Three Basic Lines in Bowling

Information on How to Play the Lane

Bowling Lane Play. - There are 3 basic types of bowling lane lines; open, medium, and direct. (Note: this is for right handed bowlers – reverse everything for left handed bowlers.)

1. Open Line - The open line is inside from the 14th board on the bowling lane. The ball angle is directed toward the 6 pin as it is released. This is described in the illustration below. High revolution bowlers like this angle most the time.

2. Medium Or Indirect Line - The medium or indirect line is from the 13th to the 8th board, or the track area, on the bowling lane. The ball angle is a medium line directed toward the 3 and 6 pins as the ball is released. It is also described in the illustration below. Power strokers or tweener type bowlers like this line.

3. Direct Line - The direct line is outside from the 7th board on the bowling lane. The ball angle is directed toward the 1 and 3 pins, or the pocket, as the ball is released. It is also described in the illustration below. Most strokers like this line or angle.

Why You Pull Your Shot In Bowling

Reasons For Pulling Your Shot In Bowling

Here is a tip that is designed to give you some of the potential reasons you could be pulling your shot across your body in bowling, and perhaps a cure for the problem. Ninety percent of curing the problem is understanding the cause. A few potential reasons for pulling your shot are listed below. 

1. Fear of getting the ball outside your target; so you pull your shot across your body. This is common on sport patterns like the USBC oil patterns or PBA shot. On this condition try to remember to roll the ball straight down, not outside or inside your target, narrowing your margin of error. 

2. Round housing your arm swing is when a bowler goes around their body in the approach. Sometimes it is because they are starting their ball in the middle of their body rather then to their side. Remember your arm swing should be straight back and forward in the pendulum swing. 

3. Fast feet is when your feet and arm swing are out of time, which causes the bowler to be off line at the end of their approach and delivery. Some things to try are slowing your feet down and keeping your arm swing the same speed as it was before. Try moving up or moving back on the approach. 

These are a few things to try and some potential causes for pulling your shot in bowling. Once again, tips are a tip that is all they are, if it does not work go back to what you were doing before. 

How To Clean Your Bowling Ball

Cleaning your bowling ball is an area that is discussed and talked about a lot in the bowling world, and there are many different methods that can be used to do this. Most bowlers neglect to clean and maintain their bowling equipment until the bowling ball performance stops, or it stops reacting the way they think it should.

The bowling ball manufacturers tell us to clean our ball with a microfiber towel and a special cleaner after every bowling session. But time and time again the bowlers just don’t take it seriously until their ball quits working for them.

Following is a line of procedure that one should try to follow if they want to keep their bowling ball in fairly good condition.

Please note: The new bowling balls of today soak up lane conditioner and will always eventually die. I am sorry to say this, but it is true. The following will help slow down the process, but will not stop it. In addition, some bowling balls last longer than others. I have some that are a few years old and others that only last a few months.

First you need to get a few things; a mirco fiber towel, some bowling ball cleaner, abralon pads, a bucket and water. 

These are the things I use that have worked the best for me.

1. After each frame wipe the lane conditioner off your bowling ball.
2. After you are done bowling for the night clean your ball with the bowling ball cleaner and wrap it in a towel or get a see saw.
3. Every so many games, with some reactive bowling balls, you will have to rejuvenate the surface or put the grooves back in the cover stock so it will grab the lane surface again. So get some abralon pads and scuff up the cover stock. The bowling ball informational sheet should tell you the out of box finish.
4. Every 50 to 100 games soak the ball in a bucket of warm (not hot) water. Warm Soapy water will extract a lot of lane conditioner and give the ball back some of its original performance. Just simply put the ball in the warm soapy water for about 30 to 45 minutes and then rinse it off and let it dry a few days. Then rejuvinate the coverstock with the abralon and there you go. (Note: warm not hot and not to long. In addition make sure the ball is dry before using).