Positioning Your Bowling Ball

 bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 11/1/14; Updated: 4/8/21

If you are someone new to the game or are looking to improve your technique, one simple thing to remember is how you are positioning your bowling ball.


In order to get a swing path aligned to your sighting target, it is important to position your ball in your stance so your push-away and backswing begin in a path to accommodate your forward swing to match with your target on the lane.


It is amazing how many bowlers hold the ball in the center of their body while aiming on the approach. In doing so these bowlers then need to swing the ball around their hips and legs in order to bounce off of their leg and cause errant deliveries.


There are times where experienced players will deliberately position the ball in the center of their body in the stance position and then push straight away and then re-align the swing path to help feed the ball from an inside to outside delivery angle.


If you are not one of these experienced players who have a pronounced bowling ball hook, then simply position your ball with your bowling fingers set in front of your bowling shoulder so you can easily begin your swing on a straight path out, back, and through toward your target.

Ladies typically have wider hips than shoulders and, in many cases, will position their bowling ball outside of their bowling shoulder so the backswing does not bounce of of their hips.


Swing accuracy begins with a good ball positioning in your stance on the approach and then beginning the swing toward your target.


If you have questions or need help identifying your set up and ball position best for your game, use the services of an experienced bowling instructor to get you started along the proper alignment techniques necessary to improve your bowling accuracy.