What type of squash ball would be best for you depends on how
experienced a player you are and the general rule is that the
more experienced you are, the slower your ball should be and the
lower its bounce. Here are some tips on how to recognize the
best ball for you.
In order to help you choose the right ball, a color-coding
system has been developed which divides balls on the market
today into five categories based on how slow they play and how
high they bounce. Every squash ball is marked with one or two
colored dots, which indicate their speed and bounce height, and
by knowing what the colors mean you can pick just the right ball
for you.
The double-yellow dot ball is presently the championship
standard as this ball is extra slow and has a very low bounce.
The yellow-dot ball that was the championship standard until the
recent introduction of the double-yellow dot ball is a slow ball
with a low bounce. The next in the series is the green or white
dot ball, which is a slow ball with an average bounce, and then
comes the red dot ball with its medium speed and its high
bounce. Lastly there is the blue dot fast ball with its very
high bounce, which is perfect for beginners.
There are also three types of squash ball that have been
developed for very specific purposes. The orange dot ball is a
variant on the double-yellow dot ball and is used in high
altitude locations where low atmospheric pressure increases a
ball's bounce. This increase in bounce is countered by the fact
that the orange dot ball has an extremely low bounce dynamic.
Squash ball manufacturer Dunlop has also developed the Max Blue
ball and the Max Progress ball, both of which have the instant
bounce and longer hang times needed to help the junior players.
Like squash rackets, clothing and other equipment, squash balls
are manufactured by well known sports' companies including
Prince, Head, Wilson and Dunlop. A squash ball is made out of
two pieces of rubber compound glued together and the resulting
ball, which is hollow, is then buffed to develop a matte finish.
Squash rules do not insist on the wearing of helmets while
playing the game but, as a ball can travel at up to 170 miles
per hour, helmets are advisable.