How Do I Improve My Bowling Scores?

By: bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 6/20/16; Updated: 1/14/2024

How do I improve my bowling scores?

If this is a question you are asking, the answer lies in becoming an improved spare shooter and an improved ability to align to the pocket and thereby increases your percentage of pocket hits.
If you average 170 or less, these two key elements of the game are the first place to begin except for tuning your physical game with a coach.
If you decide to take lessons, of course your scores can improve just by virtue of improving your ability to make good shots.
Making good shots is not enough, unfortunately. Filling frames with spares and strikes and reducing the number of open frames per game is the solution to improving scores.
First, develop a reliable and sensible spare shooting system. By the way, a good coach can show you varying spare alignment systems you may wish to develop as part of your game.

Practicing spares across the lane when scores do not count in competition is very important in improving your spare shooting.
Merely knowing a sound spare alignment system is useless until you have practiced and familiarized yourself with each spare combination adjustment contained in the system.
Spend at least ten full games of bowling for spares only regardless if a full rack of pins are standing or just s given spare combination so you maximize your resources by not bowling for strikes only or worrying about your score during practice sessions.
Most bowlers tend to miss corner pin spares more often than spares near the lane center on the pin deck.

If you are struggling with corner pin spares, spend the most practice time working on walking your lines and using an appropriate target on the lane for sighting purposes. Practice so often that it becomes 2nd nature to convert these corner pin spares easily and confidently.
Again, if you struggle with spares, any spare, seek the guidance of an experienced instructor to help you resolve these issues.

The same is true for hitting the pocket. Aligning to the pocket is a matter of merging the lane oil pattern with the given bowling ball and release technique you use so the oil pattern helps guide or steer your ball to the pocket if you make a decent shot toward your chosen sight target.
Once you are aligned well enough to hit the pocket repeatedly, you must then develop a sound adjustments system as the lane conditions change during your sessions in competition.
Making sensible adjustments to restore the ability to hit the pocket consistently is every bowler’s objective.
Your bowling instructor is certainly able to help you develop an adjustment system for hitting the pocket but the work is left to you, just as in the case of practicing spares.
Put in the work on the practice lanes using reliable spare and strike alignment systems and you will answer your own question “how do I improve my bowling scores?”