Finding Where to Stand?

[JLAY]

Hello. I've been bowling for a few years now, but haven't found where to stand and I'd like to be more consistent. I usually go somewhere near the middle and move left or right depending on where the ball goes, but I'd like to adjust using the boards.

I'm throwing a Black Widow Pearl and using the second arrow.

Thanks for any suggestions.

[ShortAssassin]

Well, from what I gather it depends on a lot of things. The oil conditions you play on, your ball speed + rev rate, are you a down and in player or do you throw a hook, etc. Where you stand can depend on a lot of factors.

[JLAY]

I know that you'll have to adjust, but what do you go by to find a spot to start out on? The dots on the floor?

[ShortAssassin]

Yes, you want to aline your feet with certain boards, and aim for a certain board or arrow on the lane.

[Dan Belcher]

Where you start your feet is just one factor to consider.  The other main factor to consider is where do you want the ball's breakpoint to be?  If the ball is hooking fairly early on the lane, you need to have your breakpoint out closer to the gutter.  If the ball is hooking pretty late because it's a longer oil pattern, you need to have your breakpoint further inside toward the headpin.  Now the question becomes "where do I need to stand to get the ball to hook into the pocket at that breakpoint?"

You will learn a lot more through experience and working with a coach based on your game.  However, I can go ahead and give a simple example here to clarify.

Let's say you are on dry lanes and you want the ball to start hooking on the 7 board (basically right in the middle of where the 1st and 2nd arrows are), standing so that you line straight up with the 7 board is probably going to result in the ball hooking too early and too hard and you'll cross over or miss the headpin entirely.  Move your feet and your target a few fewer boards to the left and swing the ball out -- if you've moved the right amount it will go out down the lane to that 7 board and then hook back to the pocket.  If the ball still hooks too much and hits heavy, you will need to move your feet and target a little further left.  As the lanes start drying up and the ball starts hooking sooner, you may need to move your feet two boards left and your target one board left to compensate.

I can't tell you exactly how you should make your moves as every center plays different and every bowler requires different adjustments.  You should try working with a coach to see if he or she can help you figure out your game better.

[billy2gun]

quote:This past Sunday, I bowled four practice games, and I changed my steps and where I stood. Previously, I had a 4-step approach and stood on the two board and threw my ball on 5 borad on the inside angle.

But, I was getting inconsistent results, so I decided to move back to the first row of dots, when to a 5-6 step approach, stood on the third board and threw my ball along the 5th board.

By moving back, I was able to line up on my target much better than with my 4 step approach. I am still learning how to number the boards.

[billy2gun]

Dan,

How can you determine breakpoint if a bowling lane does not have the breakpoint strips on the lanes to help with targeting? My house doesn't have those. I've seen on the PBA telecasts where there are lanes that have them.

quote:Where you start your feet is just one factor to consider.  The other main factor to consider is where do you want the ball's breakpoint to be?  If the ball is hooking fairly early on the lane, you need to have your breakpoint out closer to the gutter.  If the ball is hooking pretty late because it's a longer oil pattern, you need to have your breakpoint further inside toward the headpin.  Now the question becomes "where do I need to stand to get the ball to hook into the pocket at that breakpoint?"

You will learn a lot more through experience and working with a coach based on your game.  However, I can go ahead and give a simple example here to clarify.

Let's say you are on dry lanes and you want the ball to start hooking on the 7 board (basically right in the middle of where the 1st and 2nd arrows are), standing so that you line straight up with the 7 board is probably going to result in the ball hooking too early and too hard and you'll cross over or miss the headpin entirely.  Move your feet and your target a few fewer boards to the left and swing the ball out -- if you've moved the right amount it will go out down the lane to that 7 board and then hook back to the pocket.  If the ball still hooks too much and hits heavy, you will need to move your feet and target a little further left.  As the lanes start drying up and the ball starts hooking sooner, you may need to move your feet two boards left and your target one board left to compensate.

I can't tell you exactly how you should make your moves as every center plays different and every bowler requires different adjustments.  You should try working with a coach to see if he or she can help you figure out your game better.

[Dan Belcher]

quote:Dan,

How can you determine breakpoint if a bowling lane does not have the breakpoint strips on the lanes to help with targeting? My house doesn't have those. I've seen on the PBA telecasts where there are lanes that have them.

That's a great point.  I personally bowl in houses that do not have the breakpoint markers down the lane as well.  However, that doesn't make too much of a difference for me.  You should be able to count over the boards from the gutter (if present, the breakpoint marker is just a mark on the 10 board about 45 feet down the lane).

By breakpoint, I mean that in every sense of the world.  The furthest out to the right your ball goes before changing directions and going back left--the place where it starts its turn back to the pocket--that is the breakpoint to consider.  It's not a mark on the lane as much as it is where the ball happens to be when it stops moving right and starts going back to the left.

So pay attention when you roll a ball to where it starts to turn back to the pocket.  If you swing the ball out right and it starts hooking before the breakpoint you want it to hook at, you need to either move your target right, or your feet left, or both (It depends on the oil pattern which adjustment you need to make).  Once you get near that breakpoint and get near the pocket, it's a matter of fine-tuning to find exactly where you need to play to get the best carry and the most room to miss your target and not leave splits or washouts.