How Heavy Are Sports Balls? (Weight Comparison Guide)

From ping pong balls to football, most sports include throwing or hitting balls to achieve victory.

These balls come in all different colors and sizes. But have you ever wondered how heavy are sports balls?

In this article, we’ll give you a weight comparison guide for different sports balls. This guide will help you understand how these weight differences can impact the game.

How Heavy Are Sports Balls?

Sports balls come in all different shapes and sizes. After all, you can’t expect a golf ball to weigh the same as a soccer ball!

Size isn’t the only determinant of a ball’s weight. There are rules in each game that dictate how much a standard ball should weigh.

That said, let’s check out some of the most popular sports balls and their weights.

1. Ping Pong

Ping pong is basically a miniature indoor version of tennis. Accordingly, the ball is small and super light, weighing 0.095 ounces (2.7 grams). It also has a diameter of 1.57 inches (40mm).

Some table tennis balls weigh around 0.0917 ounces (2.6 grams). However, they tend to be slower and less stable than heavier balls.

2. American Football

In American football, the ball can weigh around 14 to 15 ounces (425 grams). Nevertheless, if the weather is particularly windy, the ball can be swayed. Since the game involves throwing the football over a long distance, cold weather calls for heavier balls.

Naturally, youth and junior football players won’t be able to throw such heavy and large balls. So, footballs are available in different sizes for each age group.

Here are all the American football sizes and their recommended ages:

Size Number	Size Name	Weight (ounces)	Diameter (inches)	Length(inches)	Age (years)
Size 5	Pee Wee	10	17.5	24	6 to 9
Size 6	Junior	11	18.5	25	9 to 12
Size 7	Youth	12.5	19.25	26.25	12 to 14
Size 9	Official	14 to 15	20.75 to 21.125 inches	27.75 to 28.5	14 and older

3. Basketball

The standard weight of an NBA basketball is 21 to 22 ounces (588 to 616 grams). The pressure of the ball and the amount of air inside can also influence these numbers.

Additionally, basketballs come in different sizes, depending on the ages of the players. For example, junior players can start with a lighter ball that weighs only 8 ounces (225 grams), which is the smallest basketball size.

The following table includes all basketball sizes and their weights:

Size	Weight (ounces)	Circumference (inches)	Age (years)
Size 1	8	16	4 and under
Size 3	10	22	4 and under
Size 4	14	25.5	5 to 8
Size 5	17	27.5	9 to 11
Size 6	20	28.5	12 to 14
Size 7	22	29.5	15+

4. Soccer

There are precise rules regarding the weight of a standard soccer ball. According to the FA, a soccer ball should weigh around 14 ounces (410 grams) to 16 ounces (450 grams) at the beginning of an official match.

Further, soccer balls come in different sizes and weights to be suitable for players of all ages. Let’s check out different ball sizes and their weights.

Size	Size Name	Weight (ounces)	Circumference (inches)
Size 3	Junior	11 to 12	23 to 24
Size 4	Youth	12 to 13	25 to 26
Size 5	Adult	14 to 16	27 to 28

5. Volleyball

A standard volleyball can weigh around 9 to 10 ounces and have a diameter of 8.15 to 8.39 inches. Yet, professional-level balls can be slightly heavier, weighing 11 to 12 ounces.

All in all, the ball’s weight is crucial in this sport, as it affects the speed and height of a serve.

6. Golf

In professional golf, the maximum weight of a ball is capped at 1.620 ounces (45.93 grams). Nonetheless, there’s no restriction on the minimum weight.

Generally, lighter balls can travel faster, but they’re more affected by wind and other conditions. On the contrary, heavier balls can travel farther, giving the golfer an unfair advantage. For this reason, there’s a golf ball weight limit.

7. Tennis

There are different types of tennis balls, each with a certain rebound level and deformation. Regardless of the tennis ball’s type, all official tennis balls weigh between 1.975 to 2.095 ounces (56 to 59.4 grams)

Sports Balls Weight Comparison

Now that you know why sports balls have different weights, you can easily deduce which balls are the lightest and which are the heaviest. Still, the following list compares different ball weights, ranked from the lightest to the heaviest:

Sport Ball	Weight (ounces)	Diameter (inches)
Table Tennis	0.095	1.6
Squash ball	0.8 to 0.9	1.56 to 1.59
Racquetball	1.4	2.25
Golf	1.62	1.68
Tennis ball	1.975 to 2.095	2.575 to 2.7
Jai Alai	4.4 to 4.9	2.2
Baseball	5 to 5.25	2.8 to 3
Lacrosse ball	5 to 5.2	2.47 to 2.55
Cricket	5.5 to 5.7	2.8 to 2.86
Field hockey ball	5.5 to 5.7	2.81 to 2.94
Softball ball	6.25 to 7	3.82
Volleyball	9 to 10	8.15 to 8.39
Dodgeball ball	14	8.5
American football	14 to 15	17.5 to 21.125
Rugby ball	14 to 16	Long 11 to 12 / short 7.27 to 7.77
Soccer ball	14.8 to 15.7	8.5 to 8.8
Team handball	15 to 16.75	7.3 to 7.5
Basketball	21 to 22	9.4

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What’s the heaviest ball in sports?

Shot put is all about throwing a heavy metal ball as far as possible. Typically, male athletes use a ball that weighs around 16 lbs (7.26kg). On the other hand, female athletes use a lighter shot, weighing approximately 8.8 lbs (4kg).

2. What’s the lightest ball in sports?

Table tennis has the lightest ball, weighing only 0.095 ounces (2.7 grams).

3. Is a baseball bigger than a softball?

No. Softballs are bigger and heavier than baseballs. They can weigh between 6.25 and 7 ounces. On the other hand, baseballs only weigh around 5 to 5.25 ounces.

Additionally, baseballs have a standard size of 9 to 9.25 inches, while softballs can be anywhere from 11 to 16 inches.

In Conclusion

So, how heavy are sports balls?

Sports balls can be as light as 0.095 ounces or as heavy as 16 lbs, depending on the sport. Some sports use small, lightweight balls, like table tennis, pickleball, and golf. On the other hand, some sports, like soccer, football, and basketball, use heavier balls.

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