Second Arrow Spot Bowling

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 7/4/2013; Updated: 6/1/2021

As a beginning bowler, aiming at the 2nd arrow as your sighting target for strike ball deliveries can be a simple and sensible place to begin.
Having a fighting chance at hitting your 2nd arrow spot on the lane and the pocket starts with proper positioning of your bowling shoes on the approach and selecting a corresponding target on the lane based on the lane conditions.
If you are a right handed bowler and presently deliver your bowling ball in a straight path to the pins with only a moderate amount of back end hook, position the toe of your bowling sliding shoe on the center guide dot on the approach floor. Anywhere from ten to twelve feet behind the foul line, depending on the number of steps you take and on your natural walking stride, is fine.
The trick here is to walk in a straight path to the foul line and avoid wandering or drifting left or right of your walking path.
If you wander off a straight walking path to the line, the target on the lane (the 2nd arrow) becomes an incorrect aiming point. You will either miss the mark completely or, if you hit the mark, your ball will miss the pocket.
It is important to walk the straight line path to deliver the ball unless your coach has trained you to walk differently.
If you curve or hook your ball slightly, you may need to adjust your starting position on the approach either left or right a board or two, depending on the amount of hook the oiling pattern is causing your ball to take as it travels down the lane.
Depending on which way you adjusted your feet laterally, your delivery angle will widen or narrow and allow for the ball to contact the pocket.

As a quick and simple rule of thumb, if your ball misses the mark to the right, move your starting position on the approach to the right.
If you miss left, move left.
Keeping your eyes focused on your spot on the lane will help you to deliver the ball accurately. New bowlers are known to think so much about walking and delivering the bowling ball, they sometimes forget to focus on their spot on the lane which can hurt accuracy.
It may be that the 2nd arrow is not a good sighting target for a given lane condition. The process of alignment and making adjustments is an important one and can be challenging. It is recommended you consult a professional instructor and learn about fine tuning your alignment method and adjustment method.
You can also pick up good tips from an experienced coach relating to your physical game so you gain accuracy, hit the pocket consistently, and have fun bowling.