Tip of the Month - August 2026

When it comes to Fundamentals, Equipment match-ups, Lane-Reads, or even Strategizing; there are ‘clues’ everywhere IF we know where to look.  

As a Bowler gets more experienced and competitive, he/she will see many more ‘clues’ as time passes. There is NO limit to the amount of ‘clues’ available to the Bowler as their awareness in competition increases and they see things on a deeper level.

   Here are just a few:

  FUNDAMENTALS:

       1. Feel:

Muscling or ‘grunting’ relates directly to a lack of consistency in repeating ‘quality’ shots. We simply cannot ‘feel’ and our instincts cannot help us on a daily basis if there is grip-pressure, forearm muscle, or over-emphasized spine-tilt. These things cause undue stress & torque on individual parts of the body INSTEAD of relaxing and letting the whole body work together and produce rhythm & tempo for everyday timing.

Grip-Pressure & Forearm muscle produces Lift which makes the ball ‘skid’ and that moves the Breakpoint further down-lane, causing a lack of roll going into the pins as the ball deflects on a regular basis OR will move the Breakpoint in closer to make the lanes seem drier from ‘triggering’ the ball with the fingers. This is common for the average Bowler and produces an over/under reaction with the ball & lanes.

The Bowler simply cannot lift the ball consistently from shot-to-shot. Even 1” of +/- lift will dramatically change the Breakpoint, making it virtually impossible to get lined up correctly.

    As a Bowler gains experience in seeing ‘clues’, he/she will notice a different ball reaction from these Fundamental inconsistencies. It may be in the form of a different rotation on the ball or the amount of hook (less or more) at the pins or even the pins left standing and the way they moved when the ball hit them.

    The fix is to make sure the Bowler’s Foot-Synchronization & Balance Lines (our ‘2’ Best Friends) are in place so the Shoulder swings free and tempo is restored. This is where accuracy and consistent rolling power is manufactured.

      2. Sound:

The sound of the ball coming off the hand and hitting the lane can also tell you if you released it correctly for down-lane consistency. 

IF the ball is relatively ‘quiet’ when hitting the lane; the ‘lift’ is minimized and the ball is rolling more pure and the ball is allowed to roll clean, like the way it was drilled. This keeps the Breakpoint the same and is easier to get correctly lined up and create a feel for Strike-Lines & Spare shots too.

IF the ball is ‘loud’ and sounds more like a ‘thump’ when it hits the lane; that tells the Bowler he/she lifted it and depending on the loudness, the more or less lift there is, causing more ‘over/under’ ball reaction. Obviously, the louder the ‘thump’; the more ‘lift’ on the ball.

IF the ball makes a ‘double’ bounce sound when releasing it, it means we got the ball down too early (dropping it) causing it to roll very flat, straight & weak.

       3. Sight:

What the Bowler’s ‘eyes’ see can also give ‘clues’ as to what the Bowler did Right or Wrong.

IF the ball hooks early it is possible the Bowler ‘triggered’ the ball by lifting with the fingers OR if the ball slides and doesn’t make it to the Pocket, the Bowler may have ‘dumped’ the ball or dropped it, causing a flat and deflective ‘hit’ at the pins.

The pins will also tell the Bowler if he/she didn’t roll it correctly if they are lazy and NOT moving very fast or loud & moving very fast. (Soft corner pins are a classic example of whether the ball is rolled ‘clean’ or ‘dead’ at the point of release.)

If the pins are moving fast and there are ‘messengers’ wiping out all the pins standing; this is a clue that the Bowler rolled the ball well and the ball was allowed to roll the way it was drilled (maximum roll).

      EQUIPMENT:

         1. Sound: 

If you hear a ‘thumping’ going down the lane it means you are rolling over the thumb-hole. This means you are staying behind the ball too long and coming straight up the back which makes the ball roll end-over-end like a straight ball. If you look at the oil ring on your ball you will see it track higher and over the thumb-hole.

The fix is to circle the ball sooner by closing the Shoulder. Then you can look at the oil ring on your ball and notice it’s tracking down further (away from the thumb-hole). 

Another thing you might hear would be the thumb ‘popping’ coming out of the thumb-hole when releasing the ball. This usually means the Bowler is squeezing or gripping tightly. 

The fix is to keep your thumb straight (more against the backside of the thumb-hole) so your thumb can clear the hole much easier and the ‘popping’ sound goes away. HOWEVER, if the Bowler absolutely knows they kept their thumb straight in the hole; it means the hole is too small and a piece of tape needs to come out. 

*There should always be a little suction when the thumb comes out but NOT ‘popping’. This gives us the ‘snug but NOT tight’ feel we always want.

          2. Sight:

Watching the ball rotate (going down the lane) can also tell us how we are releasing the ball. If it is ‘spinning’ or rotating more on the bottom of the ball we may be closing the Shoulder too soon and not staying behind the ball long enough. If the ball is going end-over-end, we are staying behind the ball too long and throwing more of a straight ball. We always want to be somewhere in the middle. When looking at our oil ring on the ball, we want it away from the fingers & thumb holes BUT not way down on the bottom of the ball either… so, somewhere in the middle, about 2-3in. away from the holes, depending on what kind of bowler you are (stroker/tweener/cranker).     

The fix is to put a piece of colored tape on your ball when practicing, right above the finger holes (if your ball is not colored enough to track it without tape). By doing this, the Bowler can track the rotation on the ball much easier and decide if his/her release is what it should be.

         LANES:

           1. Sight:

We are always looking for a Slide-Roll-Hook reaction to the ball! Today’s terminology is to have a Slide/Hook/Roll reaction and I don’t believe in that theory.

Let’s discuss what this means…

In the early part of the lanes (HEADS, right on the other side of the Foul Line) we want the ball to SLIDE! This helps us get the ball down-lane to our target ‘before’ the ball starts going into its roll phase.

Next, we want the ball to go into its ROLL phase (MID-LANE past the Arrows)! This allows the ball to start reading the oil pattern so we can get lined up correctly.

Finally, we want the ball to HOOK at the pins (TAILS) creating the most hitting power from the ball! Hence, SLIDE-ROLL-HOOK (NOT Slide/Hook/Roll)!

If you are seeing the ball Slide then Hook at Mid-Lane, the Bowler needs more oil (moving more INTO the middle of the lane) so the ball can store up energy for the pins (backend).

If you are seeing the ball Slide then Slide more through the Mid-Lane and then Hooking slightly at the backend (tails), it is a Slide-Slide-Hook reaction and the ball is not rolling clean to read the Mid-Lane. In this case, the Bowler needs more drive from the pattern (moving OUT towards the Gutter) so the ball can go into its roll sooner.

So, visualize the ball SLIDING (Storing up energy), ROLLING (reading the Mid-Lane, NOT hooking yet), then HOOKING (using all its energy at the pins for more carry-power)!

SLIDE/ROLL/HOOK!

      Overview:

These are just a few examples of ‘CLUES’ and as the Bowler gets more advanced, he/she will be discovering more ‘clues’ on their own. To learn what no one else knows, keep your ears & eyes open so you can develop GREAT instincts for success!

After reading all the information in this article and understanding it and putting into action, the Bowler will see how each of the ‘above’ descriptions are interchangeable and relate to each other. That means if you recognize one you can read another and realize it too applies to the same thing. Feel, Sound & Sight ALL tell us the same things IF we understand the ‘clues’!   

Understanding ‘clues’ available to the Bowler is something NOT every Bowler knows and are ill-equipped to understand if they have a ‘Rip & Grip’ mentality.

How nice it is in competition to ‘know what others don’t’! 

What ‘CLUES’ have you learned?