Developing Better Accuracy

Bowling Tips Index:

Bowling Terminology and The Lane

Bowling Etiquette

Keeping Score

Perfect Strike

Spot Bowling

Four Step Approach

Picking Up Spares

Developing Better Accuracy

Adjusting to Lane Conditions

Mental Game

To be a consistent bowler you must have perfect accuracy. The biggest factor is the position of the shoulders and your non sliding foot or balance foot. It is essential to keep your shoulders aligned with your target line in the stance, throughout the approach, and during the release and follow through. The following are the most common problems resulting inaccuracy.

Open and Closed Shoulders

The shoulders can either be open, straight, or closed in relation to the lane. Open is when they are turned away from the center pin. Straight is when they are aligned with the foul line. Closed is when they are turned from the center pin. As stated before: For the best accuracy the shoulders must be straight in relation to the target line.

Open Shoulders = Ball Out. The ball will miss to the right for Right Handed Bowlers, for left handers it will miss to the left.
Closed Shoulders = Ball In. The ball will miss to the left for Right Handed Bowlers, for left handers it will miss to the right.

Improper timing usually causes the problem of the opening or closing of the shoulders. This usually begins with the first step of the approach. If you move your hand and foot as one during the first step, you shouldn't have this problem. Its important to realize: A perfect start equals a perfect finish.

To solve this problem: try lowering or raising the ball in the stance, if you are having problems timing your arm swing to meet your feet movements.

If your arm swing is faster than your feet movements, you should raise the ball to chest level in the stance.
If your arm swing is slower than your feet movements, you should lower the ball to waist level in the stance.

Shoulder Rocking

Another problem that hampers bowler's accuracy is the rocking the shoulders back and forth during the approach. This results in erratic ball behavior and inaccuracy.

The cure for rocking is simple: Keep your spine tilted in the same angle as in the stance. It is important to keep everything aligned throughout the entire approach. It may help to imagine balancing a glass of water on your shoulders, and that you cannot spill a drop during your approach and delivery.

Drifting

The last problem that can impede a bowler's accuracy is the drifting either left or right during the approach. This results in inaccuracy.

To determine if your drifting, note which boards you begin your stance (you should beware of this anyway), proceed with your approach, and after the shot, check which boards you are on. If you ended up over 3 boards to the right or left of where you lined up in the stance you are drifting.

The alignment dots that you use to line up with in your stance are in line with the reference dots beside the foul line. Thus, if you lined up with the center alignment dot, you should be in line with the center reference dot near the foul line.

As with an inaccurate arm swing, drifting is usually caused by improper timing. If the arm swing is not properly timed with the footsteps, the body will not be balanced properly. This can result in the body drifting right or left.