How To Bowl A Strike: 14 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Download Article Explore this Article parts 1 Selecting equipment 2 Choosing the proper starting position 3 Improving Your Accuracy Other Sections Questions & Answers Video Tips and Warnings Things You'll Need Related Articles References Article Summary Co-authored by Chad McLean

Last Updated: December 7, 2025 Fact Checked

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This article was co-authored by Chad McLean. Chad McLean is a professional bowler, a bowling ball designer, and the Technical Director at Storm Products based in Brigham City, Utah. He started playing at just three years old, and developed a passion for bowling that carried through high school into his adult life. After bowling for nearly his entire life, during college Chad managed a pro shop at a local bowling alley where he learned through hands-on experience all about fitting hands, drilling balls, and the science of bowling ball manufacturing. He’s internationally recognized as one of the most sought-after ball drillers and technical coaches in the world. He has worked for 10 years at Storm Products and oversees ball development for multiple brands, shipping bowling balls worldwide. Chad has multiple 300 games and 800 series and has been inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records seven times for bowling-related feats, most recently for the “Tallest Stack of Bowling Balls” with 11 balls broken at Storm headquarters. He currently holds the record for the “Most Strikes in 60 Seconds” at 12 strikes and the “Most Bowling Balls Held Simultaneously” with 16 balls. He also travels globally to teach bowling, conduct seminars, and educate others on the technical aspects of the sport. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. This article has been fact-checked, ensuring the accuracy of any cited facts and confirming the authority of its sources. This article has been viewed 923,998 times.

Do you want to roll turkeys (three strikes in a row), or string strikes like the pros? It is certainly within the physical capabilities of most people. All you need is to find your proper starting position; develop a fundamentally solid and repeating swing, then practice. If you are naturally athletic and reasonably proficient at repeating motions, much practice may even be required. Watch out, though—bowling is addictive.

How to Get a Strike in Bowling

As you’re bowling, the oil on the lane moves around, explains bowling expert Chad McLean. Adjust by moving your feet, changing your launch angle, or switching balls. Find a balance between hook and friction so you enter the strike pocket (between pins 1 and 2 or 1 and 3) at the ideal angle.

Steps

Part 1 Part 1 of 3:

Selecting equipment

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1 Determine whether you will be using a "house ball" or will be buying your own. Most people start with a "house ball" and "house shoes" as this is the cheapest option. There are normally many "house balls" to choose from and these are supplied, free-of-charge, by the bowling alley. Shoes may be rented for one price which covers your entire bowling session.[1] X Research source
- The other option is get your own ball and have it custom-fitted to your hand for your individual swing and release. The fitting and drilling can often be accomplished on the spot (if the resident pro is in the bowling center at the time). The pro will be able to advise you on the best ball composition and weight for your skill level, budget, bowling style, and aspirations.
- You might be able to find a bargain ball online or in a local store, but you will likely have trouble sorting all the options and should expect to pay the pro to fit you and drill the ball. It is not recommended to get your ball fitted and drilled at a box store unless they specialize in sporting equipment, and, in particular, bowling supplies. If you buy from the pro shop, though, you will have free advice and free drilling.
2 Decide on your grip. If you purchase your ball, you will have two basic choices:[2] X Research source
- The conventional grip where the middle and ring finger go into the ball up to the second joint of each finger. This is the only grip option if you are using a "house ball." In this option, a custom ball is drilled to accommodate the natural slant of your fingers in relation to each other and to the radius of the ball. Don't worry about this, though—the pro will take care of all the measurements and should make adjustments over your next few bowling sessions. There should be no charge for the adjustments, but ask just to be sure.
- The fingertip grip in which the middle and ring finger go into the ball only up to the first joint. The fingertip grip affords more leverage at release, allowing you to put more "juice" on the shot—that is, impart more revolutions on the ball per unit time. Normally, with a fingertip grip, there will be rubberized inserts in each finger hole. These afford a surer grip. Again, the pro will set you up and should make adjustments gratis.
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3 Get your ball fitted and drilled. If you are purchasing your ball, the pro will take care of measuring your hand. Have the pro watch a couple of your shots. That way the fit will account for your natural delivery style. If you have not bowled before, you might want to get a bit of instruction before showing the pro your shot. If you ask, the pro will give you a quick run-down on the basics and get you started off on the right foot. In the meantime, finish reading this article to get a basic idea of the fundamental bowling swing which will get you strike after strike after strike.[3] X Research source
- Undoubtedly the pro will offer you the opportunity to purchase a bag and recommended accessories. You can purchase these on the spot or wait and see what turns up in the local thrift shops. Often bowling equipment shows up in good shape and you can pick up a ball for the kids and a bag for yourself. Really all you need at this point is a bowling ball sling, also known as a buffer bag.
4 Pick your bowling shoes. It is mandatory that you use shoes specially designed for bowling. These have medium-soft, rubber heels which stop you smoothly, but quickly at the release point. The soles are of leather and are designed to slide smoothly across the approach boards as you prepare to release your shot. Rental shoes are available at the desk and are normally paid for when you get your lane assignment.
- If you plan to join a weekly bowling league, house shoes are often included with the weekly fees. Ask about this. If your center does not include free shoes for leagues, you will save money, overall, by purchasing your own shoes right away. They will be available in the pro shop or you can shop for bargains around town and online.
- A word of caution about the shoes: Take care not to step in any liquid or spills. Bowling shoes are designed to slide smoothly right until the release. If you step in water, for example, your slide will stop soon as it starts, which is dangerous and may cause injury.
5 Choose a house ball. Balls come in various weights which will likely be stamped into the balls. Alternatively, the balls will be color-coded. For the color-coded option, the key should be posted conspicuously in the bowling center.[4] X Research source If not, ask at the desk.
- Determine the proper starting weight. Pick a ball which seems fairly light. Holding the ball cradled in both hands, extend your arms fully in front of your chest. If you can hold the ball for only a couple of seconds without straining, you have found a good starting weight. If the ball wants to drop as soon as you push it away from your body, the ball is too heavy—try something a bit lighter. If you can hold the ball at arm's length for quite some time, the ball is way too light. You want the heaviest ball that you can reasonably control. If it is too light, you will be able to jerk it this way and that during the swing and you will have inconsistent results.
- Select a ball with the proper span. Support the ball with your non-dominant hand underneath. Insert the thumb of your bowling hand (your dominant hand) into the largest diameter hole and drape your middle finger and ring finger over the two remaining holes.
  - Look for something where the crease of the second joint of both fingers is just over the edge of each hole. If the finger holes are too far away and the edge of the hole falls between your first and second joint, you will not be able to seat your fingers into the holes all the way—the span is too great. On the other hand, if the span is too small, the palm of your hand will not rest on the ball surface and you will, necessarily, adopt a pincher grip. This is not a power grip and will result in a weak shot and relatively few strikes.
  - Take the time to find at least one ball with a proper, comfortable span for your hand. If you are having a truly difficult time finding a ball of your targeted weight that has the proper span, there is a strong possibility that you have picked a weight that is too heavy or light. The heavier balls will normally have a larger span, so you will need to look at balls that are heavier or lighter according to your needs. If you are having trouble, ask the bowling center staff for assistance. They will help you arrive at a reasonable compromise for weight and span.
- Select the best finger hole size. If you have identified several balls of the proper starting weight and span, look for the one with the snuggest, most comfortable finger holes. Typically, the finger holes are drilled over-large. If you are finding that your fingers do not fit in the balls, you have chosen a weight that is too light, perhaps a kid's weight with proportionately smaller finger holes. You want holes which are fairly snug, but release your fingers easily.[5]

Part 2 Part 2 of 3:

Choosing the proper starting position

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1 Determine your starting distance from the foul line. Stand with your back to the pins and your heels at the foul line. Take four and a half normal steps toward the scoring area and note the location where your toe-tip ends. Generally this will be between the five round dots and the start of the approach.[6] X Research source
- If you find that your normal steps take you off of the alley, your will have to start with your heels hanging a bit off the raised approach area and start with smaller steps, building your pace and the length of your steps as you get closer to the foul line. In this way you will avoid going over the line which stretches from gutter to gutter (at the start of the gutter).
- If you go over the foul line or any part of your body touches the lane past this line, your pin fall is not counted and the pins are reset. However, you still lose your shot (two per frame, maximum, but possibly three shots in the tenth frame only.)
2 Start with the toe of your on the board with the center dot. Before you start rolling strikes in every frame, you'll need to figure out the best possible position from which to start your approach. Your non-dominant foot will be whichever is opposite your bowling hand. If you bowl right, this will be your left foot. Put your left foot forward, aligned just behind the center dot.[7] X Research source
- Eventually, you can adjust your starting alignment based on your natural tendencies, but to start out and gauge your aim, try starting in the center.
3 Aim for the second arrow from the gutter on your dominant side. About fifteen feet from the foul line, you'll see the directional arrows that help you aim.[8] X Research source
- The center of the lane is generally the most oily part. Keeping the ball somewhat to the side is a good way to maximize your traction on the lane.[9]
4 Take several practice rolls to see where the ball goes. Bowl naturally, keeping your shoulders parallel with the foul line and swinging your arm forward as straight as possible. Follow through when you release. Your hand should extend as if you were going to shake someone's hand. Pay careful attention to where the ball lands.
- The "pocket" is the area immediately to one or the other side of the lead pin, and is the area you want to hit to consistently roll strikes. Did you hit the pocket? If so, you've found the correct starting position for your swing. You'll want to align your non-dominant foot with the center dot.
5 Move in the direction of your miss. If you missed right, start your next throw a dot to the right of the center point. If you missed left, do the opposite. While this may seem counter-intuitive, missing to one side means that your ball is hooking too early or too late. Keep the ball dead on by moving toward your miss.
- After several practice throws you should be able to find your optimum starting position from which to bowl. From there, you can tweak your throw to improve your chances of hitting a strike every time.

Part 3 Part 3 of 3:

Improving Your Accuracy

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1 Practice your curve. Pro bowlers all bowl with some "English," or curvature on the ball. Because the pocket you're aiming for is somewhat on an angle, the best way to hit it is to curve the ball in toward the pocket from the edge of the lane. This is why you aim for an arrow to the side of the center.[10] X Research source
- The best way to ensure English on your throw is to maintain good "handshake" position on your follow-through. After you release the ball, your hand should be up in the air as if you were going to shake the hand of the pin you're aiming toward.
2 Find the right bowling ball. Using a ball that is too heavy or too light can drastically affect your accuracy. Experiment with balls that are slightly heavier than what feels normal and balls that are slightly lighter than you would normally use. Does your accuracy improve in either direction?[11]
3 Find the right speed. Firing the ball from the rocket launcher that is your bowling arm may seem like a good idea at first, but it's not necessarily the most accurate way to throw. Extra force will often leave pins on the floor that softer and more accurate throws will pick up. In general, though, you should throw the ball with as much force as you can throw accurately.
- Some modern alleys track the speed of your ball. Try to reduce the speed of your shot in small increments if you are blowing the pins off the lane. Slower, precise pocket hits will keep the pins on the lane and allow them to mix, improving your chance of clearing the deck and producing a strike.
4 Adjust your grip on the bowling ball. Gripping too tightly, particularly with the thumb, can hook the ball in an inaccurate direction. Insert your fingers into the ball first. If you've got an appropriately fitted bowling ball, they should go in as far as your big knuckle. Use your non-bowling hand to steady the ball on your approach.
- You'll typically want the thumb to release the ball a split second before the fingers. Make sure your fingernails are neat and trimmed to avoid catching on the fingerholes and throwing wonky balls.

Community Q&A

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Question If I am aiming for the 10 pin, where should I stand? Community Answer Stand as far left as possible. The key here is to "flatten" out your shot or take as much of the rotation off of it as possible. You want your shot to cross the entire lane as it travels towards the10 pin. If you find it difficult to flatten the shot and the ball is breaking at the end, then keep some rotation on it and increase the speed of the shot . That should hold the ball on the right edge of the lane as it will travel approximately 15 to 20 feet on the edge taking out the 10 pin. Just the same as strikes, this takes practice. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 15 Helpful 39
Question How do I bowl a strike if I'm a kid and I have very little force? Daren Ngo Community Answer A tip is to actually let the ball dangle and then you'll have additional force when you roll and release. This works for little kids, tweens, and some teens. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 10 Helpful 46
Question I am left-handed. Where do I aim to get a strike every time? Daren Ngo Community Answer Aim at the left center arrow. The ball will eventually curl its way into a strike. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 12 Helpful 42

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Tips

Find the ball that your comfortable with. Don't start with a 16# ball if you can barely use it. Instead, start with a medium weight, like a 12# ball (or lighter). Thanks Helpful 35 Not Helpful 11
Make sure you have the heaviest ball that you can comfortably handle. Thanks Helpful 28 Not Helpful 18
If you typically leave pins on the side, you are hitting too much on the head pin. Thanks Helpful 24 Not Helpful 15

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Tips from our Readers

The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.

My go-to strategy is taking 3 steps back, and then taking 3 steps forward as I release the ball.
If you get a custom ball drilled, clean out the finger holes to remove any dust particles.

Submit a Tip All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published Name Please provide your name and last initial Submit Thanks for submitting a tip for review! Advertisement

Warnings

Do not cross the foul line. The lane is oily and is very slick. You will end up sprawled on the lane. Thanks Helpful 8 Not Helpful 3

Things You'll Need

Bowling ball
Bowling shoes
Rosin bag or Pro-grip paste rosin (optional)
Towel
Baby powder
Wrist positioning support (optional)

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References

↑ https://www.activesgcircle.gov.sg/learn/bowling/how-to-choose-a-bowling-ball
↑ https://richmond40bowl.com/bowling-grips-3-different-grips-and-how-they-can-affect-your-game/
↑ https://www.nationalbowlingacademy.com/post/proper-bowling-ball-fit/
↑ https://www.activesgcircle.gov.sg/learn/bowling/how-to-choose-a-bowling-ball
↑ https://pinchasers.net/blog/choosing-the-perfect-bowling-ball/
↑ https://www.bowl.com/Welcome/Welcome_Home/The_Approach/
↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/how-to/how-to-bowl-a-strike/
↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/how-to/how-to-bowl-a-strike/
↑ https://www.bowl.com/Welcome/Welcome_Home/Understanding_oil_patterns/

More References (3)

↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/how-to/how-to-bowl-a-strike/
↑ https://www.artofmanliness.com/skills/how-to/how-to-bowl-a-strike/
Videos provided by USBC Bowling Academy

About This Article

Co-authored by: Chad McLean Certified Bowling Coach This article was co-authored by Chad McLean. Chad McLean is a professional bowler, a bowling ball designer, and the Technical Director at Storm Products based in Brigham City, Utah. He started playing at just three years old, and developed a passion for bowling that carried through high school into his adult life. After bowling for nearly his entire life, during college Chad managed a pro shop at a local bowling alley where he learned through hands-on experience all about fitting hands, drilling balls, and the science of bowling ball manufacturing. He’s internationally recognized as one of the most sought-after ball drillers and technical coaches in the world. He has worked for 10 years at Storm Products and oversees ball development for multiple brands, shipping bowling balls worldwide. Chad has multiple 300 games and 800 series and has been inducted into the Guinness Book of World Records seven times for bowling-related feats, most recently for the “Tallest Stack of Bowling Balls” with 11 balls broken at Storm headquarters. He currently holds the record for the “Most Strikes in 60 Seconds” at 12 strikes and the “Most Bowling Balls Held Simultaneously” with 16 balls. He also travels globally to teach bowling, conduct seminars, and educate others on the technical aspects of the sport. This article has been viewed 923,998 times. 109 votes - 82% Co-authors: 54 Updated: December 7, 2025 Views: 923,998 Categories: Bowling Article SummaryX

If you’re trying to bowl a strike, aim for the second arrow from the gutter on your dominant side. If you miss, change your starting position by moving in the direction of your miss, which will help keep your ball dead-on. You can improve the accuracy of your throw by following through, letting your hand go up in the air after you release the ball as if you were going to shake the hand of the pin you’re aiming for. Additionally, you might want to try using a slightly heavier or lighter ball than usual, since a small change in weight can mean a big change in accuracy. For more information on how to pick the best ball and find the right grip to help you bowl a strike, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Co-authored by: Chad McLean Certified Bowling Coach Co-authors: 54 Updated: December 7, 2025 Views: 923,998 82% of readers found this article helpful. 109 votes - 82% Click a star to add your vote

Chris Bridgman

Aug 11, 2016

"I'm pretty new to bowling, and this gave me a really clear set of basic techniques and tips. Now to see if I..." more

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Mary Jenkins

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"Everything helped, especially the arm throw and body positioning for launching the ball."

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Feb 22, 2017

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Oct 17, 2019

"Great article. Clarifies a lot of information for a beginner bowler!" Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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How to Get a Strike in Bowling

Steps

Selecting equipment

Choosing the proper starting position

Improving Your Accuracy

Community Q&A

Video

Tips

Tips from our Readers

Warnings

Things You'll Need

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References

About This Article

Reader Success Stories

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