Beginning League Bowling Pitfalls

By: bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 6/9/16; Updated: 1/15/2024

If you are a relatively new league bowler, there are beginning league bowling pitfalls to avoid.

In any athletic endeavor there are always a few things which can occur in competition you must try and avoid and league bowling is no different.

Here are a few league pitfalls to be wary of:

*Sticky approaches - Be sure to not assume the approaches are always smooth sliding and are void of sticky spots or overly slick spots near the foul line.

Check the approach sliding areas by making practice slides before delivering your first shot during warm-up practice time.

By all means, check the corner sliding areas of the approaches on your pair of lanes as well as the center sliding areas.

*Warm up deliveries - Don’t throw your bowling ball too fast on your first warm-up shot. Make the first few deliveries when warming up at a much slower speed than your normal operating ball speed.

It is important to work up to your full ball speed where you can establish good tempo and develop accuracy.

*Lane Conditions - Do not assume you can play the lanes the same way you are accustomed to playing them in past weeks of league bowling.

Lane conditions can vary for a variety of reasons. Use your favorite bowling ball to warm up and to read the lane conditions and then keep an open mind to make adjustments in your initial strike ball alignment.

*Don’t be bashful to move - Once lane conditions change from the amount of linage accumulated by all the bowlers rolling shots on the same lanes during competition, make an assessment of how much of an adjustment is needed and then trust your decision.

Knowing how to adjust and which adjustments work best based on past performances is key to good scores and to winning.



*Tempo - Set a constant tempo with your steps and swing as you begin league competition. Avoid hurrying your swing and forcing your release in anticipation of delivering a good shot to the pocket.

*Spares - If you are prone to throwing your ball harder at spares than you routinely do at strike deliveries, then expect that you may encounter difficulties converting spares because you may not be so well practiced at changing ball speed.

The corner pin spares are crucial to pick up so if you try and heave the ball faster than you can control, you invite accuracy problems.

Instead, use a spare ball to reduce unexpected hook and use your best ball speed.

The more you bowl leagues, the more familiarized you become with bowling effectively in leagues. Avoid these pitfalls listed above and rely on sound fundamentals when you bowl where scores matter most.