Before Changing Your Bowling Ball

“Lucky” brings in six bowling balls with him every time he bowls.

Does that give him an advantage? Perhaps it does, perhaps it doesn’t.

Does he bowl the highest series in the league every time he bowls?

Is he guaranteed to be the high average in the league at the end of the season?

Does he, with exact knowledge, select the proper ball every time he has to make a change due to the lane transition?

If the answers to these questions are a decided, “yes,” then perhaps having six balls give him an advantage.

If the answers to these questions are a decided, “no,” then perhaps the six balls give him an advantage.

If the answers to these questions are a “maybe,” then perhaps the six bowling balls give him an advantage.

Bowling is not an exact science and should not be treated as such.

I have seen bowlers with six bowling balls (or more) win tournaments.

I have seen bowlers who used only one bowling ball win tournaments.

I have seen bowlers who have used two or three bowling balls win tournaments.

So who really has the advantage?

Whether it is finding the proper ball or making the optimum “manual” adjustment, I advocate that it is the bowler who can find the “sweet spot” on the lane for that particular day is the one who has the advantage.

To tell you the truth, I would probably have a lot of bowling balls if I could afford them.

I am, however, in the same category as the majority of you out there; and that is, we were barely able to afford the three (two reactives and a spare ball) that we have now.

Us “Average Joe’s” then, have to depend on our knowledge and wits to try to overcome the varying conditions that we have to bowl under.

Having an arsenal of bowling balls is a good idea; but, what do we do if we don’t have that solid arsenal built up yet?

Here’s a “Choc-List” of some small adjustments you can make before changing your bowling ball:

1) Use parallel movements with your feet and eyes. For example, when you move your feet one board to the left, also move your target one board to the left. (Left-handers, use the direct opposite directions.)

2) Use angular movements with your feet and eyes. In this, you move your feet a different amount than your mark. For example, feet two boards left and target one board left.

3) Aim at a mark further down the lane. If your ball is hooking too much, move your mark further down the lane - don’t discount aiming at the pins. Bring your mark closer to you for the opposite condition.

4) Use your index and/or pinkie fingers. The closer these fingers are to your gripping ones, the straighter the ball will tend to go; the more spread out (or tucked as many do with the pinkie) the more hook you will have.

As with everything, “practice makes perfect,” so try them out first.

When you are comfortable with the way your bowling balls react and you can read the effects of each adjustment, and then take them to league or competition.