Have you been dropping your bowling ball too early on the lane? Don’t worry, friends. That is a very common issue that many bowlers face. The problem is timing and lack of practice. But it can be much more complicated than that. Indeed, it takes time to learn bowling, but mistakes like dropping the bowling ball before the foul line can happen to anyone!
So what can be done to prevent this mistake? Why does it happen in the first place? I will describe the probable causes behind this matter and how you can stop doing that in this article. If you are in a similar situation, stay tuned!
Why your bowling ball drop before the foul line?
Are you constantly dropping your bowling ball before the foul line? Have you figured out why it is happening? No? Then you might wanna check out the following probable reasons and see what you can relate to better.
1. Bowling Ball Grip
One of the first and most common reasons behind your bowling ball dropping before reaching the foul line is your grip. If you’re not holding onto your bowling ball with the bowling fingers or they are in an incorrect position, your ball might fall on the ground before the foul line. If your grip is loose, you have a high chance of losing control over the ball before you let it go. Similarly, if your grip is too tight and during your ball release, you can’t get your fingers out of the ball, it may backfire, and your ball will fall before the foul line.
2. Bowling Stance
The problem can be your stance as well. If you think your grip is alright, then you should throw a ball to see if your feet’ positioning is on point. To execute a bowling ball perfectly, you should keep your feet 6 inches behind the foul line. Generally, when bowler drops their ball before the foul line is because they were too far from the foul line. I understand the fear of crossing the foul line, but being too far is also problematic.
3. Faulty Ball Swing and Follow-though
The release zone of your bowling ball is too precious to make mistake. However, this is where the most mistakes are done. When you fail to do your ball swing properly with a nice follow-through, you have a high chance of messing up your shot. This is when many bowlers unintentionally drop their ball before the foul line. A nice follow-through can get your ball to the place you intend to and that includes performing the ball swing flawlessly with the follow-through.
4. Timing
Timing is everything! Your feet might be in position, your grip might be alright, yet, you still got your bowling ball on the ground before the foul line. So what went wrong? Well, timing. Doesn’t matter if your bowling ball execution was flawless from the beginning till the end, but if you fail to count your steps and estimate the timing, and release your ball a bit too early, your ball will end up landing on the ground before the foul line.
5. Imbalance at the Foul Line
Losing your balance is another common reason your ball is not landing properly. Do you try to hook your ball harder and put pressure at the bottom of your swing? This is probably why your ball is not going where you intend to. When an imbalance occurs, bowlers fail to take a step off of their sliding foot to their opposite foot to gain balance before the foul line. And, as a result, the bowling ball gets dropped outside the playable lane’s region.
6. Lack of Practice
The reason your bowling balls are dropping before the foul line can be any of the abovementioned ones. But there is another important reason why you’re doing this. It is the lack of practice. As we all know, practice makes perfect! So if you want to master bowling, what you should do is practice following the right method. Of course, I didn’t mean that you just throw your bowling ball any way you want. So just learn how you can stop doing that. Doing this will decrease your problem with dropping the bowling ball early on the lane before the foul line. So once you identify your problem, don’t just stop there. Keep on bowling and avoid using the incorrect motion, grip, timing, and/or stance.
How do you stop dropping bowling ball before the foul line?
We all know that no one should cross the foul line. Contrarily, your bowling ball should be on the ground once it crosses the foul line. But if you keep dropping it before the foul line and want to solve the problem, here are the things you should do—
1. Work on your finger grip:
Don’t grab your bowling ball too hard. Rather, keep the grip pressure light between your thumb and fingers. The slow-speed bowlers should keep the grip a little tight in a way that there is no uncomfortable strain on their wrist due to the ball’s weight,
2. Keep your Distance properly:
As I just said, you are not to cross the foul line, so, you need to maintain a 6” distance between your feet and the foul line. If you get too far, this is when you will mess it up. So do not let go of the ball until it you are in line with your toes and the foul line. Set your target in a way that your bowling ball is not going to land within 1 2 inches from the foul line.
3. Perfect ball swing and follow-through:
Work on your ball release. Learn how to gain perfection in ball swing and follow-through. Make sure you have built up enough speed in your ball swing as well as your follow-through with the motion in its entirety.
4. Having balance
So how do you balance yourself when you bowl? Hear me out! When you’re about to slide during your ball throw, you have to come a little forward with your bowling ball. Keep your hand and arm relaxed, don’t stress too much. What this will do? Well, it will let you hold your position of the legs at the foul line. Remember to keep your knee flexed enough so that you can throw your bowling ball across the line in a constant downward motion. Let your bowling hand swing back and forth a few times if needed for better balance. As long as your feet are outside the line and your ball is rolling crossing the foul line, you will be good.
Conclusion
So there you go, folks! I believe you can pretty much guess what I will recommend you to do next. Practice! Practice! And Practice! That’s what is more important. The foul line is one of the most important elements of bowling that you can’t just ignore. So don’t cross it with your feet, and do not let your ball stay outside the line. Follow the ways you can stop this from happening. If you practice hard enough, this will be the least of your concern as you will hardly ever drop your bowling ball before the foul line. So to remain mistake-free, keep on practicing. Good luck and see you later, my friends.
Passionate Bowler and Bowling Enthusiast
Jess Pinelli is a dedicated bowling enthusiast with a deep love for the sport that spans over 6 years. With numerous strikes, spares, and a few gutter balls under hes belt, he has honed his skills on lanes across the country. Pinelli’s journey in the world of bowling has been a remarkable one, from casual weekend games with friends to competitive league play and even a few local tournaments.
Driven by her passion for the game, Pinelli decided to channel her expertise and knowledge into the digital realm, becoming a prolific author on this bowling website. She’s your go-to source for everything bowling-related, from mastering the perfect hook to choosing the right bowling ball and even navigating the world of bowling etiquette.
When she’s not busy writing informative articles or reviewing the latest bowling gear, you’ll likely find Pinellis at her favorite local bowling alley, helping newcomers improve their game or enjoying some friendly competition with fellow bowlers. She firmly believes that bowling is not just a game but a community, and she’s committed to fostering that sense of camaraderie both online and offline.
