Rev rate is how many times your bowling ball turns in one minute, measured in revolutions per minute (rpm). Most one-handed bowlers sit somewhere between 300 and 350 rpm, with about 325 rpm as the average, while two-handed bowlers often go well past 500.
Your rev rate comes mostly from your release: how your wrist, fingers and timing work together as the ball leaves your hand.
The number on its own does not tell you much. What matters is how your revs match your ball speed, because that balance decides how early, how hard and how reliably your ball hooks.
What Is Rev Rate in Bowling?
A rev is one full turn of the ball around its axis. Rev rate is how many of those turns the ball would make in a minute at the speed you put on it at release.
Of course, no ball stays on the lane for a minute. The USBC points out that a ball thrown at about 17 mph is on the lane for only 2 to 3 seconds, so rpm is a rate, not a count of how many times the ball turns on its way to the pins. Two bowlers can both see the ball turn about a dozen times on the lane, but if one of them is much faster, their rev rates are different.
More revs mean the ball reacts more strongly when it reaches the drier part of the lane. Fewer revs mean a smoother, flatter hook. Neither is wrong on its own, and plenty of great bowlers have won with low rev rates.
What Is a Good Rev Rate?
About 300 to 350 rpm is average. Under about 300 rpm is usually called a stroker, 300 to 400 rpm a tweener, and 400 rpm or more a cranker. Two-handers commonly sit between 500 and 700 rpm or higher.
Rev Rate by Bowler Type
Typical ranges. Plenty of bowlers sit between two types.
The USBC warns that labels like stroker, tweener and cranker are often handed out without anyone actually measuring the bowler's revs. So treat these as rough groups, not boxes. A good rev rate is simply one you can repeat shot after shot and that fits your speed.
From my experience, the bowlers who worry most about their rev number are rarely the ones who would gain the most from changing it. A repeatable release usually does more for your scores than an extra 50 rpm.
How Do You Measure Your Rev Rate?
The easiest way is to film your shot from behind, count how many times the ball turns on its way to the pins, time the trip, then divide the revs by the seconds and multiply by 60.
- Mark the ball. Put a strip of white or contrasting tape on the ball, ideally from your axis point to just above the finger holes. It makes each turn easy to see.
- Film from behind. Set your phone up behind the approach so you can see the whole trip from release to the pins.
- Count the revs. Play the video back slowly and count how many full turns the tape makes from release to the pins.
- Time the trip. Note the time from the moment the ball leaves your hand to the moment it hits the pins. Most phone video players show this.
- Calculate. Rev rate = revs ÷ seconds × 60. For example, 13 revs in 2.4 seconds is about 325 rpm.
This gives you a good estimate, but it is an average over the whole lane. The USBC says the truest reading of what you put on the ball comes right after release, when the thumb and fingers have just come out.
For that, it uses a frame-by-frame method. Starting from the first frame after the fingers leave the ball, watch how far the tape turns in 10 frames, read it like the hours on a clock face, and multiply. On 30 frames per second video, hours turned × 15 = rpm. On 60 frames per second video, which most phones record, it is hours turned × 30.
Many bowling centres and pro shops now also have ball tracking systems, such as Specto, that measure rev rate, speed and other numbers for you. If you have access to one, it is the most accurate option.
When I film my own shots, I take three or four on the same line and work out the rev rate for each one. One shot can easily be an outlier; the average of a few tells you much more.
Why Does Rev Rate Need to Match Your Speed?
Because revs and speed work against each other. More revs make the ball hook earlier and harder, more speed makes it skid further before it hooks.
- Speed dominant: too much speed for your revs. These are bowlers with over 17 mph with fewer than 300 rpm. The ball skids through the breakpoint and hooks late or barely at all.
- Rev dominant: too many revs for your speed. The ball reads the lane early and can hook too much, especially on drier lanes.
- Balanced: the ball skids, turns and rolls through the pins in a predictable way, which makes it easier to repeat and to adjust.
That is why two bowlers with the same rev rate can need completely different equipment. If your ball goes too straight, our guide on why your bowling ball is not hooking walks through the speed side of the problem, and our guide on bowling ball speed covers how to change your speed in a controlled way.
Your rev rate is also only one part of ball motion. Axis rotation and axis tilt decide what kind of roll those revs turn into. Our guide to axis rotation and axis tilt explains how the three work together.
How Can You Increase Your Rev Rate?
Most rev rate gains come from a relaxed grip, a better wrist position at release and cleaner timing. It is a slow process, measured in weeks and months of practice, not one session.
- Work on your wrist. A modern release loads the wrist (cupped) in the swing and unloads it through release. You can practise the motion without a ball, using a football or a release training tool.
- Relax your grip. Squeezing the ball slows your hand down. A grip that lets your thumb come out cleanly frees the fingers to lift and turn the ball. If your thumb hangs, read why your thumb gets stuck in your bowling ball.
- Use a fingertip grip. With only the first knuckle in the ball, the fingers stay in longer and can turn the ball more than with a conventional grip.
- Check your pitches. More forward pitch in the thumb and some reverse pitch in the fingers can help the hand stay relaxed through release. A pro shop can adjust this.
- Fix your timing. A straight swing that arrives at the line with your slide foot puts your body in the right position to release the ball with leverage.
- Try a lighter ball. Going down 1 lb often makes it easier to get the hand in the right position, and many bowlers see a small gain in revs.
- Consider two hands. The two-handed style produces the highest rev rates in the game. Our guide to two-handed bowling covers the basics.
For the release itself, step by step, see our guide on how to hook a bowling ball.
The change that helped my own release most was the simplest one: holding the ball more lightly. It felt strange for a couple of sessions, but the ball started coming off my fingers instead of my palm.
Is a Higher Rev Rate Always Better?
No. More revs give you more hook and more pin action, but also less margin for error. A small miss with a high rev rate can turn into a big miss at the pins.
High-rev bowlers often need weaker equipment, more speed or a straighter line on dry or short patterns, where the ball would otherwise hook too early. Lower-rev bowlers often have the easier time on those lanes and the harder time on heavy oil. Our guide to bowling oil patterns explains how the lane changes what works.
Your revs should also guide your equipment. A higher rev rate usually suits smoother, more controllable balls, while a lower one gets more help from stronger covers and cores. Our guide to the difference between symmetrical and asymmetrical bowling balls explains the core side. To see how a core's numbers change the timing, read what RG means in bowling.
The USBC's advice is to find your range, from the lowest to the highest rev rate you can produce, and only practise and compete with the ones you can repeat. A rev rate you can trust on every shot is worth more than a big number you hit once in a while.
If your revs are fine but the ball still goes straight, read our guide on why your bowling ball is not hooking next.
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FAQ
What is a good rev rate in bowling?
About 300 to 350 rpm is average for a one-handed bowler. A good rev rate is one you can repeat and that matches your speed, roughly 50 rpm for every 1 mph.
What is the average rev rate for a two-handed bowler?
Two-handers usually rev the ball much more than one-handers, commonly 500 to 700 rpm or more. Without the thumb in the ball, the fingers stay in longer and the second hand supports the ball through the swing.
How do I calculate my rev rate?
Film your shot from behind, count the revolutions from release to the pins and time the trip in seconds. Divide the revs by the seconds and multiply by 60. For example, 13 revs in 2.4 seconds is about 325 rpm.
Does a higher rev rate make the ball hook more?
Yes, at the same speed. More revs make the ball read the lane earlier and hook harder. Throw faster and the extra revs are partly cancelled out, which is why speed and revs need to be in balance.
Can a lighter ball increase your rev rate?
Often, yes. A ball 1 lb lighter is easier to control at release, so many bowlers can get their hand in a better position and add some revs. Work on your release first, though: a lighter ball will not fix a hand that stays behind the ball.
