Bowling Lane Adjustment - An Angle Change

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 2/21/2015; Updated: 6/30/2022

If you are in the 180 average range and struggle retaining good alignment to the pocket when the lanes change, then you will need to use the most common bowling lane adjustment - an angle change.

Properly playing the lanes means aligning yourself to hit the pocket consistently.

As the lane conditions change due to linage and due to multiple bowlers competing on the same lanes in the same general location on the lanes in leagues or tournaments, the need for using an adjustment for restoring your ability to hit the pocket becomes very important.

There are several commonly used lane adjustments you likely are familiar with but one adjustment is the most commonly used adjustment by top tier players.

A delivery angle adjustment is the most popular adjustment used by skilled players because it involves moving your positioning on the approach and your sighting target on the lane to vary your bowling ball delivery path angle down the lane.

By using the build up of lane oil applied to the lane surface to your advantage when a lane condition breakdown occurs and your ball hooks too soon, you can extend your skid distance length and restore a reliable ball reaction to hit the pocket repeatedly.

The opposite effect works when you must pick up ball traction because your ball skids too far and that is to adjust your positioning on the approach and your sighting target to use a slightly higher friction portion of the lane surface.

In many cases, midway through the first game of a league competition, as example, where four or five bowlers per lane wear away the oil from the lane surface by playing the same delivery angle to the mid-lane, an adjustment is needed to restore ample ball skid distance and continue hitting the pocket.

The adjustment used most commonly on lane conditions where there is a build-up of lane oil toward the middle portion of the lane more so than toward the edges of the lane is to move toward the oil build-up when the ball hooks too early and away from the oil build-up when the ball skids past the breakpoint and does not hook soon enough.

Moving your feet positioning on the approach about two boards and your sighting target on the lane one board in the same direction will help you avoid hitting the pocket too high or even from flirting with hitting the head pin squarely risking leaving a “split” spare pin combination.

If you can make multiple adjustments of 2:1 with your feet and your sighting target, either direction depending on your ball reaction.

When you find your ball hitting the head pin squarely, you can use the 2:1 adjustment ratio or expand the adjustment to a 5:3 or a 7:4 adjustment depending on how much angle change is needed to hit the pocket solidly again.

Do the opposite if your ball reacts too late and comes in light on the head pin or misses the head pin altogether.



A rule of thumb is to adjust your feet the amount of boards you miss hitting the pocket squarely by in the direction needed to restore the ball reaction you seek.

This type of adjustment system is not a precise science and can be modified to fit your delivery style and to conform with the lane conditions you encounter in competition.

Experimentation is necessary so you develop confidence in making these multiple ratio adjustments, lateral adjustments, instead of being overly cautious and not moving enough to compensate for the changing lane conditions.

Of course, there are several other common lane adjustments you can use such as ball speed changes, loft distance changes, release technique adjustments, or bowling ball changes to name a few, but the number one choice to use before all other adjustments by top caliber players is an angle change adjustment.

Practicing making a bowling lane adjustment - angle change, when your scores do not count in competition, is the surest way to familiarize yourself with your lateral adjustment methods you can rely upon.