walk direction and ball placement direction

[Beagle]

understand there r 2 schools of thought on walk direction. relatively straight or parallel to target line. parallel to target line is self explanatory, but will phase out as u move deep...walking straight u want to finish somewhere close to board u started on. but when doing so do u place ball towards target or straight? have seen conflicting info all over the place on this.....

[RobLV1]

It's actually one and the same. When we play "down the boards" as we do on a house shot in the track area we walk straight which IS parallel to the target line. As we move left, the tendency is to start walking a little bit right which is still parallel to the target line. This would be O.K. if this were as far as it went, but it's not. As we move further left, if that tendency is allowed to continue, we reach a point where the angle created by the direction of our feet becomes so severe that it becomes virtually impossible to trust the shot and stay behind the ball, so we start to come over the top of the shot to help to get it back, and lose all the power in the release as a result.

A little bit of drift to the right is O.K. as long as it is limited to a board or two. The shoulders and hips should be opened up to the intended target line, and the armswing should go in the direction of that line.

[Hammer]

Now I am confused. When I watch the pros on YOUTUBE if they are playing deep it looks like they walk straight or a little left and swing straight. What seems to make the ball go over the target right they are aiming at is that on the forward swing the ball comes down close to the side of their body and takes an inside out direction to their target because of the open shoulders at the release. So am I right in thinking that what Rob is saying is when playing deep you walk straight or a little left but while doing that your swing swings out to the target you are aiming at as you make your approach? Rob, I thought in another post you said when you are making your approach you walk straight or a little left and swing straight but on the forward swing the ball will tuck close to the body and make you have an inside out swing which will make your ball go right with the help of the open shoulders you have in your setup before you start your approach. I would like to get this straightened out also. HELP!

[JohnnyG]

The key components of an effective bowling arm swing are speed control and accuracy to your target. Tempo and direction have always been keys of successful arm swings..Great tips!

[RobLV1]

There are several ways to accomplish this, however, the most understandable is discribed in the illustration that is in the lower right corner of the banner illustration on my website, www.Modern-bowling.com. I apologize, but I tried to drop this illustration into a response yesterday, and the computer is not allowing me to do it (at 65, I'm not exactly Mr. Techno, but I'm doing my best). Just walk straight, open the shoulders and the hips, and make sure that your armswing going in the same direction as your intended angle.

[Hammer]

So the answer to my question is walk straight or a little left but swing to your target arrow on your approach.

[Beagle]

Hammer u r correct. almost all place ball straight and not towards target when playing deep.....that's why so confusing. if u push/place ball toward target when walking straight isn't ur armswing out of the 4'' pro groove that they preach about

[RobLV1]

No! If your shoulders and hips are facing your intended target line, it does not get you out of the "pro groove." If you walk to the right and throw left, THAT gets you out of the pro groove and over the top of the ball.

[Aslan]

we reach a point where the angle created by the direction of our feet becomes so severe that it becomes virtually impossible to trust the shot and stay behind the ball, so we start to come over the top of the shot to help to get it back, and lose all the power in the release as a result.

I experienced this today. I tried to play "inside" (relatively speaking)…left foot on board 25-28 and throw toward the 11-board. If I try to stay behind the ball or even do my standard "suitcase" style release; the ball simply cannot make it back and misses the headpin right. I "was" able to strike….but I had to "try" to get revs by coming over top the ball…and of course lowering the speed < 14mph. Leads to some very weak hits, lots of 10-pins, 5-pins, 7-pins, and 4-7s.

[RobLV1]

Okay, let's look at this using simple mathematics. If you are standing on 28, your laydown point should be around 20 (giving you the benefit of the doubt). If you lay the ball down on 20, and throw it straight to a target of 11 at the arrows, it will be in the gutter before it gets to 25 feet. Targeting 11 is not "playing inside." If you are standing 28 and laying down on 20, you should be targeting around 14-15. You need to get the whole concept of trying to help the ball out of your mind, and just let it go!