Racquetball - What Color Ball Should I Play With?

Unless you play racquetball religiously, you probably don't know why racquetballs are colored and what attributes each has, according to color. Yeah, I know. You just thought they were colored for ascetic reasons. Me too!

There are numerous manufacturers, some of which make balls across the color spectrum, while others choose to only make one or two of the colors. The colors of the balls allow you to quickly determine the speed and the bounce of the ball, though this will also vary slightly among different manufacturers. The exact specifications for racquetball construction seem to be an industry secret though.

Black racquetballs are reminiscent of the first racquetballs that were placed in play. A bit lighter, softer and therefore, slower, using this ball does not result in as much strain on the body, can result in longer rallies and is pretty popular with many senior players. Ektelon makes a line of black balls and they are also the official play ball of the Classic Pro Racquetball Tour, the CPRT.

The blue racquetball is the most common type for the "average" recreational player. They have an average speed and bounce associated with them, though different manufactures may have a bit more bounce or speed. You can find blue racquetballs my Ektelon, Penn and ProKennex.

The purple and green racquetballs are the next in line and are part of Penn's Pro Penn line. They play a bit faster than the blue balls, but not as fast as the red. These balls make for quite vigorous play and the only difference between the purple and the green is the color. Many people prefer the purple color for its visibility and when the ball is moving that fast, being able to see the ball well can be critical. The International Racquetball Tour, the IRT, has adopted the Pro Penn HD Racquetball as their official ball.

The red and orange racquetballs possess extreme colors for extreme play. Highly visible, they need to be, as they are the heaviest, the hardest and the fastest balls on the market. You will find that Penn and Ektelon make a line of red balls, while ProKennex has produced an orange ball that fits the bill as well. Their speed and visible color make this ball exceptional for outdoor play. In fact, the red ball, Ektelon's Fireball, is the official ball in use by World Outdoor Racquetball, WOR.

You will also find that there can be a huge price difference in the ball that you buy. If you are just a recreational player, then price may be deciding factor, though many of the pros figure that no price is too high for the perfect ball that provides the play and action they crave.

Along with playing sports, Joseph enjoys landscaping his yard. He gets his supplies from Garden Harvest Supply, they have products such as brown lawn edging and mulch mats!