Improving your bowling average is the ultimate goal of any bowler who wants to concentrate seriously on her game. The key to doing this is to chain more strikes together and consistently pick up any spares that are left behind. By thinking critically about your shots and how you are progressing through your frames, you will be able to maximize the number of closed frames you have on a consistent basis and up your average.
Step 1
Calm yourself down mentally and focus on the shot at hand. Visualize where the shot will cross the arrows at the front of the lane and how it will hit the pocket. Think about a smooth approach to the foul line and when you need to release the ball.
Step 2
Adjust your bowling technique to compensate for errors. Help With Bowling notes that reading your ball after you've thrown it is one of the key factors you need to master if you want to hit multiple strikes in a row. "Don't expect to repeat the same stance and release with different results," the website states. If your ball hits to the right of the pocket, take a step to the left on your next throw to compensate.
Step 3
Monitor the lane conditions and choose an appropriate ball. Bowling lanes are oiled for the first two-thirds before the pins, and the amount of oil put down can affect how far your ball hooks and the number of revolutions it gets. Balls with a plastic cover stock hook less on drier lanes, whereas urethane or resin balls will hook more to compensate for oily lanes. As a lane is used, the oil will be dispersed by the balls being rolled down it. Adjust where you are throwing the ball so you continue to throw on an oil consistency suited to the amount you hook the ball.
Step 4
Memorize what angles most consistently pick up spares. You can get many different kinds of spares in bowling, ranging from the fairly simple single leftover pin to the nearly impossible 7-10 split. At times, throwing the ball cross-lane or with a large hook increases the size of the area you can hit and still pick up the spare. Think about the geometry of a shot and where the pins will go if you impact them on the right, left or center with the ball.
Step 5
Keep your emotions in check, regardless of how you are doing. It is easy to become frustrated on a gutter ball or excited on a strike. Remember that you must throw your ball with robotlike consistency if you want to continuously get strikes and spares. Save your celebration or self-deprecation for when the game is over.
Tips and Warnings
- Hit the pocket more often to get more strikes or leave yourself with easy spares. Practice regularly to perfect your shots and performance in pressure situations.
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