You love to bowl, but need help in order to avoid bowling problems that many new bowlers face. You squeeze the ball in order to maintain control, but wind up throwing gutter balls. Or you’ve recently noticed new aches and pains after a game of bowling.
These are all bowling problems you can correct by understanding their primary cause and by making certain adjustments to your game. Follow these simple instructions to correct these common bowling problems.
Rushing the Approach
One of the biggest bowling problems to avoid is running up onto the approach and flinging your ball out on the lane without giving yourself sufficient time to prepare. And yet, that’s what many new bowlers do. They throw just any old house ball as hard as they can at the pins. This may occasionally get you a strike; however, without a consistent approach you’ll never be a consistent bowler.
Watch the pro bowlers and you’ll see how they take their time, find the right position for their hand and feet then move smoothly toward the foul line. They slide with purpose and release the ball in one easy motion. They’ve learned what works best for them through lots of practice.
You can correct your approach if you determine how many steps you will take before you release the ball. A four- or five-step approach is most common. Make sure to push your ball out on your first step and release it on the last, sliding step. Consistency will help your approach and improve your game.
Squeezing the Bowling Ball
Another big bowling problem you’ll want to avoid is squeezing the ball. According to the expert bowlers at AllExperts.com, this usually happens because the fit of your bowling ball is wrong. The thumb hole could be too big, the pitch (angle at which the holes are drilled) could be wrong for your hand or the span (distance between thumb and finger holes) could be incorrect.
This bowling problem has an easy remedy. Take your bowling ball to a different pro shop for a second opinion. Find out if it was drilled correctly. If the ball comes back with a clean bill of health, it may be that your timing is off. It’s time to revisit your approach.
Have someone watch your approach to make sure that you don’t rush and that you release the ball properly. Be sure to keep your wrist straight, making sure your thumb leaves the bowling ball first (don’t squeeze) and complete your follow through.
Warming Up Before Bowling
Just like any physical sport bowling can cause muscle strain. This is a common bowling problem you can avoid by making sure to stretch before you bowl. Whether you bend over and touch your toes, do squats or perform other stretching exercises, it is important to limber up first.
However, according to this livestrong.com article, “4 Ways to Avoid Back Injury When Bowling,” you need to do more than just stretch your muscles. Be sure to test your shoes (rub your slide foot on the approach), choose the right weight bowling ball (for beginners, 10 lb. to 12 lb. for women, 12 lb. to 14 lb. for men) and bend properly when you bowl in order to prevent injury.
When it comes to bowling problems to avoid, there are plenty of them. That’s why novice bowlers need to learn the proper way to bowl. You may never become as proficient as a pro bowler, but practice and correcting these three bowling problems will improve your game.
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
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