Your Best Bowling Asset

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 3/5/2013; Updated 5/21/2023

Let’s determine your best bowling asset. Most experienced bowlers have a strong element to their game. Perhaps you have something you do very well and it has been the cornerstone of your bowling successes.

The old bowling adage that working on your strengths so your weaknesses will disappear has merit. A case can be made that every bowler with a level of proficiency has strong points in their games.

Maybe you are a bowler who has very good footwork and are able to walk to the foul line with consistent pace and direction. Perhaps your best attribute is a powerful release. Or maybe your swing is long, fluid, very smooth, and free of tension while producing consistent bowling ball speed.

It is important to identify which physical game fundamentals you do extremely well and build around those fundamentals. Bowling instructors will try and retain the strengths of your game and address the weaker areas which need attention.

Physical game keys are an important part of your bowling equation but not your best bowling asset.

Your best asset is your ability to make quick decisions on the lanes and use your skills to adjust to changing conditions.

Trust is a must or you go bust.

This saying has floated around bowling circles for many years. This saying implies that you must trust your judgement, trust your physical skills, and rely on your strategies for competition or you will not excel in the game.

Your best asset in bowling is your ability to reason and adapt to the challenges in front of you during competition. It can be a simple as making an alignment adjustment when your bowling ball begins to miss the pocket or when you miss a routine spare carelessly because your steps were too fast.

Making decisions on the lanes and using the tools you already have developed and having them ready for implementation is the greatest skill any good player can utilize. Having a checklist of adjustments to compensate for changing conditions is vital to long range bowling success.


Developing the skills needed to attain your full bowling potential is a matter of first identifying the key components of your physical game and using them to your competitive advantage.

Next, knowing how to make alignment adjustments as the lane conditions change without delaying due to doubt is another important key to success.

Knowing if and when a bowling ball change is needed or if an adjustment to your delivery technique will restore your ability to hit the pocket are other keys to overcoming challenges on the lanes.

Having a good bowling skill set is not enough. You must also have the ability to make decisions in managing your game under the pressure of competition if you wish to succeed.

Having belief that you can use your skills, make necessary adjustments when needed, and adapting to a changing bowling environment separate the top players from less successful bowlers who resist using their skills to their own advantage.

Being well practiced is one key to understanding your skill sets and how to use the tools you have developed, when needed. Learn to trust yourself and your decision making process when in the heat of competition. Your greatest bowling asset is your mind and the ability to trust your decision making and in your bowling skills.