How To Practice Spares In Bowling: A Easy Guide In 2024!

How to practice spares in bowling! No matter how great you are at bowling, it is extremely difficult to get non-sop strikes. In some frames, you will be able to knock down all the pins, and then in other frames, you will be unable to knock all of them down. This is when the remaining pins at the very end of the lane need to be picked up. When you fail to get those remaining pins, you miss your chance of getting the points you could’ve earned.

This is why learning to pick up spares is highly paramount. And to learn that, you need to know how to practice spares in bowling. This article will describe the particulars that you need to know before you start your practice. 

How to be a better spare bowler?

Every bowler loves to practice bowling, but sometimes this practice can get a little redundant. If you’re not having fun while bowling and it gets kind of tedious, you end up just going through the motions and not getting a lot out of it. Here I will mention a couple of games that you can play in practice to keep things interesting and fun and improve your spare-shooting skills at the same time.

Some people think the only way you can practice spare is if you leave them while bowling.  But if you can shoot your spares on a full rack, it can make you a more precise spare shooter. So, consider this as the first recommendation to shoot spares— start practicing your spare shots on a full rack. Now, let me give you some fun game ideas. 

Versatility Game: 

This is one of my favorite spare-practicing games and it works on playing different areas on the lane. As the name suggests, you have to be versatile to play from different boards for this game. Here’s how it works— you are gonna have to decide that you are going to have to roll your bowling ball from different zones on the lane. And yes, you’re gonna have a full rack for this game. 

If you typically play between 1-5 boards, this is going to be fun and challenging at the same time to play on the 11-15, 21-25, and 31-35 boards. But playing from different boards, you will have different splits in different shots. This will allow you to practice different kinds of spares on the second frames, based on which boards you roll your ball on. 

Low Ball: 

For this game, you’re also gonna play with a full rack. You can make up any rules you want for yourself which is part of the fun of this game. For example, you can aim to only pick the corners off, ten pin only out of a full rack. Similarly, you can also bowl seven pin out of a full rack. 

You can also practice by having the lowest score possible which can be done by getting no more than 1 pin on each shot. So your goal is to only knock down 1 pin per shot. So if you bowl like that, a score of 20 will make it a perfect game. If you miss the shots, you can count it as a strike or spare.

Spares Then Strikes Game: 

This game is for practicing spare and strike shots simultaneously. The rule is plain and simple. Just throw your spare shot first, aiming for only a single corner pin. On the second frame, pick up what’s left of the rack. If you can keep that up throughout the game, 111 would make a perfect score.

Tough Spare Cycles: 

Instead of shooting only the corner pins, you can add a little twist to your game. You can change that by adding two other pin combinations that are very common for most players. The first one is the washout and the second one is the 3-6-10 split (for the right-handed bowlers) or, the 2-4-7 split (for the left-handed bowlers). You can also make the scoring system fun by giving yourself 5 points for each converted spare.

How to pick up spares every time?

Do you need some tips and tricks to pick up the spares? Don’t worry, I am here to teach you a few strategies on how to pick spares. But one of the main things I want you to emphasize is that there’s no set-in-stone way of how to pick any particular spares. So I can only tell you about the ways you can optimize your chances of picking the ugly spares. 

First and foremost, you have to take everything out of play. You want to make it as simple as possible. And what is the simplest way? Well, this might be an unpopular opinion, but you gotta throw it straight. 

Now, let’s assume you have got the corner pins (7 and 10) standing at the end of the lane, ready to be picked up. So what should you do? You should try to create the most amount of angle possible. Try to eliminate the outer part of the lane as possible and make your ball roll straight. To get those corner pins, you should keep your spare bowling ball in the middle of the lane the longest.

If you think it is an easy pattern you’re bowling on, you can try to hook your bowling ball when the remaining pins are standing in the middle of the lane (headpin and the ones close to that). But if you’re bowling in a tournament, take everything out of the play and make things as simple as possible. 

The biggest hack to get spares every time is to be a really good straight bowler. So when you learn to hook your bowling ball, make sure you don’t stop practicing your straight shots because these straight rolls will save your scores at the end of the day. Bowlers who are really good at straight shooting rarely miss a spare. So don’t let those potential spares go to waste and start working on them. I would also recommend you throw your balls aiming for various numbers of boards for precision.

FAQs Of How To Practice Spares In Bowling!

How do I get better at bowling spares?

Improving your spare game in bowling requires practice and focus. Here are some tips to help you up your spare shooting skills:

1. Identify which spares give you the most trouble and focus on practicing those specifically.
2. Work on your technique – ensure your stance, approach, release, and follow-through are consistent.
3. Aim for a specific target on the lane based on the spare you’re aiming for.
4. Use the right equipment, such as a spare ball if needed.
5. Stay mentally focused and confident when shooting spares – visualize success before releasing the ball.

With dedication and practice, you’ll see improvement in your spare shooting ability!

How do you spare in bowling?

When it comes to sparing in bowling, precision is key. To improve your spare game, focus on these tips:

1. Aim for the center arrow: When aiming for spares, target the arrow closest to the center rather than the pins themselves. This helps with accuracy.
2. Adjust your stance: For right-handed bowlers, move slightly to the left and vice versa for lefties to angle towards the spare pin.
3. Use the right ball: A spare ball that goes straight is essential for consistent spares like corner pins.
4. Practice regularly: The more you practice spare shots, the better you’ll become at them.

Remember, practice makes perfect in bowling!

How do you line up for spares in bowling?

When lining up for spares in bowling, aim to position yourself on the approach based on the specific spare you are targeting. For the 10-pin spare, move to the opposite side of the lane and aim to hit the remaining pins straight-on. For other spares, adjust your position and angle to pick up the spare. Practice and experimentation will help you find the best approach for different spare situations.

How do spares work on bowling?

When it comes to bowling, “spares” refer to knocking down all remaining pins within the second ball of a frame. This is crucial for maintaining a good score! To achieve a spare, aim to knock down the remaining pins by adjusting your angle and speed, focusing on precision. Remember, practice makes perfect!

Conclusion

Spare shooting is an essential and fundamental aspect of bowling. Bowling instructors always tell us the importance of spare shots. However, not many bowlers can do it properly. This is because when we go practicing in your local bowling center, you opt for a higher score instead of learning spare shooting. So I would suggest you take these ideas on how to practice spare shooting in bowling, and be really good at it. Till then, keep your ball rolling with full enthusiasm and maximum precision. See ya later!