After you’ve gotten a grip (pun intended) on how to hold a bowling ball, it’s important to learn where you should aim in order to knock down the most pins. This article will teach you how to consistently hit the right spots and cut down on your gutterballs.
Spot Bowling: Shifting Your Focus
There are two major ways of aiming in bowling, pin bowling and spot bowling.
When you’re a beginner, it’s most likely you will be looking at the pins when you throw the bowling ball. After all, they are your ultimate target so it makes sense to look at them when you’re making your shot.
This is known as pin bowling, and although it can be effective, there is actually a better way to do it. Instead of looking all the way down at the pins, you should keep your focus closer to you.
Spot bowling is the preferred method, and this means aiming at the target arrows spread across the lane about 15 feet down from the foul line. If you aim your ball according to these seven arrows, you will have a much better chance of consistently hitting your target.
The reasoning behind this makes sense if you think about it. The pins are 60 feet away from you, while the arrows are much closer to you.
It is much easier to hit a target that’s closer rather than farther, and if you can hit the right arrow, your ball will most likely continue down that path and hit the right pin.
Where to Aim?
But which arrow is the right one to aim for? This question does not have a simple answer as it depends on a variety of factors including your own bowling style as well as the lane conditions.
If you throw a relatively straight ball, you should aim for the center arrow, as this corresponds to the head pin.
As you might know, however, hitting the this pin directly head-on often leads to splits, so it’s good to hit it at a slight angle, a spot which is known as the pocket, which leads to maximum pin action and more strikes.
The spot in between the 1 and 3 pins is the pocket for right-handers (see diagram on right), while it is between the 1 and 2 pins for lefties.
Because of this, it’s a good idea for the right handed bowler to aim slightly to the right of the center arrow, and the lefty to do the same on the left side. If you throw a ball that hooks or curves, factor this in to your arrow selection.
In order to make sure that you are starting from the same position every time, take note of the dot or board you are standing on in the approach area and make sure to line your feet up with that spot each time.
If you successfully hit your target arrow but your ball does not hit the pocket, either switch your aim to the next arrow (or the spot in between two arrows) or adjust the placement of your feet.
Since no two bowlers throw the ball exactly the same way, your results will vary. Learning how to aim in bowling is very much a process of trial and error. If you keep at it, however, you will discover what is the best for your own stroke.
Soon you’ll be wondering how you ever managed without the arrows!