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Advanced
Skills
Watch the
ball reaction
In the modern
game, when the ball hooks is as important as how much it hooks. Watch your ball
reaction on the lanes to see where the ball begins to move toward the pocket
(the break point). Also watch the shape of the line between the release and
break point and between the break point and the pocket. Being able to accurately
watch your shot requires that you remain in a balanced finish position until the
ball hits the pins.
There are
three phases of ball reaction; skid, hook and roll. The ball skids through the
heavier oil at the front (heads) part of the lane. As the ball finds more
friction, it begins to hook. Once the ball has finished changing direction, it
begins to roll toward the pins.
For more
tips, check out all the tips from the
tip index or see
your local USBC coach. Check out all the items in the coaching section of the
USBC Store
USBC also
recommends
mybowlingcoach.com
Commit to
the spare
Visualization
is very important at higher skill levels. When it comes to spares, being able to
visualize the path the ball should take down the lane can help you stay focused.
Commit to the spare and trust your fundamentals and execution to make the spare.
Elite players plan to make the spare instead of assuming they will miss it.
Whether you choose to roll a straight or hook ball, many players make the
mistake of trying to roll the ball too fast, losing their fundamental skills in
the process.
Most top amateurs and professionals use a spare ball and roll the ball straight
at spares because a straight ball takes the lane conditions out of play. The
straight ball takes the guesswork out of the equation.
Compensate
for long oil patterns
If your ball
is not getting to the strike pocket, it may be because the lane oil pattern is
long. Try these tips to compensate for a long oil pattern:
Decrease your
ball speed.
Reduce your
angle to help get the ball to the pocket.
Change your
hand position to get the ball into an earlier roll.
Switch to a
ball that has more surface and will hook sooner.
Develop
your mental game
As a top
player, you are probably an active tournament participant and most of your
competitors have great physical games.
Having a great mental game, too, will give you an edge over the competition.
Top athletes are able to keep their minds free of distractions. Being able to
find an inner sanctuary allows you to make smart decisions during the heat of
competition.
Targeting
for higher averages
There are no
hard and fast rules for setting targets for high level bowling only options that
best fit each bowler. Players need to define and develop their own targeting
strategy.
Many times, a big-hook bowler cant tell you which arrow he or she is using until
after giving it some thought. Bowling basics tell us to always aim at a target.
Shouldn’t an advanced bowler be doing that? Not always. Using targets may
sometimes take the high-average bowler out of his or her comfort zone.
Other high-level players may use a target to get the ball to the break point on
the lane. Others will use one or more reference points based on where they are
playing the lanes.
High-level players experiment when practicing to find out what works best for
them. They will practice using targets and then switch to using just an area.
When the lanes are conducive to scoring they may just target an area on the
lane. When bowling on a USBC Sport Bowling condition such as at the USBC Masters
where accuracy becomes a premium, players will use targets since hitting the
pocket and leaving easier spares is very important.
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