For a beginner, just rolling a bowling ball straight enough to keep it out of the gutter takes some practice. After all, the ball has 60 feet of lane in which to wander off track. You can learn to make a bowling ball go where you want it to go, however. You just need to master basic bowling ball techniques. Joining a local bowling league is a good way to practice and get advice.
Basics
Always roll the bowling ball rather than throwing it. Practice releasing the ball in a smooth, fluid motion. A thrown ball will skid and is inaccurate. Your approach is the key to bowling technique. The approach determines the direction the ball is moving when you release it, so the better your approach, the more accurate your bowling will be. Use a four-step approach to start, rather than the five-step method professionals use. The first step is the most important. In the four-step approach, you should take the first step with your right foot if you bowl right-handed and with your left foot if you are a left-handed bowler. Strive to make your initial step the same length and direction each time you make your approach.
Hook Shots
Bowling balls don’t rotate only in the direction of travel. When you roll, you impart spin that makes the ball rotate horizontally and at right angles to the direction of travel. These components of a bowling ball’s motion determine whether the ball will “hook." A hook shot occurs when you roll the ball so that it starts to curve when it reaches a break point. Once you master the hook shot, you can control the angle at which the ball strikes the pins.
Strikes
Your goal at the start of each frame is to make a strike by knocking down all 10 pins. To maximize your chances, you should make a hook shot that hits between the front center pin and the pin immediately to the right and behind it. If you bowl left-handed, you want the front center pin and the pin behind it and to the left. Avoid trying to hook the ball too sharply. In his article “Six Degrees,” Jim Loy points out that the best angle to make a strike is 6 degrees. A greater or smaller angle reduces your odds of a strike.
Spares
Picking up spares is a combination of strategy and accuracy. For a single pin left standing, a straight shot is best. You may want a small hook if the pin is the seven or ten on a back corner. Remember, all you need to do is hit the pin with any part of the ball. Other pin combinations are more difficult. “Splits” occur when pins are separated by empty spaces. The only way to pick up a spare when you have a split is with a hook shot that knocks one pin across to strike another. Each pin combination is different, so you need to learn the best type of shot for each one.
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