Accuracy is one of the key ingredients to the game of bowling. Where does this accuracy develop in your game? What are some of the key points to look at to put the ball on line properly? These will be just a couple of things we will look into to further help your game of bowling.

The hand is generally the only thing that is touching the bowling ball but that doesn't put the ball on line for you. The arm swing is everything in bowling. The arm will dictate the direction of the ball. The hand only determines the amount of revolutions and type of roll. Whether I have my hand to throw it dead straight, back it up, or hook the whole lane: the arm needs to go back and forth through the line I am intending to play.

A great indicator to help you with making sure you have a straight swing is your elbow. Make sure the back of your elbow is always facing backward throughout your swing. Thus making the inside of your elbow always facing the target you are intending to hit. One of the Best players in the world, Chris Barnes, does this motion perfectly. If you watched the video above, watch how his arm swing and elbow goes back through the target and then follows through the target.

Make sure that your arm swing is free and relaxed. Any type of tension or added muscle in your swing will cause accuracy issues. Even if you want to grip and rip like Jason Belmonte, his arm may be bent going into the back swing but the elbow is still facing his target through his shot.

How can you tell if you are doing this motion correctly? The easiest way is to either have someone watch you make this motion or take a video of yourself. Again your key point to look at will be your elbow and the direction it is facing. The easiest way to start this motion is to throw straight at first, allowing the arm to put the ball on-line. You may choose any spare or throw straight at the head pin to get used to allowing the arm to go back and forth straight. Once you start feeling comfortable with this motion then start allowing the hand to rotate the ball. This will take some time and practice if you are not accustom to throwing the ball with your arm straight.

Like the ole phrase states, Straighter is greater! Allow the arm swing to go straight through the swing plane by allowing the elbow to be pointed towards your target. As always enjoy the game of bowling and keep tweaking your game to advance to the next level. Practice Practice Practice!

Steve Lemke Bowling.com SFA NCAA Coach