How to Throw a Bowling Ball Correctly

How many times have you embarrassed yourself in the cool, dark lanes of the bowling alley, wondering how to hit a strike? No matter how often your ball goes off course, there’s always someone who has done it worse than you.

Even though it seems intimidating, learning how to throw a bowling ball correctly is surprisingly quite easy. If you focus on the technique you use to throw the ball, you’ll pick it up quickly. Here’s how to get a full score and put everyone else to shame the next time you bowl!

First, Choose the Right Ball

First, you need the correct ball for your hand. Use our tips below, or you can ask for assistance from the staff at the alley to find the right size and weight for you.

Find Your Perfect Weight

Choosing the right weight is integral in learning how to bowl. There’s no need to feel confused by all the colors and sizes of balls you see in the rack. A bowling ball that’s ideal for you should be ten percent of your body weight. This means a ten-pound ball for a hundred-pound person, a twenty-pound ball for a two-hundred-pound person, and so on.

If the math doesn’t work out perfectly and the ball still feels really heavy, don’t worry about it; just pick a lighter ball! The key is finding something comfortable that doesn’t strain your arm or throw off your balance.

Perfect Your Grip

Make sure your fingers fit easily into the three holes of the ball before learning how to throw a bowling ball correctly. Your hand should be stretched just wide enough to pass a pencil between your palm and the ball’s surface.

Having too much strain is going to throw the ball off course. Your thumb should slide in and out easily, while your middle and ring fingers should feel secure but not cramped. Test a few different balls before settling on one. What feels right for someone else might be totally wrong for your hand size and grip strength.

Choose a Material

There are three main bowling ball materials to choose from:

Plastic Coverstock

• Good for beginners and low-budget investors
• Doesn’t absorb oil from the lane

Urethane Coverstock

• Powerful hook
• Non-absorbent surface
• More friction than plastic balls

Reactive Resin Coverstock

• Great for serious players
• Resin absorbs oil from the lane to keep the ball on track

Next, Prep the Shot

This part consists of three components that can make or break your game:

Note Your Position

Learning to throw a bowling ball correctly starts with paying attention to your approach. Start by noting where you stand before you begin moving toward the lane. From where do you start to approach the lane? How many steps do you take? Where exactly do you stop?

Consistency is key. Try to start from the same position and follow the same steps every time you throw during a game. This will help you attain precision and, consequently, will improve your strikes. Most bowlers use a four or five-step approach, but find what works with your natural rhythm.

Try to Nail the Speed

Another question people ask when learning how to bowl is about the speed. The ideal bowling speed for an expert player is around 16 mph. This provides enough force to keep the ball moving straight ahead and knock down the entire frame with sufficient power. However, you might want to make your adjustments, especially if you’re just a beginner at the game.

Don’t feel like you need to throw as hard as possible. Consistency beats raw power every time!

Practice Your Timing

Match the timings of each of your throws, along with your hand, wrist, and leg coordination. Just like your angling and position, your timing also plays a part in improving your bowling skills.

Practice the same rhythm with every approach. Count your steps or use a mental rhythm to keep things consistent from frame to frame.

Finally, Throw the Ball Correctly

There are five simple steps to throw the perfect aim:

1. Straighten your hand and wrist.
2. Hold your bowling arm out at a distance while you’re bowling.
3. Keeping your arm straight, swing it towards your ankle.
4. Rotate the wrist, hand, and arm away from your body as you bring the ball near your ankle.
5. Release the ball from your hand without exerting any extra force on the ball.

The follow-through is just as important as the release. Let your arm continue its natural motion upward after letting go of the ball. This helps maintain accuracy and gives you better control over the ball’s direction.

Pro Tips to Level Up Your Game

Want to take your bowling skills from amateur hour to league-worthy? Here are some insider secrets that’ll have you rolling strikes like a pro!

• Join a Bowling League for Regular Practice: Nothing beats consistent practice, and bowling leagues are the perfect way to get it. You’ll bowl the same night every week, which means you’ll develop muscle memory quickly. Plus, you’ll learn from more experienced players who are happy to share tips.
• Invest in the Right Bowling Shoes: Those rental shoes aren’t doing you any favors! Getting your own pair of bowling shoes can dramatically improve your game.
• Focus on Your Follow-Through: Here’s something many beginners miss: your arm motion doesn’t stop when you release the ball. A proper follow-through should send your hand up toward your shoulder, almost like you’re reaching for something on a high shelf.
• Study the Lane Conditions: Every bowling alley is different, and even the same lanes can play differently throughout the day. Oil patterns on the lanes affect how your ball moves, so pay attention to what’s happening. If your ball is hooking too early, there might be less oil. If it’s sliding too far without hooking, there’s probably more oil than usual.
• Master Your Spare Shooting: Strikes are exciting, but consistently picking up spares is what separates good bowlers from average ones. Work on hitting different spare combinations during practice.

Ready to Put Your Skills to the Test? Visit Stars and Strikes!

Now that you know how to bowl, or at least have some tips in the right direction of how to throw a bowling ball correctly, you need a place to practice. And if you’re looking for a place to practice your new skills, look no further than Stars and Strikes!

At Stars and Strikes, we offer bowling, arcade games, laser tag, and more. Whether you want to practice your technique or challenge friends to see who can apply these tips best, we’ve got the perfect setup for you. Check out our website to reserve your lane and start putting these bowling tips into action!