What You need to Know about Bowling Lane Arrows and Dots

Have you ever noticed the triangle-shaped arrows on the surface of the bowling lane? Yeah, those are the bowling lane arrows and today we will talk about it. So did it ever occur to you what purpose they serve? Do bowlers use it to roll their ball on the lane? If you thought about these, well, you’re one smart cookie! These arrows on the bowling lane aren’t there for no reason.

I am here to tell you all you need to know about bowling lane arrows. This will help you widen your knowledge of bowling and improve your bowling technique. So without any further ado, let’s get started.

What are the Arrows on a Bowling Lane?

If you have bowled, even just once, then you know that bowling lanes have foul lines. Now, what do you see past that? Look carefully. You will see a line of dots on the lane exactly 15 feet from the foul line. Right in front of those dots, you will notice another set of indicators imprinted on the lane. So what are these indicators?

Those are the bowling lane arrows which is today’s topic of discussion. Bowling arrows are often known as darts or dovetails by bowlers and they are great indicators for those who want their bowling ball to go exactly where they aim for. If you don’t know already how to use these bowling lane arrows, it’s high time you did!

What do the dots and arrows mean in bowling?

Every bowling alley has two types of indicators on its bowling lanes. Some dots and arrows, and no, they are not the same things. They serve different purposes. Let’s talk about the arrows first.

Arrows:

When I was a kid, I used to think that the arrows are just pointing out the direction the bowling ball is rolling. How silly! Now, I know what’s up with the arrows. So why are bowling arrows so important?

Some bowlers set their target by looking at the pin positions, some do that by focusing on a particular dot or arrow. To me, the arrows are the best way to aim. Once you learn to use the bowling lane arrows properly, your bowling ball motion becomes more precise and you can get your ball rolling anywhere you want to. Most bowlers think that these arrows are a great support to roll their ball in the right direction.

According to USBC, the bowling lane is 42 inches wide with 40 narrow boards placed one next to another. Most advanced and professional bowlers rely on the lane arrows for better ball motion, aim, entry angle, and pin knockdown. However, some bowlers depend on the lane boards (with the help of the dots) for bowling better. If that works for you, good, stick to that.

If you wanna target using arrows, know that, a bowling ball travels a 60 feet distance down the lane. A lot can go wrong while traveling such a long way to the pocket. If your ball’s path is off by just an inch it can jeopardize a perfect shot with multiple pins standing at the end of the lane. The bowling lane arrows are also important to pick up every potential spare. If you don’t start bowling with the help of the arrows, you will fail to pick up those possible spares.

Approach Dots:

Approach Dots are another kind of indicator you see in bowling alleys. There are at least two types of dots you will see on bowling lanes. Some are on the ball rolling area of the lane which is past the foul line and some are on the area where you take your stance.

Dots on the Ball Rolling Zone:

The dark-colored dots you see on the lane are placed for bowlers to figure out better entry angles. These dots are located right in between the foul line and the arrows. Bowlers use these dots as an indicator to count and calculate the entry angle of their bowling balls. Sometimes the arrows aren’t enough to count the number of the board and roll accordingly. This is when these arrows become helpful.

So let’s assume, you released your ball over board 12 when it was close to the foul line and later it rolled over board 10 when the ball reached the arrow zone. So, this is an angle of entry because the two board numbers are not the same. As I have just said, the indicator dots are halfway between the arrows and the foul line, and so, your bowling ball rolled over board 11 (where the dots are).

Dots on the Approach Area:

Most bowling lanes have 5 to 7 dots to help bowlers choose and adjust their positions. Most right-handed bowlers tend to line up from the center dot and go outward to the left. The left-handers move to the right from the center dot. In every bowling center across the world, the center dot on the approach is always going to be on the 20 board. Then, there will be 5 board increments where you move right or left.

So for a right-handed bowler, and then moving to the dot on the left, that’s actually the board 25. And, if you move to the right, now you’re on board 15. For lefties, you just wanna reverse that board number and the direction.

How many arrows are on a bowling lane?

There are exactly 7 symmetrical arrows laid out on the bowling lane. Respectively, they are on board 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35. These bowling arrows are just the reference targets. You don’t necessarily have to roll your ball over them all the time. You can also roll your bowling ball in between two arrows.

First Arrow:

 Let’s assume, you play from the right side of the lane because you’re a right-handed player. Now, the bowling arrow that is placed on board 5 which is closest to the edge (from the right side) is called the “first arrow”. This means that the first arrow is gonna be approximately 5″ far from the edge of the lane.

Second Arrow:

The next arrow beside the first arrow is called the “second arrow”. The second arrow is placed right on board 10.

Third Arrow:

If we continue to the left (bowler’s left), we will have the “third arrow”, located on board 15.

Fourth Arrow:

The arrow you see right in the middle of the lane is called the “fourth arrow”. This is the center arrow and is located right on board 20.

Fifth Arrow:

Again, if you continue to a bowler’s left, we will have the “fifth arrow” that is located on board 25.

Sixth Arrow:

The second last arrow (from left to right) is placed on board 30 which we like to call the “sixth arrow”.

Seventh Arrow:

Lastly, on board 35, the lane has the final arrow which is called the “seventh arrow”.

These ordinal numbers of arrows are only applicable for right-handed bowlers. For my left-handed bowlers, my recommendation for you is to use the reverse reference system where the seventh arrow is your first arrow, and so on.

How long are the arrows on a bowling lane?        

Most bowling alleys all over the world have arrows on the lane. These arrows have a triangular configuration, isosceles triangles, to be precise. The width/base of the triangles are generally 1.25″ and it shouldn’t be more than that. Otherwise, they will look odd and bulky. The height of these lane arrow triangles should not exceed 6″ in length.

How to use the arrows and dots on a bowling lane?

If you have read this far, you have realized how paramount it is to capitalize on bowling lane arrows. But how do you do that? There are a lot of things to consider before you choose your target arrow.

Pattern Length:

Pattern length is one of the biggest factors when it comes to rolling your bowling ball to the right pocket. For longer patterns, remember this motto- “Straighter is greater”. Meaning- you should bowl straight when you’re facing a longer pattern and for that, you will be needing to play from the outside on the lane. So longer the pattern is, the more you should be around the first arrow (on the 5th board).

The shorter the pattern, the more you should move inside and roll your ball anywhere between the second or third arrow. Once the lane breaks down, you might even consider rolling over a new arrow by moving inside.

Oil Ratio:

When you look at the oil pattern sheet, always look at the oil volume ratio. What does it say? Is your bowling lane flat or not? If it has a pretty flat oil ratio, you have to understand that the oil is distributed evenly across the entire lane. If you are a stroker and love to play straight, use the second arrow or any board between the first and second arrow for better aiming, and gradually move to the left once the pattern breaks down. If you are a tweener or cranker, start a little from the inside for better hooks and angles.

Guideline on how to use the lane arrows:

Once these are settled and you have estimated your target arrow, time for the real action. Keep your eyes on your targeted arrow and no need to look at the bowling pins. Position yourself at the stance as per your choice of playing outside or inside. Then choose your targeting arrow. Once that is decided, take your steps to walk forward and swing your ball by aligning with the target arrow. This will make your ball roll on the arrow you have aimed.

The head aka the middle lane arrow lines perfectly with the headpin. Then, the third arrow lines with pin 3, the second arrow with pin 6, the first arrow with pin 10, and so on. For strike shots consider the bowling lane type, oil ratio/volume, and length of the oil pattern. When you’re throwing your ball to pick up the spares, you should roll your bowling ball straight over the arrow that aligns with the remaining sanding pin.

Where Should I Look When Bowling: Arrows or Pins?

I have noticed something in common among most untrained or amateur bowlers. What they do is- they grab their bowling ball, and then they walk towards the lane while fixing their eyes on the pins. Big Mistake! I understand, knocking down the pins is the main goal of this sport. at the pins. But that’s not how you aim. If you aim by looking at the pins your shots will be never accurate nor satisfactory. Once to learn to aim using the arrows, the bowling ball will do the rest to take care of the pins.

Conclusion

Voila! Now you know how to take advantage of the bowling lane arrows. Not only it is an excellent step to improving your bowling strategies but also it will give you precision in your game. Oh, the accuracy for strikes or spares! You will brag about it to everyone. These bowling arrows are nothing but some basic “lane geometry”. So don’t think of it as a complicated chapter. These bowling lane arrows will surely revamp your better bowling performance. So make the most of the bowling lane arrows and lower the chances of missing strikes or spares in the future!