Better Bowling Tips: Mistakes to Avoid
Practice makes perfect, but first you need to know what to work on. Check out these common bowling mistakes and bowling tips to fix them.
Common Bowling Mistakes
One of the biggest mistakes novice bowlers make is the chicken wing. This is a bad bowling posture where the bowler’s arm and hand curve inward at release. This causes the arm to take on a V-shape at the backswing (like a chicken wing). This is sometimes caused by trying to put too much force behind the ball.
This brings us to another common mistake: throwing the ball too hard (and straight). Ideally, you want a slower ball with more action (i.e. rotation), and you want that ball to hit the pocket (the area between the 1-3 or 1-2 pins).
The Perfect Throw
- Start by straightening your bowling hand. Do not flex or bend your wrist or you might end up with a chicken wing.
- Keep your hand straight through the backswing.
- As your ball approaches your ankle, begin rotating (not bending) your wrist, arm, and fingers inward. This will be to the left if you’re right handed and to the right if your left handed.
- Release the ball at your ankle.
- Follow through with your swing even after releasing the ball. Your hand should end up in a “hand shake” position (thumb up and palm facing the middle of the lane).
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