Disaster!!!

[GrumpyCatFace]

Le sigh...

So my bowling has been getting back on track, albeit slowly. Bowled great last week at league, highest score yet.

Then this weekend at practice, I made a terrible mistake. I walked straight.

You see, I’ve had a chronic drift to the right, for all of my 2 year bowling career. I told myself it wasn’t that bad. I could handle it. And it was fine... until I corrected it.

Now I’m flailing all over the lane, and struggling to break 100. All balance and form is gone. But my slide foot finishes where I started.

Is it even worth it to relearn the game again? Do I just accept that I’ll always be 5 boards off at the line?

At the root of this, I just can’t seem to balance with a weight on one side, and aiming off to that side. So I’ve always kinda taken my 2nd step right in front of the crossover step (4 total). Now, I’m putting that step out where it belongs, and letting it carry me away from the ball - which destroys my balance.

One solution was to put it more behind me on the backswing, but this resulted in a flailing gutter ball. Or two. Or more.

I’m at a total loss. How do people do this and stay balanced?

[RobLV1]

It'a got nothing to do with how you're walking. It's your timing. Concentrate on posting your shot (holding your follow-through) until the ball has exited the pin deck. It you can do that, your timing is good. If your timing is good, you'll stop throwing flailing gutter balls.

[Amyers]

A consistent drift is not unfamiliar to decent bowling and something way to many people get too caught up in. Balance is the sole issue with the approach. One of the best bowlers I know bowls wrong footed how he balances like that I have no idea but it works for him and he's more stable at the line than I am. Make sure your drift is consistent but otherwise don't worry about it. In my opinion as long as you are within a board or two consistently your fine for average league bowling purposes. It really makes no difference if you drift 7 boards or 1 board as long as it's consistent.

[J Anderson]

A consistent drift is not unfamiliar to decent bowling and something way to many people get too caught up in. Balance is the sole issue with the approach. One of the best bowlers I know bowls wrong footed how he balances like that I have no idea but it works for him and he's more stable at the line than I am. Make sure your drift is consistent but otherwise don't worry about it. In my opinion as long as you are within a board or two consistently your fine for average league bowling purposes. It really makes no difference if you drift 7 boards or 1 board as long as it's consistent.

It’s generally conceded that consistent drift away from the side you throw with is okay. So a right handed bowler who always slides 9 boards left of where he or she lines up is fine. If the drift is different every time they need to aim at least at their break point if not beyond it. The problem with drifting toward the side you throw from is that your body is moving into the path of the ideal swing. If it’s only one or two boards you can probably get away with it.

[boatman37]

I drift a few boards right (lefty here).