Does your swing have to go close to your slide foot ankle to be a good bowler.......

[Hammer]

I have been bowling for 42 years. I don't think my swing goes close to my ankle but I still can bowl good games. I am on a senior league and a lot of the old bowlers don't come close to their slide foot ankle at all and they throw plastic straight balls. I can bowl anywhere on the lane from straight down the boards over the ten board or I can move all the way to the right and throw over the center arrow to get to the pocket. Sometimes I have to adjust that depending on how the ball hits the pocket and what it leaves. I get a lot of nine count spares if I don't strike. I was going to have my teammate watch my swing to see where my ball passes by my ankle. I am left handed by the way. So anyone have thoughts about this?

[J Anderson]

I have been bowling for 42 years. I don't think my swing goes close to my ankle but I still can bowl good games. I am on a senior league and a lot of the old bowlers don't come close to their slide foot ankle at all and they throw plastic straight balls. I can bowl anywhere on the lane from straight down the boards over the ten board or I can move all the way to the right and throw over the center arrow to get to the pocket. Sometimes I have to adjust that depending on how the ball hits the pocket and what it leaves. I get a lot of nine count spares if I don't strike. I was going to have my teammate watch my swing to see where my ball passes by my ankle. I am left handed by the way. So anyone have thoughts about this?

Generally speaking, the closer your ball is to your ankle/lower leg the more you will be in balance as you execute the shot. This usually leads to better accuracy and consistency. However after 40+ years you have probaly developed enough consistency to score well without being text book perfect.