How to Adjust Yourself Mechanically From Pattern to Pattern

bowlingball.com 07/10/2017



This week something really interesting caught my eye and I had not noticed it until just now. That thing is when you go from a short pattern to a medium or long pattern, how do you adjust yourself mechanically? Now, I’ve only been bowling two-handed for roughly two and a half years, and through my experiences and knowledge I’ve been able to provide you the inside scoop and tips and tricks to the two-handed bowling style. This is definitely a topic I find myself referring back to for a long time to come, so not only by educating you, I’m also educating myself too.



Now many know that short patterns (36 feet and shorter) are kryptonite to most two-handed bowlers on the lanes. Fortunately for me, I’ve been able to diagnose the issues I have had on short and find a way to further score and execute shots needed to achieve maximum score. Using urethane mostly, I’m having to play way right cause we can’t open up the lane on short from standing inside, we have to play out. Playing out does not allow us to open our hip as much in the 3rd step necessary to bring the ball into our backswing properly and fully execute the shot 100% to the best of our ability. Playing the gutter is key on short and rarely can you play a tight hook on short without sacrificing the chance of potentially going over-under with your ball reaction. Thankfully, the Cheetah pattern I am bowling on for the next month has given me this great article idea to showcase how to transition yourself mechanically from short to medium or long patterns.





Bowling back to back days and going from PBA Cheetah to a house shot on a typical league night can be a difficult transition for a two-handed bowler like myself. From bowling four games on PBA Cheetah, forced up the gutter and not being able to open your hip as much and fully execute the best of shots, your body is going to mechanically begin to remember you doing that. So going into bowling on a house shot, your body is still going to remember the night before of walking straight as an arrow and failure to open your hip.



I unfortunately was a victim of this over the last week. Even though I knew what I was doing wrong, I was forcing shots, being up the back of the ball, not opening my hip, basically throwing the ball all over the lane and being inaccurate. Yes, just the best piece of advice, “Trying to fix yourself mechanically in a league setting is the best thing you can do for yourself if you’re in a mechanical rut,” said no one ever. Practice is the only place to practice mechanics, spare shooting repetition, etc.



Now I understand that this applies to just mostly two-handed bowlers as opposed to our one-handed friends, as their steps are traditional and walking straighter to the line. For them and their great mechanics, it’s all about lane play, right ball choice, and filling frames. It’s about that for us two-handed bowlers too but with added elements like opening our hip and being mechanically fine in tune as well.



For more excellent content and for great advice on how to practice mechanics in league like me, (just kidding) and to purchase all your bowling goods, wants and needs, please make sure to stay right here at bowlingball.com, it’s where bowlers go.



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