SolveYourProblem Article Series: Bowling
Teach Me How To Bowl

Bowling – Best Way To Get A Spare?

Many players often overlook picking up spares in the game of bowling. Most players worry too much about bowling a strike, and not enough time trying to pick up the spares. It is important for players to realize that is not always possible to bowl a strike, and sometimes a bowler must think about picking up spares before attempting to bowl a strike. It may be possible to beat many competitors by picking up the spare pins in a frame. To effectively pick up spares, players should begin by aiming directly for a pin square and hitting the target. It is most effective to use a ball that is made specifically for picking up spares; professionals call it a spare ball. Spare balls are most commonly plastic, because plastic balls have the tendency to go straighter than regular bowling balls.

When trying to pick up a spare, it is best to straighten the wrist as much as possible, and to the roll the ball at the pin square as straight as possible. Relaxing the wrist during the release is most effective, and is a key part of picking up spares. Practicing picking up spares is something that all bowlers should incorporate into their practicing routine. Players in a league or tournament find it effective to shoot at the 7-pin or the 10-pin. Using this method of practice allow the bowler to observe their own reaction as they are crossing the lane. Minimizing the spin on the bowling ball should also be incorporated into a practice. Picking up spares can also help any bowler raise their average. If a player misses a spare, their average will drop dramatically, and picking up spares can decide whether a player bowls a 250 or a 200 game.

In the game of bowling, picking up spares requires plenty of thinking and time. If a player wants to successfully pick up a spare, they must first carefully think about it. Where to line up for the spare and then take the shot should be a major consideration for bowlers. Players should never rush their shots, and should always think about where they want to roll the ball. Being relaxed during the shot will also make a player more successful in picking up the spare. An anxious player may throw the ball into the gutter, or may completely miss the target. When picking up spares, players should aim for the pin that is the closet to them, and strike the pins from the right side. The feet should be moved to the left one dot for each row of pins remaining, if the bowler is right-handed.

For left-handed bowlers, the feet should be moved to the right one dot for each row of pins remaining. If a player wants to pick up a spare, then that player should roll the ball across the strike target at the spare. The ball should be rolled across the third arrow to the left of the player’s target; this is an effective way to pick up spares. There are many problems that may prevent a player from effectively picking up spares. In bowling, if a ball is hooking early and dying on the back-end this could be due to the ball surface.

If the surface of the ball is too dull, it can cause the ball to roll early and use up the energy too early instead of storing the energy until it reaches the back-end. In this instance the ball can be polished or the grit may be smoothed out of the surface using a high-grade sandpaper. Using these methods will get more length from the ball, increasing the amount of back-end reaction. If changing the surface is not effective, and the ball is still hooking too early, it may be best to move the target on the lane and to move the feet a little to the left.

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SolveYourProblem.com : 2008

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