New Bowler Adjustments To Bowling Lane Conditions

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 7/2/14: Updated: 4/25/21

It is amazing how few bowlers will adjust quickly enough, or make any adjustments at all, to best match with the lane conditions or with changing conditions.
Bowlers, like most everyone, are creatures of habit and resist change. Not adjusting your strike alignment can mean losing the ability to hit the pocket consistently.
When you fail to hit the pocket consistently, you are prone to leaving a difficult spare pin-combination. Poor scoring originates from missing the pocket repeatedly.
Making smart and prompt adjustments as the lanes change or as you change lanes (as in a tournament format) separate the top tier amateur and professional bowlers from all other bowlers.
In the most simplistic form, using the lane oil to increase your ball skid or using the dry boards of a lane to reduce your skid length is a method of making lane adjustments.
Adjusting your delivery angle to use the heavy concentration of lane oil on the front end of the lane will increase your ball skid.
If your bowling ball skids too far and does not hook enough, then adjust away from the heaviest build-up of lane oil in the front end of the lane.
Of course there are many systems for making adjustments to varying lane conditions, if you are new to the game but have developed a good release technique, you will want to use the friction (or lack of friction) on any given lane to your advantage.
Move towards the oil to increase ball skid and away from the oil to decrease skid.
If you adjust your alignment by two boards in your stance position, as an example, then based on a good delivery, you will see an approximate matching result when your ball contacts the pins.

If you are missing the pocket by five or six boards when your ball contacts the pins, then make a five or six board adjustment in your alignment positioning.
You will have to adjust your spot on the lane slightly in the same direction as you adjust your feet alignment, usually a lesser number of boards depending on your sighting distance down the lane.
Using the lane oil to your advantage means being willing to make adjustments if you see your ball miss the pocket after making a good shot. Avoid the urge to resist adjustments if you are missing the pocket often.
Improving your bowling scores starts with developing a reliable delivery technique, making a sensible initial alignment to the pocket, and then making the needed adjustments as the lanes change.
If you have trouble finding the pocket, it is highly recommended to use the services of a bowling instructor to help you develop an alignment and adjustment system. Good scoring depends on it.