sliding/drifting 4 boards to the right.

[Ball99999]

I video taped myself tonight. So I will start on one board and at the end slide with my left foot ending up ~4 boards to the right. My lay down point tends to be close to the arrow and as such only a couple of boards next to my target which is more narrow than I was hoping for. I'd really like to swing it out a bit more.

Should I try square up and just try to walk a really straight line to the foul line and open my shoulders? Or should I stand far left and change my angle and walk straight with my shoulder along the ball path I want to go?

[Zothen]

The last sentance! The shoulder along the ball path.

Zothen

[Ball99999]

I feel like I am going to start a lot farther left, does this sound right?

Also when my ball hits the lane it is very close to the arrows.. am I lofting too much?

[noeymc]

you only loft your bowling ball about a foot onto the lane take your bowling towel lay it flat and try to hit right at the edge of it thats how i was showed when i was younger

[Tampabaybob]

Drifting 4 boards to the right is no big deal as long as you do it consistently. I drift a whole lot more than that, have tried for years to break myself of the habit and have basically given up. As Palmer Falgren told me one day when we were doing a learn to bowl class together, "If your living depended on it (walking straight) you'd have no problem doing it". So if you're not dependent on where your next meal comes from, don't be concerned.

If you want to swing the ball move your feet and target on the lane where your ball will slide out to the break point, and come back to the pocket. If it doesn't come back, then possibly you need a more aggressive ball or need to learn how to play the oil pattern you're on.

If you have access to Bowling This Month magazine, there's a very good article in there from last month about drifting. Check it out. If you can't find it let me know and I'll copy and paste it for you.

Bob

[MisterSinister]

I always drift left a little, no big deal. As long as you know it, and end up in the same spot, and make your adjustments from there.

[Tampabaybob]

I always drift left a little, no big deal. As long as you know it, and end up in the same spot, and make your adjustments from there.

Exactly......consistency is the name of the game.

Bob

[MisterSinister]

My buddy said to me a few weeks ago, "you walked off to your left last shot." Ummm, I do it every shot, for the last 3 years. So glad my friends keep a close eye on my game.

[The German Shepherd]

Drifting 4 boards to the right is no big deal as long as you do it consistently. Bob

True words. I don't know a single bowler who does not drift some. As far as your ball landing near the arrows, I would say that is way too much loft. If you notice players such as Chris Barnes, Mike Fagan and others, you will see that they do everything they can to lay their ball down as quickly as possible. When I first started watching these guys I thought they were all dropping the ball! I was thinking, "what is wrong with these guys?" Then I realized that loft is not what it used to be. It used to be important for the "loft and turn"thing, but in the new reactive area, things have changed....

Jay

[MisterSinister]

True words. I don't know a single bowler who does not drift some. As far as your ball landing near the arrows, I would say that is way too much loft. If you notice players such as Chris Barnes, Mike Fagan and others, you will see that they do everything they can to lay their ball down as quickly as possible. When I first started watching these guys I thought they were all dropping the ball! I was thinking, "what is wrong with these guys?" Then I realized that loft is not what it used to be. It used to be important for the "loft and turn"thing, but in the new reactive area, things have changed....

Jay

It's funny that you bring up Fagan, because this year he was using a lot of loft. On a lot of patterns, he was going straighter, and using loft to help him do that. Then there's Belmo who uses loft as well, but that is only because he is throwing over the left gutter because of the crazy angles he has to play.

[Ball99999]

Tonight I really tried to correct it. Still sliding right, even sometimes where the foot ended up parallel to the foul line. I'm going to have to really be conscious of pointing my foot left until I break this habit.

[Ball99999]

I think I figured it out. My right step is going way too far to the right. I see the pros do a step in front of the left on their third step.

[AZBowla]

This video might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY8HdN2XYvc

I'm going to be working on this myself for the next practice session. You basically want to walk like the approach is a tightrope, putting one foot in front of the other.

[Ball99999]

This video might help: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JY8HdN2XYvc

I'm going to be working on this myself for the next practice session. You basically want to walk like the approach is a tightrope, putting one foot in front of the other.

Yup I have Norm's DVD, it is short but keeps making more and more sense.

Thank god I video taped myself last night.. I saw it, I go from my second step to a huge third step to the right so of course my slide has no choice but to go to the right.

[AZBowla]

Well there you go, you're on the right track now.

Something I learned from the book I bought the other day was that the coach who wrote it never works on someone's release. He works on other parts of their game and the release improves as a result. So once you get your footwork down, and your swing timed correctly you might suddenly find your release is working better too.

Good luck and keep at it!

[billf]

I think I figured it out. My right step is going way too far to the right. I see the pros do a step in front of the left on their third step.

That's called a "crossover step". If you can get the correct angle when a pro does this, they will then have their body angled toward the target on the next step. It doesn't have to be a huge angle either.

I don't know if you have any experience with other sports or sniper training but they all have one thing in common concerning footwork. The closer together the feet are while stepping the less the horizon will move. Basically, they walk/run with one foot directly in front of the other as this stabilizes the head and body to reduce bouncing. So when you step as stated, the lane/target will actually move up and down. You're use to it so probably won't notice but your brain picks it up and now you're trying to hit a moving target.

[75lockwood]

I don't know if you have any experience with other sports or sniper training

someone as immature and discriminatory as ball99999 with sniper training? that's just terrifying :eek: