How to bowl like a pro?
My bowling roots run deep. I had the same bowling-alley birthday party we all had at age 8. But unlike you, I just … kept bowling. I joined a league in the fourth grade and was on my varsity bowling team in high school—which is actually a whole thing in Michigan.
But it doesn't take all that much commitment to learn how to bowl. You just have to hit the lanes more than the one (or two) times per year that you do now, spend a smidge more money, and accept that this seemingly simple, fun sport has its nuances. And hey, figuring out those complexities makes the game way more entertaining.
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The feeling of the ball hitting the pins, and hearing and seeing them fall down, is deeply gratifying. We’ve all felt that instantaneous reward—it’s about control and chaos. You’re the reason that ball is traveling down that lane, at that speed, hitting the pins in that way. And the action occurs so far away from where it started, seeing as bowling lanes are about 60 feet long from the foul line to the center of the head pin. In that way, it’s like throwing a water balloon, or shooting a clay pigeon.
Dr. Dean Hinitz, sports psychologist for Team USA bowling, says the satisfaction of bowling, the ball rolling down the lane and crashing against the pins, boils down to four factors: experience of mastery, sense of autonomy, purpose, and relatedness to others.
“Bowling is a sport that, from beginning to end, the experience of being able to progress and gain some mastery quickly is on a different rate and pace than most other sports,” Hinitz says. “Very few sports afford such an ability to have a signature way to do it—it’s inherently satisfying to say here’s where I am and I’m going to do something; there’s a goal and I can reach it.”
Yep! At lessons.com, you can find a teacher by taking a short survey and selecting your location. Typically, you'll spend between $25 to $120 per hour, depending on where you live. If you’re looking for a free option, you can use YouTube to study the form of coaches and pros to get started.
Sadly, there isn’t a Masterclass on “How to Bowl” just yet.
Starting out, you can use the house balls at the alley. The only cost will be renting a lane and a pair of shoes (around $30). When you're ready to purchase your first ball, go to your local pro shop (often located in the alley itself) and speak with the staff about what you're looking for in your game.
Once you determine your coverstock material (see below), they'll help you determine a weight that's suited to your body, and measure your hand so the ball will be customized for your grip. You’ll be paying for the cost of the ball and customization, plus labor (around $250).
When you start to learn how to bowl, you want a bowling ball that feels heavy, but not so heavy that you struggle to roll it down the lane and are left sore the next day. You want the throw to feel effortless, but not so easy that you’ll throw the ball into the TV screen (it’s happened). The only other important factor is the finger holes: Your fingers should feel snug in them, but not so snug that your thumb pops out on release instead of smoothly exiting the ball.
What’s the Deal With Those Lane Markings?
Those markings have three purposes for you when learning how to bowl: to help you perfect your stance, approach, and throw. But the lane helps you in some less obvious ways, too.
🎳 BOARDS: There are 39 boards on a lane, about one inch wide. They help determine where to place your feet and target your shot, along with the three rows of dots on the approach. For your first shot, place your sliding shoe (it should be opposite of the hand you bowl with, so if you bowl with your right hand, it would be your left shoe) on the center dot of the first or second row. Once you find a good starting spot, be consistent for every first ball you throw.
🎳 FOUL LINE: The line that separates the approach from the playing surface and where the oiled surface begins.
🎳 DOTS AND ARROWS: These will help guide your ball into the pocket or to the pin you're trying to hit. The dots before the foul line guide your approach, and the dots after the line help you see where your ball is heading. Also for aim, at 15 feet past the foul line, seven arrows show the path of your ball.
🎳 BREAKPOINT: The part of the lane where your ball begins to hook back into the pocket (hopefully) and can show you the results of the targets you picked on the lane. If you're not achieving the shot you’re trying to make, adjust your alignment, target, ball, or throwing speed.
🎳 Bowling bag: You can’t just roll your ball into the alley. We’d recommend a choice of either a rolling bag, backpack, or tote.
🎳 Wrist support: To help keep your wrist as straight as possible, although it's not critical (Storm Bowling Universal Wrist Brace).
🎳 Towel: To clean your ball in between frames. It keeps lane oil from collecting on the ball and helps extend the life of your ball (Brunswick Microfiber EZ Grip Towel).
🎳 Bowling shoes: Get rid of the gross factor and add some comfort and down-to-business swagger to your game.
🎳 New-Skin: Because you can’t fit a Band-Aid inside that custom-drilled thumbhole (New-Skin Liquid Bandage).
🎳 Rosin: Gripping powder for sweaty palms (Storm Scented Grip Bag).
Also called Bedposts, it’s one of the hardest splits to pick up as you have to get the corner pin to slide all the way over the lane. The Greek Church is the hardest split.
The person who bowls last on a team in league play. Usually the best bowler on team, cool under pressure.
I wasn’t able to get a strike the traditional way. The ball had to cross over to the other side of the head pin opposite to how I threw it.
You went the extra mile and got four consecutive strikes instead of being satisfied with a turkey (three strikes in a row).
I didn’t pick up the spare because I didn’t adjust my throw to account for that pin directly behind the 1, 2, or 3 pin.
I thought “league night” was for extremely serious, super-competitive bowling people, but I was wrong—everyone is welcome in bowling! It’s usually an all-ages, all-abilities situation. You’ll be better than some, worse than some.
You can join a league either by stopping by your alley of choice and inquiring within, or through Google. Depending on the alley, you can either go in blind—where they find a team for you—or with a group of friends, coworkers, or family. You may get intimidated by the seasoned pros, but remember that even if you bowl a 37, you’re still improving and you get to have fun while you flub.
For the once-a-year bowler, it might take only a few games to see improvement. Pro bowler Jason Belmonte says, “There’s so much instruction scattered through YouTube. Study it. Then put it into practice on the lanes. Be patient. Give yourself time to understand how bowling works.”
There are two ways to judge decency: score and hook. And they’re related. Hooking the ball allows it to roll into the pins at an angle and do more damage. Here’s how you do it:
Beer is one of the major social aspects of the game, and it can help ease your tension and boost your confidence. One too many can make you lose your form. And bowling is a game in which tiny changes can have a huge effect on where the ball goes and how many pins it topples. Bowling is a game of nuance. One nuance: Spilling on the lane is a no-no.
Whether you’re an aspiring pro, a casual hobbyist, or just somebody heading to the bowling alley for a group date, everybody wants to bowl a strike when they’re out there on those lanes. There’s no better feeling than hearing those ten pins crashing down and turning around to the cheers of your friends or teammates congratulating you on a job well done. So, if you want to learn how to get a strike reliably every single time you step up for your turn at the bowling alley, this article will teach you just what to do.
One of the most important parts of how to bowl a strike starts before you even play, with the choice of the right bowling ball. You may think that you should go for sheer power and choose the heaviest ball that you could realistically throw, but that isn’t exactly the right approach. The truth is, you actually want to pick a ball on the lighter side, as it will be easier for you to control and will make the pins hit each other rather than flying up into the air.
How you approach the lane is crucial to how to get a strike. This is how the pros do it: Take four steps, starting with the foot opposite from your throwing hand. Keep your eyes on your target arrow and walk in a straight line. For right-handed bowlers, your target arrow will be the second arrow from the right, while lefties will want to aim for the second arrow from the left. Take your approach slow and steady, making deliberate movements.
One of the keys to how to bowl a strike is your stance and positioning. Your stance should be straight and upright, with a slight bend in your knees and your feet slightly apart. You should hold the ball on the same side of your body as your bowling hand. Keep the arm relaxed for a natural swing. On your backswing, keep your arm straight and close to your body. Think of the swing like a pendulum.
Timing of when you release your ball is key to how to bowl a strike. Release the ball just as your swing reaches its lowest point, by your feet. This way, you’ll avoid dropping the ball onto the lane (which happens when you release too early) or lofting the ball (which happens if you release too late).
Your goal for how to get a strike is to have the ball hit in the pocket, which is the space between the first ball and the three-pin for a righty or the two-pin for a leftie. To get it there, you’ll have to curve the ball a bit. This requires giving the ball a bit of spin by rotating your thumb to a 10 o’clock position as you release the ball, or a 2 o’clock position if you’re left-handed.
- Pick the Right Size Ball. More specifically, an ideal bowling ball weight is around 11–12 pounds for women, and 14–15 pounds for men.
- Keep Your Swing Relaxed.
- Find Your Speed.
- Line up the Shot.
- Try Some Bowling Tricks.
- Release with Power.
