How to Line Up a Bowling Shot

Knowing how many boards there are on a bowling lane, 39, gives a bowler an opportunity to line up a shot and develop consistency. Additionally, there are seven arrows shown on the lanes, each five boards apart, corresponding to dots on the approach area of the lane. Starting from a particular board in the approach area and releasing the ball at the corresponding arrow allows a bowler to adjust release point and successfully aim a shot.

Instructions

    • 1

      Stand with the ball held in front of you about waist high with your bowling fingers and thumb inserted into the ball and the other hand cradling the ball on the side. Face the pins with your shoulders square.

    • 2

      Stand in the middle of the bowling lane and make several practice throws using the same approach, arm motion, release and follow through.

    • 3

      Based on how your previous throws did, move your starting point over two or three boards, and repeat. Continue to do this until you begin to strike the pocket (the 1 and 2 pins for a left-handed bowler, the 1 and 3 pins for a right-handed bowler) consistently.

    • 4

      Notice how many boards from your release point to the pocket the ball travels. For straight ball bowlers, it will only be a few boards; hook bowler's throws will cross several boards.

    • 5

      Use the information gleaned in Step 4 to line up your shots for spares, using the same approach, arm motion and release as you would on your first ball.