How to "project the ball down lane?"

[fsbjcm]

My bowling coach tells me that I "push the ball down on the release". This causes the ball to start picking up a little too soon, causing rollout. He says that I need to "project the ball further down lane", I asked if he meant loft, and he said no. I'm confused. I've read that I could try looking at the second set of arrows, but there are no second set of arrows where I bowl. Any suggestions of things I might try?

[RobLV1]

There are two things that you can do together: target at the reflections of the pins, ie., left side of the top of the left side of the reflection of the six pin, right side of the bottom of the reflection of the three pin, etc., and make sure that you focus on following through toward your target rather than up toward the ceiling. The follow through will still go up, but it will go up later, after the ball is totally off of your hand.

[fsbjcm]

Thanks for the tip! I will certainly try that. Am I looking at the spot where it breaks in relation to the pin reflection? I'm not sure where that is. I'm normally just left of middle dot throwing down 10. I'm guessing my mark for the reflection would be somewhere on the right side of the 6 pin?

[RobLV1]

It all depends on the angle that you are looking for. Start half way between the reflection of the three pin and the reflection of the six pin and adjust from there.

[Aslan]

I struggle with that as well. It's why I aim for the arrow area rather than the dots. The dots are closer and easier to hit…but I find my self just dropping the ball and not projecting it down the lane.

On the other hand, I still struggle with my follow-through because when I try to follow-through I still have the tendency to create more loft rather than "roll". I also tend to create more "speed" when trying to get more follow-through…so it's a work in progress.

But I think it is important to your game to be able to project it down lane. I see a LOT of new bowlers that just walk up and almost 'drop' the ball…and they can't figure out why they can't consistently hit the pocket. And then there is me on the other side of the spectrum…and sometimes I project "too much" and either loft the ball 15 feet or try to "guide" the ball.

[Amyers]

I don't really loft the ball like as aslan does but I do not have that smooth you can't hear the ball hit delivery that some of the guys have man would I ever like to be able to do that. I struggle with projecting the ball thing too. When I started it was back in the days of reach to the celling and it makes sense to me that there aren't pins on the celling but I'm not sure exactly where the line is or how to put that concept to work. I don't think I really can tell if the ball is off my hand when it raises or not. That happens quickly and I don't have that good a feel for my swing.

[rv driver]

I don't really loft the ball like as aslan does but I do not have that smooth you can't hear the ball hit delivery that some of the guys have man would I ever like to be able to do that. I struggle with projecting the ball thing too. When I started it was back in the days of reach to the celling and it makes sense to me that there aren't pins on the celling but I'm not sure exactly where the line is or how to put that concept to work. I don't think I really can tell if the ball is off my hand when it raises or not. That happens quickly and I don't have that good a feel for my swing.
In my day it was "reach out," not "reach up." Getting past that old habit is really, really hard.

[fsbjcm]

I already use the first set of arrows to target (as opposed to the dots when I first started.). I'm going to play around with before league tomorrow and see how it does. I did notice that during cosmic bowling (or whatever it's called), I couldn't see the arrows, and was just throwing it to a spot downlane with actually very good results. Probably the same concept.

[Shaneshu87]

i run into this problem too, were there is no second set of arrows or "cheater marks" is what my grandfather calls them. i have adjusted to using the reflection of the pins as well and my target is the tip of the 6, when i figured this little trick out a few years ago my average went up tremendously

[Perrin]

i run into this problem too, were there is no second set of arrows or "cheater marks" is what my grandfather calls them. i have adjusted to using the reflection of the pins as well and my target is the tip of the 6, when i figured this little trick out a few years ago my average went up tremendously

I use the reflection of the pins for dry shots. The tracer for not quite so dry. slicker patterns my mark is at the arrows. I use my focal point as another way to change the reaction of the ball. Crossing 10 at the arrow vs. crossing 10 at 20 feet can make a significant difference.

[dnhoffman]

release later?

[rv driver]

release later?
Seems reasonable. but wouldn't that affect timing?

[RobLV1]

When you release IS timing. This is really not something that you want to mess with.

[fsbjcm]

I've been playing around with looking at the reflection of the pins with mixed results. It does seem to help me project the ball down lane, but I'm having a harder time hitting my mark. May just take more practice to get it just right. I started by throwing my normal shot at the arrows and looked at where the ball is in relation to the reflection. Then look at that spot and try to throw it there. When I hit it just right it's perfect, but I'm only hitting the mark maybe 2 out of 3.

[RobLV1]

Apart from where you target, look at your momentum and your spine tilt. Traditionally we were taught to finish high and keep our backs straight so that we could "lift" the ball. Today, the armswing doesn't go up, it goes out toward your intended line. With spine tile and an armswing that continues out toward your intended line, you WILL project the ball, regardless of where you target.