Aiming difficulty

[Hendu71]

Hi all,

So, I ran into what I guess was my first dry lanes since taking up bowling seriously and getting my own equipment. It was at a new place that I've never been before (more popular), and late in the evening, when I guess the lanes were in their worst condition.

It was a nightmare. My reactive ball that normally barely hooks at all, was guttering on the left when hitting the 2nd arrow from the right. I had to stand ALL the way to the left, practically touching the ball return, then hit the first arrow to even get a brookyln. The entire time I was riding the right gutter just to get any strikes, and guttering often. I was scoring high 100s at my normal lanes, and this time I did not break 100 in 8 games. Now, I realize that most people would probably say use a plastic ball when this happens, but I don't have one yet and house balls don't really fit me. It was really irritating.

So back to my main issue. A lot of the videos I'm watching have tips that seem counterintuitive to me. A lot say that that you should walk straight ahead, one foot in front of the other, and that your swing should be in a perfect pendulum motion and not wrapped around the body, ball aligned with your head. That adjustments should be done on the boards with your feet. I don't know if that's correct or not, but doing that and getting to the ball to move diagonally immediately after release seems impossible. So, I was trying to do that, with the exception that I was throwing diagonally with my arm, with very inconsistent results.

Any idea what I can do to improve my aim at the arrows? Thanks!

[Aslan]

I'll let the true coaches answer this...I'm sure they have some basic first steps to try.

But...when you're looking at aiming...it kinda depends on what you're trying to get the ball to do. I line up so my left foot is about 10-boards left of my target. That's about the distance from my left foot to the center of the ball in my other (right) hand. So my ball goes somewhat straight up my target board...and then starts making a turn based on which ball, the revs, and the lane conditions.

Now, if you're on really long patterns...sometimes you have to straighten that line out...a more direct shot at the pocket. Sometimes on drier or shorter patterns, you have to move inside and throw more towards a break-point area. And in those cases...I BELIEVE you still want to walk a straight path...but your shoulders aren't gonna necessarily be parallel to the foul line. Otherwise, you're right, the ball will just go straight up the middle, not out and in.

One thing I was taught was "belt buckle to the target" or "reach out toward the pin/leave with your follow-through". So if you start moving inside...and you're target is still a bit outside...you STILL walk the straight path...but you open up slightly at the foul line to hit your target. But remember, when you're moving laterally...your TARGET moves WITH your feet. You may do a 1-1, 2-1, 3-1, or even 5-1 move (feet-target)...but if your target doesn't move with your feet...you will quickly get to a point where you're throwing it directly in the gutter or you subconsciously will "drift" with your feet toward the target.

[J Anderson]

Hi all,

So, I ran into what I guess was my first dry lanes since taking up bowling seriously and getting my own equipment. It was at a new place that I've never been before (more popular), and late in the evening, when I guess the lanes were in their worst condition.

It was a nightmare. My reactive ball that normally barely hooks at all, was guttering on the left when hitting the 2nd arrow from the right. I had to stand ALL the way to the left, practically touching the ball return, then hit the first arrow to even get a brookyln. The entire time I was riding the right gutter just to get any strikes, and guttering often. I was scoring high 100s at my normal lanes, and this time I did not break 100 in 8 games. Now, I realize that most people would probably say use a plastic ball when this happens, but I don't have one yet and house balls don't really fit me. It was really irritating.

So back to my main issue. A lot of the videos I'm watching have tips that seem counterintuitive to me. A lot say that that you should walk straight ahead, one foot in front of the other, and that your swing should be in a perfect pendulum motion and not wrapped around the body, ball aligned with your head. That adjustments should be done on the boards with your feet. I don't know if that's correct or not, but doing that and getting to the ball to move diagonally immediately after release seems impossible. So, I was trying to do that, with the exception that I was throwing diagonally with my arm, with very inconsistent results.

Any idea what I can do to improve my aim at the arrows? Thanks!

It is very difficult if you're used to throwing straight down the tenth board to start throwing the ball left to right. The first problem is that your feet want to head off in the direction that you're looking. (This also explains the high incidence of fender-benders by young male drivers on nice warm sunny days.) Second is that you're used to keeping your shoulders parallel to the foul line.

I think one way to improve would be to practice using different arrows as your target. I've read that one of Mark Roth's favorite practice games was to start with the first arrow as a target and use that until he had a double, then move to the second arrow, third arrow and so on.

[Aslan]

I think one way to improve would be to practice using different arrows as your target. I've read that one of Mark Roth's favorite practice games was to start with the first arrow as a target and use that until he had a double, then move to the second arrow, third arrow and so on.

Dam. Thats actually a cool drill.

[Hendu71]

Great tips. I will try that next time I go. Thanks!

[Amyers]

Part of this is understanding what the lane conditions actually are also. If there is still plenty of oil left in the middle than using that moving farther inside left with the feet and with the target (for a right handed bowler) is the best option if you are doing this getting the ball back out to the first arrow is actually counter productive because your introducing the ball back to the dry lane area. I typically target and are of say 15-17 at the arrows (3rd arrow or slightly farther inside) and try to keep the ball inside of 10 (second arrow) so I just barley bounce my ball off the dry. If the front middle part of the lane has no head oil though and they are just totally fried this doesn't help the ball will just start hooking as soon as it hits the lane and you will never get the ball to move far enough right for it to work. On those conditions the only thing I have found success with is plastic.

[Aslan]

Yeah. There are lots of lines to play...and lane conditions are crucial in deciding which one to play.

I LOVE playing the 4-7 boards. I'll play down and in all DAY LONG if I can. But...if the outside is too dry...and/or the track starts getting burnt up...that shot quickly goes away for my more aggressive equipment...and then I play a dangerous game of trying to find weaker equipment that isn't going to hit too weak and leave me with washouts.

I ALSO LOVE playing the the track (2nd arrow). If I miss a little left...the oil keeps it from being a disaster. If I miss right...there's some dry there to help it back. BUT...since EVERYONE plays that track...it can burn up rather quickly and pretty soon you've went through 4-5 balls trying to stay in the track.

I DON'T like moving inside the 12-board. I find that I have to be much more precise playing that line because a miss left could be too left and leave something like a 5-9. But a miss slightly right isn't likely coming back...and I'm leaving a 1-2 or worse. Not to mention, as MWhite always says..."You need to find some dry to get the ball to hook." Me playing in the oil...straight up the board...that ball doesn't encounter any dry until 40ft...and my revs are too low for it to snap quickly. Which is also why a more INSIDE inside line isn't worthwhile...not enough revs to hit that breakpoint area around 8-9 and have it come back.

My inability to generate revs...limits me from "opening up the lane" which is a term you'll hear often on PBA telecasts. Power players can stand left gutter and hit that breakpoint and get a great angle into the pocket and great carry. But thats significant, pro level revs to get a Pearl cover stock out to the 8-9 boards at 20mph and have that ball snap back into the pocket.

[Perrin]

Hi all,

So, I ran into what I guess was my first dry lanes since taking up bowling seriously and getting my own equipment. It was at a new place that I've never been before (more popular), and late in the evening, when I guess the lanes were in their worst condition.

It was a nightmare. My reactive ball that normally barely hooks at all, was guttering on the left when hitting the 2nd arrow from the right. I had to stand ALL the way to the left, practically touching the ball return, then hit the first arrow to even get a brookyln. The entire time I was riding the right gutter just to get any strikes, and guttering often. I was scoring high 100s at my normal lanes, and this time I did not break 100 in 8 games. Now, I realize that most people would probably say use a plastic ball when this happens, but I don't have one yet and house balls don't really fit me. It was really irritating.

So back to my main issue. A lot of the videos I'm watching have tips that seem counterintuitive to me. A lot say that that you should walk straight ahead, one foot in front of the other, and that your swing should be in a perfect pendulum motion and not wrapped around the body, ball aligned with your head. That adjustments should be done on the boards with your feet. I don't know if that's correct or not, but doing that and getting to the ball to move diagonally immediately after release seems impossible. So, I was trying to do that, with the exception that I was throwing diagonally with my arm, with very inconsistent results.

Any idea what I can do to improve my aim at the arrows? Thanks!

the trick is to walk straight with the boards but you have your shoulders and swing-plane in line with your mark/intended line. so Feet | shoulders \ (righty) obviously not twisted that much but I think that gets the idea across

One trick I use a lot is to actually angle my feet slightly but still walk straight so it's almost a walking sideways thing. it helps me with mentally getting past the slightly twisted shoulders.

You can see it with a lot of the pro-bowlers approaches when they show then from the right and front. especially when they are playing deep on the lane. you can see that their shoulders are in line with their target line not with the lane and they maintain that angle throughout the approach