Ultimate Beginners’ Guide to Bowling

Introduction

Welcome to our Ultimate Beginners’ Guide to Bowling! If your ball keeps ending up in the guttergutterThe two channels which run parallel on the left and right of the lane. If the ball lands in the gutter, the shot scores zero pins and you would like to learn how to bowl properly or take the sport a little more seriously, but have no idea where to start, then look no further! In this article, we’ll take you from a total beginner to a proper bowler with a 5-step bowling approach using just a few simple drills!

Before we begin proper, we would like to say first that there is no replacement for a trained, professionally-certified bowling coach. Hiring one would be the most effective and safest way for you to learn how to bowl, and this guide is not a replacement for that.

Also note that everything in this guide is written for a right-handed bowler, so left-handed bowlers should just do the reverse! Annoying, I know, I’m a lefty myself.

Choosing the right equipment

Shoes

Bowling shoes are quite different from normal shoes, and you should never walk on the approachapproach1. The platform on the lane which the bowler walks on before the foul line. 2. The motion the bowler goes through from setting up with the ball, to releasing the ball., or the lanes with normal shoes. The converse is also true, as you should never walk outside of the bowler’s area in bowling shoes, especially if you’re headed to somewhere wet like the restrooms! 

The right shoe sole is made of rubber and has a high grip, while the left shoe sole is made of a slippery material, most often felt or some other fabric (opposite for left-handed bowlers) to allow bowlers to slide on that foot.  This is to facilitate the proper footwork and sliding technique which we will use when we bowl. Allowing the sole of the sliding shoe to get wet is extremely dangerous as it can cause an abrupt stop to the slide, leading to injuries.

You should pick a shoe that fits comfortably, much like how you would choose a fitting shoe normally.

Balls

Bowling balls come in different weights, ranging from 5-16 lbs. As a beginner you probably don’t have your own custom-fit ball yet, so you can pick a ‘house’ ball at the bowling alley. The house balls should all have 3 holes in them for your ring finger, middle finger and thumb. 

Ideally, you would want the holes to fit such that the finger holes are just large enough to insert your fingers into slightly beyond the first line on your fingertips, while the thumb should fit snugly. However, it is difficult to find such a fit with a house ball, so you can just make do with one that is not too uncomfortable.

You would also not want to pick a ball that is too heavy for you. A good rule of the thumb when picking the right weight of bowling ball is to pick one that is no more than 10% of your body weight.

Before we begin, if you would like to learn the sport properly, I strongly recommend drilling your own custom-fit ball at your local pro-shop. Having a ball that fits your hand well allows you to perform these drills correctly, as well as lets you ‘feel’ the shot much better which will speed up your progress!

Kneel Down Drill

Aim

If you eventually want to roll a bowling ball like E.J. Tackett does, the first thing you need to learn is to, well, roll a ball! Learning how to release the ball in the right way is the most fundamental step in bowling, and as you progress, probably the hardest aspect to correct, so it’s important that you get it right when you start.

The Kneel Down Drill is the best way to work on your releasereleaseThe motion of the hand through which the ball leaves it, and we will be starting with that in your quest to learn bowling. Don’t be concerned about hitting any pins! Most of the time your ball will end up in the gutter when doing this drill.

How?

1. Walk to the foul line, and kneel with the front of your left foot right behind the dots, and your right knee lined up behind the back of your left heel
2. Insert your fingers and thumb into the holes of the ball
3. Try to get your palm behind the ball rather than on top of the ball. Don’t worry about this if you don’t have enough wrist strength! <photo>
4. Take a couple of controlled swings back and forth 
5. Release the ball with a follow throughfollow throughThe outward and upward motion of the bowler’s arm after the release driven by the momentum from the delivery!
6. Repeat the drill a few times, at least until your thumb and fingers can clear the ball well without getting caught

Tips

1. Place a towel under your knee as the floor can be quite hard
2. Keep your arm straight, but do not lock your elbow. Your entire arm should be relaxed
3. Try to get a feel of the thumb exiting the ball before your fingers

Foul Line Drill

Aim

The next drill we will do is the foul line drill. The aim of this drill is to teach you the finishing position of your bowling approach, improve balance and stability, as well as to further improve your release.

As before, don’t be concerned about hitting the pins yet!

How?

1. Stand with your left leg (sliding leg) bent and the knee of your right leg (trailing leg) behind your sliding leg. The foot of your trailing leg can rest at the side to give more stability. For those into bodyweight exercises, this position is very similar to a skater squat!
2. Hold your ball as close as possible to the ankle of your sliding leg. As in the Kneel Down Drill, your palm should be behind the ball rather than on top of the ball
3. Take a couple of swings back and forth. You should be able to swing the ball more freely than in the Kneel Down Drill!
4. Release the ball! Your arm should follow through such that your bicep should be close to or touching your ear <photo>
5. Repeat this drill a few times, at least until you are able to release the ball without losing your balance

Tips

1. In order to get your ball close to your ankle, you should bend the knee of your sliding leg and tilt your shoulder laterally
2. There is no strict position for your non-bowling arm (balance arm), but it could be beneficial for stability if you hold it out perpendicular to your torso

One Step Drill

Aim

Once we’ve mastered the finishing position via the foul line drill, we’re now ready to move our feet with the one step drill! This drill aims to introduce the sliding motion of the bowling approach to your game, and begin integrating your footwork with your swing and release. 

Incorporating the slide to your bowling gives your ball a bit more speed, and you should be able to see some pins fall, which is exciting! 

How?

1. Before we begin, we need to estimate your slide distance. Take 3 normal walking steps from the foul line. This should be where you start your slide
2. Start at the position we found in Step 1. Stand with your sliding foot around half a foot behind your non-sliding foot. Bend your knees slightly, and let your bowling ball hang at your side
3. Swing the ball back and forth a few times
4. At the back of your swing slide forward with your sliding foot and reach the finishing position you practised in the foul line drill. You should be able to release your ball right about the time your slide stops
5. Complete your follow through and remain in the finishing position until your ball reaches the pins
6. Repeat this drill a few times, at least until you are able to get a steady slide

Tips

1. Your foot should stop just before the row of dots before the foul line. If you’re too far, then move forward in your starting position a little
2. Conversely, if you are crossing the foul line or find yourself having to intentionally end your slide, then move backward in your starting position
3. Pressure should be applied on the front of your sole and not your heel. It may be useful to start with the heel of your sliding foot slightly off the ground

Two Step Drill

Aim

This drill further develops your timing between your swing and footwork by reinforcing your muscle memory and coordination. It also introduces the second last step (power step) to the 5 step approach which helps accelerate your movement and give more momentum to your shots. If you feel confident, you may not need to spend too much time on this drill!

How?

1. Begin with your fingers and thumb inserted, but holding your ball at a height slightly above your belly button with both hands. This can be adjusted for comfort. The weight of your bowling ball should rest on your non-bowling palm so your bowling arm doesn’t get tired <photo>
2. Bring the ball forward slightly such that your elbow is just in front of your body and ‘drop’ the ball. This is called your ‘push awaypush awayThe motion in the bowler’s delivery whereby the ball moves downwards from the resting position to begin the backswing ‘. 
3. As you let the weight of your ball bring your arm downwards and backwards in a ‘backswing’, take a step forward with your non-sliding foot (for right-handed bowlers this will be your right foot).
4. When your backswing reaches its highest point and the weight of the ball is just about to bring the swing downwards, begin sliding and let the momentum from your swing bring your entire body forward
5. Release the ball, follow throughfollow throughThe outward and upward motion of the bowler’s arm after the release driven by the momentum from the delivery, and stay in that finishing position!
6. Repeat this drill a few times, you should be good as long as you can keep your balance!

Tips

1. If you are not confident with starting immediately after the pushaway, you can take a couple of swings and begin your first step when the ball moves downwards from the front
2. Keep your entire arm as relaxed as possible throughout the entire swing. You can imagine your arm and the ball like a pendulum

Four Step Drill

Aim

Now that you’re comfortable with your power step, we are ready to start practising the four-step bowling approach! With four steps, we are able to extend our swing through a full range of motion, providing more speed, power and consistency. In fact there are many experienced bowlers who bowl using a four-step approach, and even some professional bowlers such as Parker Bohn III!

If you feel confident about your timing, and are able to do the previous drills without any issue, you may actually skip this drill and move to the Five-Step Drill below!

How?

1. Set up two full steps behind where you stand for the two step drill, and hold your ball in the same way you did as well.
2. Pushaway your ball and take your first step with your non-sliding foot, landing with your heel first
3. As you relax your arm and the ball drops into your backswing, take your second step, again with your heel first
4. Your body momentum and swing should carry you towards your third step naturally, but in terms of timing you should complete that step as your backswing reaches its maximum height
5. Slide as the backswing accelerates downwards, releasing your ball the way we practised earlier, and stay in that finishing position for a picture perfect finish!

Tips

1. Your back should be slightly bent in order to increase the height of your backswing, and increase stability by lowering your center of gravity
2. The timing will be awkward at the start, so take some time to practise without the bowling ball, or with a smaller ball like a baseball
3. If you feel confused or unsteady at any point during the approach, definitely practise the associated drill again!

Five Step Drill

Aim

If you have reached this far, you are on your way to bowling like the pros! The five-step approachapproach1. The platform on the lane which the bowler walks on before the foul line. 2. The motion the bowler goes through from setting up with the ball, to releasing the ball. is the most common approach that is used by bowlers nowadays because starting with an extra step makes it much easier to develop consistency in your timing, and make adjustments if required. 

How?

1. Set up one small step behind where you started for the four step drill
2. Take a small step with your sliding foot
3. As you feel your weight transfer to the next step, begin pushing away your ball as you would in the four step drill
4. Complete the approachapproach1. The platform on the lane which the bowler walks on before the foul line. 2. The motion the bowler goes through from setting up with the ball, to releasing the ball. and release your ball!

Tips

1. If you feel your swing is a little rushed or lagging behind your feet, try starting the pushawaypush awayThe motion in the bowler’s delivery whereby the ball moves downwards from the resting position to begin the backswing a little earlier or later 

Final Words

First of all, thank you for reading this beginners’ guide to bowling! I hope that by going through these drills, it has helped you feel more confident about the sport, as well as improved your scores. Once you develop some consistency in your shots, you may with to take a look at our guides on targeting and sparing to further improve your scores, or even read about the various league and tournament formats available!