Calculating Distance and Speed
Ball Speed
Maximum bowling ball speed is at the point of release of the ball. As soon as it is released, the ball will begin to slow down because of the friction between the bowling ball and the bowling lane. A bowling ball will typically lose about 3 to 3 ½ mph from the time it is released until the time it hits the pins.
A fast speed would be 19 mph or greater, medium speed between 17mph and 19mph , and slow speed less than 17mph. To calculate the average bowling ball speed, determine the elapsed time (in seconds, i.e. 2.52) from the moment of the release of the ball to the moment of impact on the pins, then divide this number into 40.91 (i.e. 40.91/2.52 = 16.23 mph).
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