Dirleton Bowling and Social Club

Indoor Bowling Tips

1. Playing too heavy.

Slow down - just move more slowly and reduce the speed of your delivery. Speed comes from the velocity you are creating so reduce it and the Wood will not travel so far.

2. Playing short.

Move quicker - simply increase the speed of your delivery. Swing your arm back slightly more for the additional weight. Practise this to find the right level for you before you try it in a match.

3. Playing too narrow.

Ensure your whole body is committed down the line you are trying to play. Have you picked the shoulder (the point at which the Wood visibly starts to turn)? Are your eyes, feet, and whole body pointing at the shoulder?

Simply turn your whole body more, not a half turn with your feet pointing elsewhere. Stop looking at that Jack. Look and aim at the ‘Shoulder’ (the point where the bias of the bowl takes over).

4. Playing too wide.

Ensure you are addressing the line down to the ‘Shoulder’. Ensure you 'step down this line'. Watch what shoulder other players' successful Woods are turning on. You may be over compensating for your Woods. Try their line.

You may be stepping out too far to the side. You may be 'throwing your arm out'. lt should be a smooth pendulum action down the side of your body. It could be as simple as turning your body less.

5. Delivering the jack into the ditch.

Too many people just 'Cast the Jack' up the green in order to get on with the match. This is a disaster waiting to happen. 'The control of the match rests with the person who controls the Jack. This is undoubtedly the most important delivery in every single end and should be treated with more care and effort than any wood. 'Great care should be taken with the grip and delivery of the Jack. Indoor 'carpet' greens are very fast, and it is easy to put too much weight on the delivery.

One solution that can be used on the very fast indoor greens is to bowl the Jack across the Green to one of the corners of the rink; the principal being that the greater distance will take some of the weight out. Scientifically sound but not a great base to build your long term game on.

Do not treat the symptom but tackle the reason for the disease by learning how to control the Jack.

6. Generally losing the line.

Check your standing position on the mat ensure it is consistent and comfortable.

Think about what adjustment you need to take with your bowl.

Ideally, the eyes must concentrate along the line of delivery, almost stare along the line for as long as it takes. Having decided the line along the green the bowl has to travel, and seen it clearly, deliver the bowl.

Your leading foot (left - for right handed bowlers) should generally be extended no more than a walking pace, pointing along the delivery line. Balance can be improved by resting your non-bowling hand or lower arm on the knee or thigh of the leading leg. However, looking at your feet at the moment of release can cause a player to lose the line.

The position of your head is critical at the point the bowl is delivered. Some bowlers look downward at the moment of release this can cause a loss of line; sometimes releasing the bowl slightly behind the leading foot and before the swing is fully complete. There are others that hold the head too high. This puts a strain on the neck and shoulders and can transmit to the arm.

The bowl is bumped because the bowling arm has already started to move up. Your head should always feel relaxed, comfortable, and remain as still as possible. The distance from the mat at this point of eye contact will vary from bowler to bowler. The head must remain still but not rigid, and it is up to every bowler to find a comfortable spot along that line without any strain in the neck in order to make a smooth delivery.

Some will opt to gaze at the shoulder of the green. That is to say; the point where the bias begins to curve the bowl toward its objective. Some will select a point a couple of yards from the mat and on every delivery to run over the same spot, that's fine so long as you can adjust for various mat positions.

Movement of the whole body at the point of delivery can result in a bowl being bumped out of your hand. This happens when your arm is jerked up too high or is quickened at the moment of release. When you deliver, stay down for a few seconds and watch your bowl run along the line you have taken - is it the line you intended to take?

Recap.

Use a good follow through.

Non-bowling hand or arm resting on knee of lead foot.

Do not look at feet on point of delivery.

There is a point where the head can be too high for a smooth delivery.

When a bowl is bumped, it causes a loss of weight, and also a loss of line.