good length and a sudden back-end reaction worth the price of investment, it will also work well when conditions get depleted and you need to keep chugging along.

Specs

Color: Aqua, Silver Pearl / Black, Silver Pearl / Black, Hot Pink Pearl / Blue, Dark Blue Pearl / Enchanted Black, Teal, Silver Hybrid / Kelly Green Sparkle Pearl / Purple, Steel Blue Pearl / Red, White, Blue Pearl
Core: New Era 139 (Symmetrical)
Coverstock: Path Reactive Pearl (Reactive Pearl)
Finish: 1500 Abralon Polished
RG: 2.550
Differential: 0.032
Flare potential: Moderate
Recommended Lane Condition: Dry, Medium

Pros

  • This ball provides a great house shot balance of control down the center of the lane paired with the ability to rev up quickly for powerful pin carry after impact.
  • The Pyramid Path Rising’s rough polished box finish will turn the freshest of fronts into fuel for some worthwhile back-end theatrics.
  • This coverstock is durable enough to provide ample play life while also being strong enough to hit the pins like a wrecking ball time and time again.

Cons

  • This ball is not calibrated for wading in the slickest and deepest of oil conditions. It will either see its firepower muted or it will simply skid off the lane without much fanfare.
  • The total angularity of this ball leaves something to be desired. This ball is for those bowlers who predicate control over a variety of potential pin entry angles.

6) Hammer Gauntlet Fury

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The Hammer Gauntlet Fury is a top performer on house shots thanks to its off-kilter angularity and impressive recovery on the back end. There isn’t a better ball on this list when it comes to truly dominating medium oil patterns and turning any wet stuff into fuel for an incendiary breakpoint motion. You’ll hit hard with the Hammer Gauntlet Fury from a variety of angles. 

Specs

Color: Purple, Smoke, Orange
Core: Gauntlet (Asymmetrical)
Coverstock: Semtex Pearl CFI (Reactive Pearl)
Finish: 500 / 1000 Abralon Polished w/ Powerhouse Factory Finish Polish
RG: 2.50
Differential: 0.050
Flare potential: Significant
Recommended Lane Condition: Medium-Heavy

Pros

  • The hitting power of Hammer bowling balls is undeniable. The Hammer Gauntlet Fury is no different, turning efficacious energy storage into a burst of crushing force upon pin impact.
  • This ball’s recovery at the back of the lane will surprise you. Even if a throw feels off, you’re likely to get away with it if you’re anywhere near the pin pocket.
  • This ball gets more angular and more explosive than any of the other balls on this list. It simply hits the pins differently and it’ll show in your scores.

Cons

  • Do not take this ball out when oil conditions are dry or depleted from marathon game play. This ball will be almost impossible to control without oil to track it.
  • There is a ton of innate firepower in the Hammer Gauntlet Fury which may be too much for some bowlers to tame. Be honest with where your game is at before investing in this aggressive beast of a ball.

FAQs

What does house shot mean?

For normal league bowlers, a house shot may be the only oil pattern they’ll ever play on. While professional and tourney players face a wide variety of different oil patterns and lengths, the majority of league bowlers will only see a house shot when they play.

In short, a house shot in bowling is another name for a standard league oil pattern. While there is always variance to contend with, they are usually set up and laid out in very similar fashion.

What is a typical house shot in bowling?

A normal bowling house shot concentrates the majority of its oil in the middle of the lane. It usually blends to a very dry oil density on the outside portions of the lane. This standardized oil pattern is meant to forgive errors and off-throws while providing the potential for most bowlers to post better overall scores.

A typical house shot usually lands as a medium on the oil condition scale. They may skew a bit medium-dry or medium-heavy, but it’s usually balanced at medium to even the playing field for league bowlers.

What pound bowling ball should I use?

You shouldn’t correlate the weight of your bowling ball with the oil conditions you’re facing because that’s a recipe for overtaxing your arm. Throw the heaviest bowling ball you can comfortably and repeatedly throw efficaciously. 

Don’t undersell yourself and throw a lighter ball just to be safe, either. Take a few shots with a house ball at a higher weight during a practice game and see if you could feasibly translate that to your normal strike ball in league games.

What is a good bowling ball for medium oil lanes?

Of the six balls listed above, the Hammer Gauntlet Fury offers the most overall hook potential and firepower in medium and medium-heavy oil conditions. Once you get the Hammer Gauntlet Fury slotted into the pocket on medium oil patterns, you’ll undoubtedly see increased pin carry and some amazing scoring upticks!  

Closing Thoughts

Finding the best bowling for a house shot comes down, simply, to finding the best bowling ball for you which can take medium-oiled lanes effectively but deals well with changes in density and uses them to its advantage.

Any one of the six bowling balls on the above list can dominate a typical house shot with the right bowler behind it. Invest in one of these house shot bowling ball gems and your overall scoring average will thank you!