Get your head right...

[swingset]

In the last year, I've added just over 25 pins to my average, going from 190 to a present 217 in leagues.

Before that, and going back to the 1980's when I was a teenager and played more avidly, my average never moved much. In fact, I was a quite reliable 190 pin shooter. I've always been consistent, to include consistently erratic at hitting my mark. Not bad, but just never could dial in that "same spot, every time" ball...and my average showed it. But in the last 12 months of practice and playing, I've started to string together many more strikes and my spare shooting has become very reliable, in fact other than splits I'm picking up 97.2% of my leaves. That's up almost 10% from last year.

So what changed? It wasn't one thing, it was a lot of things, but the most significant and meaningful change has been what my head is doing while I bowl....namely putting it over the ball at address, and keeping it steady and in the swing plane through delivery. Although I've made other small tweaks to my approach, this has been the "biggie" that has put the brakes on the errant shooting. While I'm not perfect, and still occasionally break form, I'm hitting the marks much more consistently.

I will not prescribe the same results to other bowlers should they clean this part of their game up (as I see on leagues and in videos many many people with their head bobbing and moving to counter-balance the ball far away from the swing), because many other issues can dog a player's consistency or throw them off, but I've certainly realized the importance of it and found that it not only improves your swing but a steady head that's not moving up, down & sideways makes focusing on your mark and keeping it in your vision all the way through release is easier too.

It also more naturally brings the back swing in a line (and not behind the back). If you can keep your head aligned, and your swing "free" without muscling it, you are going to see more consistent shot making.

All of this is predicated on having decent timing and another crucial step (something I've also changed for the better) which is getting your right foot out of the way of the downswing (walking the tightrope).

This is the article and advice that set me on some of these much needed improvements to my game, maybe it can help some players here too...

http://www.kegeltrainingcenter.com/v...px?iKodYazi=17

[classygranny]

Great info and relation of personal experience - Thanks for sharing!

[Pauley]

Congrats on the improvement. Looks like you picked two great things to work on!

[sprocket]

Thank you for sharing this. I've read about how important the position of the head is and is good to hear real world results! This is something I will focus on in the future for more consistency. Thanks!

[RobLV1]

Sounds like you're getting sound advice from Joe Sloinski. For anyone interested, he has started a group on Facebook call DYDS (Drop Your Damn Shoulder), where you can post a video and get some input from him, and read some real good advice.

Rob Mautner

[Bunny]

DDYS helped me improve my scores.

I really enjoy Joe's instruction and methodology.