How to Hit Certain Spares in Bowling

Most novice bowlers focus so hard on bowling strikes that they neglect the throw they make on the second shot, resulting in a number of open frames. While strikes are nice, the key to scoring well while bowling is to make your spares. For example, if you bowled a 9 and picked up the spare in every frame, you would bowl a 190--without ever throwing a strike. Approaching the pins in much the same manner that you would a strike ball and shooting for any pockets that are left are the keys to hitting certain spares in bowling.

Instructions

    • 1

      Single pin spares should always be hit head on. Try to throw a straight ball if you can when picking up single pin spares. Stand on the other side of the lane and square your shoulders with the pin you are trying to knock down. For example, if you are right-handed and trying to knock down the 10 pin, stand on the left side of the lane and face the 10 pin squarely. Release the ball in the middle of the lane to hit the pin squarely.

    • 2

      Use the same tactic discussed in Step 1 to pick up multiple pin spares that are lined up together, such as the 3-6-10 spare or the 4-7 spare. Hit the lead pin head on to prevent the possibility of having the lead pin wrap around and miss the pins behind it.

    • 3

      Approach a "bucket" spare (such a 2-4-5-8) in the same way that you would a strike throw. Aim for the pocket created by the front pin and the pin off to the right for a right-handed bowler (in this case the 2-4) or the front pin and the pin off to the left for a left-handed bowler (in this case the 2-5). Hit that pocket squarely with your ball and all the pins should scatter.

    • 4

      Aim to place the ball evenly between the two pins of a "baby split" (such as the 5-6) so that both pins will scatter at the same time; other splits that should be dealt with the same are the ones with two pins where one pin is forward and one pin is slightly behind and either to the right (such as the 4-8) or left (such as the 5-8).

    • 5

      Multiple pin spares, such as the 2-4-5-8-9, should be shot in a way that knocks down the most pins, if not all. For example, for a right-handed bowler, the 2-5 pins in the example form a pocket, which is where your ball should be directed--a properly placed ball should knock down all of those pins.

    • 6

      Shoot splits so that the forward pin is angled into the other pin or pins. For example, a right-handed bowler with a 5-10 split would want to graze the 5 pin so it slides toward the 10 pin. Use the same procedure to convert similar splits for a left-handed bowler as well..

    • 7

      Aim to only knock down 1 of the pins if you end up with a 7-10 split, as it takes a freak bounce off the side or back walls to convert it.