Bowling Ball Reaction Benefit

By: bowlingball.com, Originally posted: 5/27/16 ; Updated 1/17/24

If you are averaging between 165 and 185, learn how your bowling ball reaction benefit in making alignment adjustments leads to hitting the pocket effectively.

Reading the lanes correctly is essential to attaining a high average and good scores.

It begins by getting lined up properly to hit the pocket and then making effective adjustments when the bowling ball reaction becomes inconsistent and when you lose the ability to hit the pocket when you know you have made a good shot.

When you roll the ball accurately over your sight target where your ball normally will get squarely into the pocket and you see your ball missing the pocket, a slight adjustment is likely necessary.

Reading your ball reaction and then trusting your decision to make one specific adjustment from the many adjustments available is the difference between decent performances and from very good ones.

No question that when you hit the pocket repeatedly, your percentage of strikes increases. More strikes equals higher scores.

Make certain you pay very close attention during your practice shots when preparing to begin your league competition that you watch your ball reaction closely as you try to read the lanes to line up for the pocket.

Not only is hitting the pocket important when you begin competition, it is also key to test the lanes during practice by rolling at least one shot toward the 7 pin and another toward the ten pin.

By knowing how the edges of the lanes will cause your ball to react on the given oil pattern will lead you to making good decisions when you must adjust for both strikes and for spares during competition.

So, use your warm up time as wisely as you can.



When you make a good shot and miss the pocket, make an adjustment.

The notion of trust in bowling is to rely on what you see related to your ball motion as it travels down the lane. If the ball reacts unpredictably, make an adjustment.

Make the decision to use one of many adjustments you have proven to be successful in the past and implement that adjustment before making another shot on that same lane.

Avoid postponing making an adjustment when your eyes and instincts call for one.

Postponing an adjustment an extra frame because you doubt your ball reaction even when you know you made a good shot can cause you postpone the next good result.

It is the little things in the game that can make the difference between winning and not winning.

Trust your initial reads by trusting your ball reaction.