Where should I look on the lane to become more accurate with bowling?

[@kill3stdayz910]

great video JR! Since I've started watching you, my average has increased at least 30 pins! Thanks so much!

[@critterdude311]

This is an interesting topic, and one I've been struggling with quite a bit recently. In the houses which have the 'range finders', I'm able to use the down lane range finder, to help create the proper angle and get my ball to the desired break point very easily. If I am missing my breakpoint left or right in these houses, I can 'see' it clearly, and adjust. When I bowl in the houses which do not have range finders, I feel like I am hitting my target in the front part of the lane, but I am not getting the ball to the proper place down lane at the break point / exit point. Without the range finders I am struggling with making the proper adjustment because I do not have a gauge to see exactly how far left or right I am missing down lane. 5 years ago, when there was dry and only dry right of 5, it was no problem because I knew I could always bank off of that friction, but with the recent changes at the houses I play at, without that consistent free hook to the outside, I've been struggling getting the ball in the proper placement down lane and 'seeing' where it needs to be without the range finders. I'm convinced if I solve this problem my game will go up 10 - 15 pins easily.

[@christ9359]

The only thing I can think to suggest is that you try to use the pins as your benchmark. I believe the outside range board should be aligned with the center of the 6 pin and the inside board should be aligned with the 3 pin on the right side. On the left, the 4 and 2 pins, respectively.

[@tonybarber420]

I can relate to the sentiment very much. You could always try following through the ball a bit more and reach higher on the follow through to help guide it further down lane

[@steveg7018]

As JR aptly noted…(although he didn’t specifically mention the range finders)…target down lane-beyond the arrows. Most house shots will have some friction down lane right of 12 at about 40’-45’…it may move a bit with more games rolled on it. The process stays basically the same no matter where you are.

[@bruh6d9]

Thanks for the tip. I never thought about moving my front target closer or further away. I will definitely try that this weekend!

[@chrispetel4671]

Thanks JR, I struggle with missing left, will move my eyes a few feet back from the arrows and see if that helps.

[@machinethesun9243]

Very helpful, thanks, I've been having troubles missing right and 75% of the time am looking at the dots, this graph really makes it easy to understand why that's been happening.

[@jimk9290]

You always add to my toolkit, JR. Thanks.

[@richardmahaney529]

Great tip. Never thought of it before. I will try it tonight.

[@51Happy69]

Thanks for a great video! I target the dots in behind of the arrows, (3,5,8,11,14 boards), and keep missing my corner pins, to the right, so I will move my eyes up to the arrows and see if that helps! 👍🏻

[@mattlivetv9246]

What a great video. Thank you!

[@ryancox1808]

JR, I've bowled high level since college bowling in 2010, took a 4-5 year break due to burnout, then just started back in 2021. I learned to use a variation of 3 point targeting taught by Del Warren and his guys from Kegel, but instead of focusing on a pin as a focal point, I would look down lane at my desired break point, draw a line back to the arrows, then draw another line back to the dots on the lane, so essentially I put 3 spots on the lane where I want my ball to hit. I may not be great at explaining what that means for me, but essentially I use those spots to set my front lane angle to make the ball do what I want it to do to hit my desired down lane spot. I have decent success with it, but I'm wondering if there's a better method to the madness I've created? LOL I'd love to go more in depth, but I feel like I actually need to simplify my targeting to get better results at a higher level. What would you suggest?

[@BroAlifSr]

Awesome tip. This will help me dramatically

[@leo5208]

I'd like to know the ideal targeting to the pocket using a perfectly straight line from the one board at the foul line. I know this would be just a 1-1/2 degree angle into the pocket, but if one were that accurate with a straight ball, he'd still get plenty of strikes without having to deal with oil patterns and ever-changing conditions.

[@BuzzsawBrent]

Thanks JR! Great tip!!!😊

[@evaneldridge6901]

It's funny you should have this as a topic right now. DC and I were talking about this this past Monday. I'm going to try it in practice.

[@raymah7]

Thank you, will test this tonight

[@altonrobinson8402]

Awesome video!

[@EarlUgalde]

Good tip! Subtle but effective! Thank you!

[@markhendrix745]

I personally aim for my target with the center of my chest.. not just my ball

[@machinethesun9243]

I do both, first I line up my body based on downlane target, then I look at either the dots or arrows with my eyes.

[@TCR_tarvis1981]

Good tip JR, I'll for sure give this a try next league night. This video made me think of Wes Malott lol

[@scottythompson940]

Cool video talk tech bowling Jr Raymond

[@ripvanrevs]

I look right where I set the ball on the lane. I want to set the ball on an exact board. I then line up so the angle I throw the ball is toward the desired break point down lane. The idea is to "feel" the oil line so if you throw the ball the same way the ball should go the exact same place until the oil breaks down and you move. There are an endless amount of adjustments you can make off of this including how much loft, speed, rotation, etc.

[@bmcc4379]

I'm struggling this season. Everything I have is hooking so badly, I stopped bringing my aggressive balls. Last night my pitch black was going Brooklyn, and my plastic hooked so badly, it hooked from the 7 all the way to the 1(I'm lefty). I'm standing in the gutter and throwing across lane, still Brooklyn. What else can I do when the lanes are that dry?

[@joshg218]

Move your feet faster and create more ball speed

[@nevinkinzel]

Are you keeping your hand flat/behind the ball? Do you have any balls drilled pin down to smooth out the reaction?

[@bmcc4379]

@@nevinkinzel no, I'll have to look into getting a pin down. Maybe a phaze 2, then I'll have both

[@SirJoelsuf1]

Loft (FAR loft not HIGH loft there is a difference) and ball speed. Sandpaper lanes should be easy money. Actually you should probably throw an aggressive ball since those will burn up anyways. Less aggressive stuff tends to hook way too much when the lanes are sandpaper.

[@philippeters3253]

I was struggling with this yesterday. I moved my eyes closer, and I was hitting my target down lane. My problem was the backend was gone. Do you think this was a case of being in the wrong ball? I’ll be honest, I really struggle with reading a ball “burning up” or not reading.

[@rivs2439]

I look at the dots. Is this too close of a starting target?

[@joehoenig7596]

JR--so what exactly are Liz Johnson and Wes Malott doing to their angles when they are looking down at the dots located either at the foul line, or immediately past the foul line? If looking closer and moving your visual target closer, moves your angle and breakpoint further outside, how are they able to look as close as they do, and still play any angle they need to, which they clearly did and do, base don their achievements? Thank you.

[@Tenpindoctors]

They look downlane first and draw their angle all the way back to the foul line

[@joehoenig7596]

@@Tenpindoctors Thank you. So, they might be looking closer, but the way they are doing so and the reason they are doing so, is completely different from what you were discussing, correct?

[@Tenpindoctors]

@@joehoenig7596 correct. They do it in their own way. I’m just giving you ideas how to do things differently

[@doughellenbeck4026]

Thanks for information I'm right handed but left eye dominate does that make you miss left??

[@ripvanrevs]

@@joehoenig7596 I sight right where I want to lay the ball on the lane. I angle my body to where I want the ball to go at the break point. What I am trying to do is "feel" the oil line that the ball will take each time down the lane. Theoretically, you shouldn't have to guide the ball to the breakpoint, it will end up there on it's own. If it doesn't, then an adjustment needs to be made as the lanes change.

[@relaxedpuppet]

a change to looking at dots made a world of differance.

[@SirJoelsuf1]

I always looked at the dots but that caused me to lean forward. Now I just use the arrows. Hell on spares I've been experimenting with using the pins lol

[@lionmartian9046]

Nice gonna try this

[@THEKOBE7612]

excellent!

[@noahwhipkey6262]

dots, arrows if i can catch it, break point. all whilst watching speed and rotation off hand

[@noahwhipkey6262]

right spares target arrows

[@aydengianes2515]

No wonder why my ball went the gutter when I looked closer to slow my ball speed down

[@nordattack]

Everything you showed was how to throw "away from the pocket." Hopefully you can follow up with a "How to bowl Straight" tutorial where you show us how to target when throwing "towards the pocket." I personally play house shots directly up 7 board or if the volume is higher, down and in over 7 board. It is rare I have to move my target any further left than 8 board.

[@TheVlad1616]

If you’re truly throwing it straight up 7, you be sliding on/around 14 looking at the 7 board. It wouldn’t matter if your target was at the foul line, dots, arrows, etc as you launch angle would be zero.

[@nordattack]

@@TheVlad1616 When I set up to play up 7 board my right foot is placed on 4 board.