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Bowling For Dummies Cheat Sheet

How to Find the Perfect House Bowling Ball

 Stick to the 10-percent guideline. A bowling ball should weigh 10 percent of your body weight (up to 16
pounds), which means you really shouldn’t be grabbing, say, an 8-pound ball if you weigh 150 pounds. You want
some weight to the ball, but it shouldn’t be so heavy that it’s uncomfortable.
 Make sure the finger holes fit just right. The finger holes shouldn’t be too small or too big. If they don’t fit just
right, that can throw off your entire game.

Throwing the perfect curve shot:

1. Straighten the wrist of your bowling hand.


2. Hold your hand straight while you swing the ball out and back.
3. Begin to rotate the wrist, hand, and fingers on your bowling arm toward the opposite side of your body as the ball
comes forward.
4. Let go of the ball near your ankle and finish with your hand in the handshake position after you release the ball.

To throw the perfect straight shot:

1. Keep your bowling hand directly underneath the ball and your wrist straight.
2. Swing your bowling arm out and back.
3. As the ball comes forward, release it onto the lane when it reaches your ankle, keeping your hand straight and
palm up the entire time.

A Ten-Point Bowling Checklist

 Starting spot: Make sure you’re throwing the first ball of every frame (called your strike shot) from the same
starting position. Consistency helps increase your chances of throwing strikes.
 Timing: Each step of your foot should match up with a specific part of your arm swing and release. Get the
timing right, and you’re off to a great start.
 Hand and wrist position: Keep your hand and wrist strong through your entire shot. If you throw a hook, turn
your hand and wrist as the ball comes forward from your backswing until you release the ball with your hand in
the handshake position. If throw a straight ball, make sure to keep your hand and wrist straight through your
release.
 Approach: Put all the components — timing, hand-and-wrist positioning, steps, speed, and power — together for
a clean approach. If your approach is off, your throw may be as well.
 Follow-through: Finish your shot by throwing the ball down the lane as it passes your ankles. Then bring your
arm up to at least shoulder height to complete the shot. Keep your hand either in the handshake position or palm
up, depending on how you throw the ball.
 Ball speed: The ideal bowling ball speed is 16 miles per hour, but the right speed for you is whatever it takes to
knock down all the pins.
 Target on the lane: Keep your eyes on the prize, or the target in this case. The marks on the lane are there to help
guide your ball right into the pocket, so aim for them.
 Breakpoint: If your hook shot doesn’t cut back at the right spot to go into the pocket, a strike is out of the
question.
 Pin action: Bowling is all about angles, strength, and speed. Find the right combination of all three, and you get
perfect pin action and the strike you’ve worked so hard for.

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