| When a person is a beginner at bowling, there are a | | | | percentages in your favor whenever and wherever |
| number of details at which he should work and about | | | | you can. |
| which he should think, if he wishes to bowl correctly | | | | Work to perfect a natural, easy delivery. |
| and to improve quickly. I have listed below a number of | | | | The only way to learn consistency is to bowl naturally |
| these details and, if strict attention is paid to them, the | | | | with an easy style that allows you to be more |
| average beginner may cut his "apprenticeship" to a | | | | consistent and to hold that consistency. Be natural - |
| fraction of the time ordinarily spent in learning the | | | | don't try to ape a delivery just because some expert |
| game. | | | | may be using it. Use your own style. |
| Fundamentals come first. | | | | Practice intelligently. |
| Check constantly on the fundamentals which are the | | | | First, practice to correct fundamental mistakes. When |
| very back-bone of your game. Once you have | | | | you are doing something wrong and yet are not quite |
| mastered these fundamentals, you can move on to | | | | sure what it is, go back to your fundamentals to learn |
| finer bowling such as playing alleys, etc. You cannot do | | | | what you are doing incorrectly. |
| these until you have perfected your fundamentals. | | | | Second, practice spare shooting. As a rule, beginners |
| They are the ABC's of bowling. | | | | are weak on spares. The next time you bowl, make a |
| Use a straight ball until you become consistent. | | | | list of the spares you miss. |
| This is good advice unless you have a natural hook. | | | | Then, on your next practice date, have the pinboy set |
| You can learn to control a straight ball quicker and you | | | | up those same spare shots and shoot at them |
| can learn to hit spares sooner. You can also | | | | exclusively. You might have the boy put up twenty |
| concentrate on fundamentals at the same time, which | | | | shots and call it a game. In doing so you will really |
| is a difficult job when one is trying to throw a hook or | | | | make planned progress. |
| curve. After you have mastered the straight ball, you | | | | Have someone regularly check your game. |
| can start putting "stuff" on the ball. | | | | You can develop flaws without realizing it, as even the |
| Experiment with a three-step, four-step and a | | | | experts do from time to time. Probably some expert |
| five-step delivery. | | | | or veteran bowler can straighten you out before you |
| You will need to experiment until you find the delivery | | | | wind up with a habit-forming fault. |
| best suited to you. For the average bowler, the | | | | You may be hopping, bringing up your right leg too far |
| following distances are approximately correct for the | | | | at the foul line, turning sideways, getting too high on |
| starting position in the various deliveries: For a | | | | your backswing, or side-arming. This may happen while |
| three-step, eight to ten feet from the foul line; for a | | | | you are concentrating on something else. Before you |
| four-step, ten to twelve feet back; and for a five-step, | | | | know it, the bad habit may have gone on so long that |
| twelve to sixteen feet. | | | | it is difficult to break. |
| These distances apply to a bowler of average size | | | | Don't become discouraged. |
| and stride. If your own size and stride are not average, | | | | I have seen blind bowlers, paraplegics, and other |
| make your own adjustments to fit. | | | | handicapped persons succeed at the game despite |
| Play spare shots from the correct basic angles. | | | | almost insurmountable odds, because they kept |
| Play the 7-pin spare from the right-hand side to "give it | | | | plugging at it doggedly. So can you. Apply the above |
| all the alley possible," and the 10-pin, from the left-hand | | | | details consistently to your game, and you will be |
| side. Increase your chances of success by playing the | | | | leaving the other behind in no time! |