How Do You Curve The Ball In Bowling?

Have you ever watched professional bowlers? They seem to launch the ball at impressive speeds, then slingshot it with some invisible technique that some assume can only be magic. However, the secret to putting a perfect curve on a bowling ball is not magic at all. Rather, it is something anyone can learn with proper practice and technique. Below, we will explain how to adopt this subtle technique into your bowling game. Get ready to learn how to curve the ball like the pros!

The Basics of Bowling

Before curving the ball, you’ll need to have the fundamentals of bowling locked and loaded in your mind. This includes how to begin and execute a basic roll in bowling. Before making your roll, start about four steps back from the foul line that separates the lane from the approach, and keep a good posture. Stand up straight and keep your wrist level with the ball’s surface as you start your wind-up. Bring your arm forward in a smooth motion, and finish your shot by sliding your dominant foot back behind you but towards your non-dominant one.

Be sure to aim for one of the arrows on the bowling lane floor, not at one of the pins. Looking at the pins opens the door for your eyes to distract your wrist from the shot. The arrows are there to guide you, so if you follow them with your eyes, you’ll have no issue hitting the pins! And, of course, don’t forget the most important part of a good bowling roll: making sure that you’ve selected the properly-sized and weighted ball for your technique!

Curving the Bowling Ball: Have the Proper Wrist Technique

The release and follow-through are the most critical aspects of any bowl. By positioning your wrist and releasing your fingers correctly, you set your shot up for success. Here are three different techniques that can give you the curve you want in your shot:

• Place all three fingers in the bowling ball’s holes: your middle, ring fingers, and thumb. Release the ball at the lowest point of the arc as you swing, removing your thumb first and following through with your middle and ring fingers. Removing your thumb first makes the follow-through with your two fingers come naturally.
• Do not even insert your thumb into its hole. Balance the ball level to your hand on your palm with your middle and ring fingers inserted into their holes. Wind up and throw the ball, releasing it at the bottom of its arc.
• Insert only the index finger into its hole and release the ball during your follow-through, not at its lowest point, like the two techniques above.

Having a good follow-through is essential in all of the cases above. As you release the ball, rotate your hand until it makes a handshake position (you should release the ball at the bottom of its arc for the first two bullet points above and during the follow-through for the last one). Once the ball leaves your hand, and your hand is in the position it would be in for making a handshake, continue your follow-through until your wrist is parallel to the ground with your palm facing the floor.

How to Curve the Ball in Bowling

Now, we will summarize everything above and put it into easily-followed steps.

1. Grab your ball, keeping your wrist level to its surface, and step four paces away from the bowling lane’s foul line.
2. Take your four steps, keep good posture, and begin your wind-up.
3. Let gravity take the ball downward in your hands and release it as close to the ground and lane line as possible (you would release it during your follow-through if using the technique from the third bullet point above).
4. Use one of the techniques mentioned above to curve the ball, rotating your hand and finishing the ball’s release with it in the handshake position.
5. Remember to follow through; continue to rotate your hand until your wrist is parallel to the ground with your palm facing down.
6. Slide your dominant foot behind and towards your other foot and hold your finish.

Using the steps above, you should be well on your way to perfecting your bowling curve with time and practice!