Drifting on the approach

[Paul1979]

I have a nasty last step drift on my shot which is restricting me from playing deep inside angles on the right hand lanes.

I think I take a step over about 10 boards to the right on my last step compared to where I am lining up.

I have learnt to adjust using this and can line up ok, but as said would like to try and remove it or find possible causes allowing me to get and stay deeper on the right lane.

Can it be caused by opening or dipping the shoulders too much? Or something to do with the alignment of my body? Or maybe the way the ball is pushed away?

:rolleyes:

Any help appreciated or should I just start with a ton of drills walking in a straight line lol.

[BubbaRay]

A common problem is the lack of consistancy in our approach. I was told once that "if you start with bad ingredients, you'll bake a bad cake". The same holds true with bowling. If your approach is inconsistant, or you cannot adjust your approach position or speed, you severely limit your ability to adjust to ever changing lane conditions. So, you've got your new ball, your new shiny shoes and that dandy new bowling bag yet you still can't seem to get that ball further down the lane before it breaks or, the ball seems to just roll way too fast and never gets the chance to break into the pocket. What to do? Here is a helpful tip on footwork and making the ball react earlier and later on the lanes.

One Sunday I was practicing with a friend of mine. I use a 5 step approach. I usually start almost on the back of the approach, so I usually take long steps. He had me move my feet closer to the foul line. To find this new starting point, he had me start at the foul line and take 5 1/2 normal walking steps. This is the technique you read about

Well low and behold, with this new starting point, my feet were obviously slower, shorter and the ball reacted earlier. He described this as the "normal rhythm of walking". By starting further back on the approach, I was not using the normal rhythm of my body. I was able to start further back on the approach to make the ball go longer, or move my feet up on the approach and make the ball hook earlier.

One night in my league, in a very tough house for righties. I was able to start with my feet closer to the foul line and throw the ball slow. This kept the ball in the only oil that was on the lane. With the knowledge I had from Sundays practice, I was able to make the ball react nicely when my feet were close to the foul line. The ball hit very hard because it would "ride the oil" and finish flush in the pocket.
Thought others might use this helpful tip to move the break point of the ball.

The second part of the approach is your "drift factor". In other words, most of us don't walk a straight line to the foul line. Most of us tend to "drift" either to the left or to the right. The most severe cases have the bowler ending up in the exact same spot at the foul line no matter where they start out at. Ok, so you're drifting, what can you do to adjust or compensate? One way is to use the arrows to "aim".

try this system next time you go to practice. It's the system as taught by Dick Ritger .

The first thing, you must find out in order to use this system is how many boards you drift on your delivery. I'll describe it as though your a right handed bowler. put the inside of your left foot on the 20th board ( center dot) and make your normal delivery. Look down at the foul line and notice what board the inside of your left foot is on. It's probably not the 20th board (center dot). Determine how many boards you drifted and in what direction. If your drift exceeds 4 boards, work on getting it less than 4 boards.

Next you must determine how far to the right of your left leg you release the ball. It's typically 6,7,or 8 boards. how do you determine this? Put a piece of paper over the tenth to 20th board at the foul line. Stand at the foul line with the inside of your left foot on the 20th board. Assume your release position and swing the ball back and forth 3 times. On the 3rd swing release the ball and notice what board it indented the paper. How many boards to the right of the 20th is this.

Now your ready to learn how to play the 10-10 or any other straight line.

Here's an example: assume you drift 3 boards to the right and release the ball 6 boards to the right of the inside of your left foot.

Then in order to play the 10-10 line, you must stand on the 19th board on the approach. 10+3(drift)=13 13+6(release)=19

Just remember that if you drift to the left it would be -3 therefore you must start on the 13th board. 10-3(drift)=7 7+6(release)=13

[Rowdy]

I have a nasty last step drift on my shot which is restricting me from playing deep inside angles on the right hand lanes.

I think I take a step over about 10 boards to the right on my last step compared to where I am lining up.

I have learnt to adjust using this and can line up ok, but as said would like to try and remove it or find possible causes allowing me to get and stay deeper on the right lane.

Can it be caused by opening or dipping the shoulders too much? Or something to do with the alignment of my body? Or maybe the way the ball is pushed away?

:rolleyes:

Any help appreciated or should I just start with a ton of drills walking in a straight line lol.

All that stuff Bubba said gave me a screaming headache. Lets try the easy way,shall we?

Stop thinking feet and start thinking ball. The ball is what you're throwing,so thats what you aim. If you're going to roll the ball up the 10 board,start with the ball over the 10 board. But where to put the feet? Ideally,there should be 7 boards from the center of your slide foot to the board the ball gets laid down on. So the center of your slide foot would start and stop on 17. And learn to walk straight.

[Paul1979]

Thanks mate, that made more sense.

The trouble is i often play board 20-25 at the arrows which means release at board 32. Given that I take about 10-15 board step over to the right at release that means my starting position to be between board 42 - 47. Its not physically possible to go this wide on the approach sometimes as my leg touches the ball return.

Whats the best drill to do to try and take away that last step drift to the right?

[Rowdy]

Thanks mate, that made more sense.

The trouble is i often play board 20-25 at the arrows which means release at board 32. Given that I take about 10-15 board step over to the right at release that means my starting position to be between board 42 - 47. Its not physically possible to go this wide on the approach sometimes as my leg touches the ball return.

Whats the best drill to do to try and take away that last step drift to the right?

Little known bowling fact: The last step,(slide), should be directly in front of the preceeding step. This combined with the trailing leg moving out to the off bowling hand side of your body on the slide is what keeps you in balance. Sounds like you have some footwork drills to do.