George Freeman's Expert Bowling Tips: - By George Freeman
Spares are the foundation of this sport. The old saying goes,
"Strike for show, spare for dough." In today's high-powered era,
however, spares are sometimes not given the attention they require.
It's great to have eight or nine strikes in a game, but when the
other frames are missed spares, that 250 game becomes 200-210 in a
hurry. Here are some things to think about concerning spares.
First of all, take your time. Yes, it's frustrating leaving a
corner pin on a good shot, or making a bad shot and having to shoot
the spare, but just going up and throwing the spare shot without
lining up is a good way to throw away pins. Take a deep breath,
think about where you want to line up for the spare, and take your
shot. That extra couple seconds between strike and spare shots can
make the difference between making your spare and missing it.
Next, when leaving single pin spares, it's best to not hook the
ball into the pin. The more boards you cover, the more of a chance
the ball has to reacting erratically (especially with today's
equipment). It is advisable to learn how to throw a straight ball
at spares. Next time you're practicing and leave a spare to shoot
at, try breaking the wrist back and relaxing your wrist at the
point of release. This will create a minimum of rotation, allowing
the ball to go straighter down the lane. Many players also invest
in plastic bowling balls, since plastic balls generally go a lot
straighter than reactive bowling balls.
Spares are the key to success in the long term. Make the most of
your spare game, you'll be glad you did.