Bowling Downhill

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 9/4/2014; Updated 9/14/2022

Have you ever felt as though you were bowling downhill and could do no wrong?

You sensed that everything you did produced positive results and you could not miss.

You find yourself getting into “stroke” and just cruising through the frames striking often while converting all your spares when you were not striking.

This feeling of being on auto-pilot and just rolling along is a welcomed feeling to any competitive bowler.

However, all good things seem to come to an end. You go from bowling as well as possible to not being able to make anything work. It can happen suddenly because the game owes you nothing.

A little extra speed with your steps or trying to force your release just a bit when anticipating the next strike or a scoring result are the culprits which cause your ball to stop reacting predictably.

You will begin to lose pin carry or worse yet, you cease hitting the pocket.

In any sport there are always things which can stop your momentum and force you to struggle.

It is the task of the top players in the game to recognize when things are not going their way and to make adjustments or corrections to get things back on track.

The same challenges confront every bowler from time to time, yourself included.

When this happens, have a plan to “stop the scoring bleeding” and begin to turn around results and get back to the positive results you were previously enjoying.

There are a number of things you can do to back into the swing of things:

1. relax - lose the tension in your arms and legs and make a smooth approach making sure you are not speeding up your steps in anticipation of making a good shot.

2. consistent grip pressure - avoid grabbing at your bowling ball when your backswing reaches its full height from the floor. Maintain the same grip pressure throughout your entire swing cycle.

3. focus on your target - keep your eyes on your spot on the lane and remind your brain where you want to deliver the ball and at which delivery path angle you seek.

4. balance - keep your head still as you walk. Avoid unneeded body motion during your approach to simplify your overall movement.


5. follow through - make certain you complete your follow through swing motion without decelerating your swing and slowing down your bowling hand during your forward swing.

Focus on these simple keys to success and declutter your mind from negative thoughts.

Think only about what you must do right before beginning your approach then allow these things to happen.

Update your thinking following each shot to what you must make happen and forget the results from the previous shot.

Keep making your best swings and trust your decisions when making adjustments. Eliminating doubt when things are not going the way you wish is a big step to reversing the results to a more desirable outcome.