Pressure Bowling

Updated 8/17/2020

Practice a few simple, time-tested principles of pressure bowling and improve your chances of bowling well in competition.

Develop a pre-shot routine. Control your breathing and relax your muscles as much as possible before taking the first step of your approach. If your game is well practiced, it becomes much easier to bowl in pressure situations when you have developed a good pre-shot routine. Think about a good start to your approach and then a good finish.


You cannot win any competitive event in the first frame of the first game so don’t let your nerves get the best of you before you begin bowling. Get into the flow of bowling with a smooth and consistent swing motion each shot you make.

Use a consistent pace of footsteps without hurrying the final two steps of your approach; a technique critical to good shot-making. Keep good balance as you walk to the line to deliver your bowling ball regardless of how nervous you might feel.

Balance during and after the critical release of the ball is vital to accuracy and good results. Maintain good bowling form when under pressure.

Pace yourself and store your energy to use the entire duration of your session on the lanes during important competition.

There are no great secrets or mysteries attached to bowling well under pressure. Just keep things as simple and organized as possible and continue to make one good bowling shot at a time.