Bowling Strategy

By: bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: Originally Posted: 7/6/16; Updated: 3/9/2022

What are two good examples of smart bowling strategy?

Hit the pocket and pick up your spares!

You must hit the pocket repeatedly to give yourself enough chances at strikes. High scores come from hitting the pocket with regularity.

If you the pocket consistently and do not strike you will leave easy and routine spares to convert.

Hitting the pocket must be your highest priority. Picking up what you leave is the next priority.

Developing a sound system for initial alignment to the pocket is the first step in increasing your pocket percentage.

Once You establish an alignment positioning and a spot on the lane to aim at for a given session, then it becomes a matter of making quick decisions in adjusting as the oil pattern changes and your ball reaction no longer gets you to the pocket.

Since most house lane conditions provide a very forgiving pattern, you do not have to be so precise with ball speed control or hitting precisely the same board near your sight point each shot to successfully hit the pocket.

The trick is to understand a little about how and where to line up based on the lane condition, then focus on making good shots.

If you hit the pocket, you know where to line up to hitting it again.

Be prepared to leave a pin standing on solid pocket hits. Getting “tapped” on good pocket hits is simply just part of the game.



When round objects such as bowling pins collide, they will deflect off of one another at unpredictable angles thus causing varying pin action.

Bowling taps are something any good bowler encounters because of the relatively high frequency in hitting the pocket.

The more you hit the pocket, the more “taps” you will encounter.

Because of this, work hard at becoming the best spare shooter you can.

Become a high percentage pocket player, aligning the the pocket quickly and effectively, making wise adjustments as your bowling ball reaction changes, and picking up routine spares is the best bowling strategy to follow.