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How To Become More Consistent At Hitting Your Target In Bowling By Richard Shockley
You line up perfectly, visualize your target arrow, take your approach with confidence—and somehow the ball goes everywhere except where you aimed. Sound familiar? You’re not alone. Even experienced bowlers struggle with the frustrating inconsistency of hitting their target, wondering why some shots feel perfect while others seem to have a mind of their own.
The truth is, most targeting problems aren’t caused by poor aim or concentration—they stem from inconsistent footwork that creates unpredictable launch angles. When your feet don’t travel in a straight line to the foul line, your entire swing path gets thrown off, making it nearly impossible to hit your target consistently, no matter how good your form looks.
In this comprehensive guide, you’ll discover the proven techniques used by PBA professionals to achieve laser-like accuracy. We’ll break down the step-by-step approach that transforms erratic targeting into consistent strikes, focusing on the footwork fundamentals that create a reliable, repeatable shot.
How to Hit Your Bowling Target Consistently: The Pro’s Guide to Perfect Accuracy
Targeting Consistency Purpose: Eliminate launch angle variations through precise footwork direction, creating a repeatable swing path that delivers the ball exactly where you aim every time.
Why Most Bowlers Struggle with Target Consistency
After decades of coaching bowlers from beginners to professionals, one pattern emerges again and again: targeting problems that seem mysterious actually have a very predictable cause. The issue isn’t with your eyes, your aim, or your concentration—it’s with the foundation of your entire shot.
The Hidden Culprit Behind Targeting Issues
The Problem: Drifting Footwork
When your feet veer left or right during your approach, your swing path follows, creating unpredictable launch angles that make consistent targeting impossible.
The Solution: Directional Control
Professional bowlers walk in a perfectly straight line to the foul line, creating a consistent swing path that delivers predictable results shot after shot.
What Professional Bowlers Know About Targeting
Years of studying PBA Tour players, PWBA professionals, and elite international bowlers reveal a striking consistency: nearly every top-level bowler walks straight to the foul line. This isn’t coincidence—it’s the foundation of professional-level accuracy.
Key Observations from Professional Analysis
Straight-Line Approach: Elite bowlers maintain a direct path from stance to foul line, eliminating variables that could affect ball direction.
Compensatory Skills: The few professionals who do drift have developed advanced compensatory techniques, but this requires years of practice most recreational bowlers don’t have.
Head Alignment: Consistent footwork keeps the head aligned with the ball throughout the entire swing, maintaining visual focus on the target.
Understanding the Science Behind Consistent Targeting
Your bowling approach is a kinetic chain where each movement affects the next. When your footwork direction varies, it creates a cascade of inconsistencies that make accurate targeting nearly impossible, regardless of how good your upper body form appears.
How Footwork Creates Targeting Problems
Right Drift: Walking right during your approach pulls your swing path right, causing the ball to miss your target right even when your aim feels perfect.
Left Drift: Drifting left forces your swing behind your back or creates an outside-in swing path, leading to inconsistent ball direction.
Variable Drift: Changing your drift pattern from shot to shot creates unpredictable results, making it impossible to develop consistent targeting.
How Footwork Affects Your Swing
Hip Clearance: Proper footwork creates space for your swing to travel in a straight line, preventing the ball from being forced around your body.
Shoulder Alignment: Straight footwork keeps your shoulders square to your target throughout the approach, maintaining consistent aim.
Balance Maintenance: Consistent footwork direction provides a stable platform for your swing, reducing timing and balance issues.
Creating Predictable Ball Direction
Consistent Release Point: Straight footwork ensures your release point remains constant relative to your target line.
Repeatable Angles: When your feet follow the same path, your launch angle becomes predictable and adjustable.
Precise Adjustments: Consistent footwork allows you to make small, controlled changes to hit different targets without losing accuracy.
💡 Pro Tip: Record yourself from behind during practice to see your footwork pattern. Most bowlers are surprised to discover they drift significantly without realizing it.
The Professional 4-Step Approach: Step-by-Step Breakdown
The 4-step approach is the most common timing among professional bowlers for good reason—it provides the perfect balance of control, power, and consistency. Here’s how to execute each step for maximum targeting accuracy.
Mastering Each Step for Perfect Direction
Step 1: The Crossover Step
Execution: Place your first step directly in front of your starting foot, creating a slight crossover that clears your hip for the swing.
Key Point: Don’t over-crossover, which can open your hips and force the ball behind your back. Aim for just enough clearance for your swing.
Stance Setup: Remember to tilt your head and ball-side shoulder slightly down in your stance before taking this first step.
Step 2: Straight Forward
Direction: Step straight in front of your first step, maintaining forward momentum toward your target.
Common Mistake: Stepping too far left on step two forces your swing behind your back, creating inconsistent ball direction.
Purpose: This step maintains your straight-line direction while allowing your swing to develop naturally.
Step 3: The Pivot Step
Placement: Make a shorter crossover step slightly inside your head position to clear space for your downswing.
Critical Function: This step creates the perfect position for your swing to pass cleanly by your body without interference.
Length Note: Keep this step shorter than your other steps to maintain balance and timing as you prepare for your slide.
Step 4: The Slide
Professional Standard: Right-handed bowlers should slide slightly left of their head position (opposite for left-handers).
Board Consistency: Your slide step should land on the same board as your pivot step for optimal balance and direction control.
Balance Key: This final position creates a stable platform for consistent release and follow-through.
Diagnosing Your Targeting Problems
Understanding what’s going wrong with your targeting helps you apply the right corrections. Here are the most common patterns and their solutions.
When Good Shots Give Bad Results
Symptom: You hit your target but get different pin reactions each time—sometimes strikes, sometimes splits, sometimes light hits.
Likely Cause: Your footwork direction varies from shot to shot, creating different launch angles even when you hit the same arrow.
Solution: Focus on walking the same path every time, using board targets for your feet as well as your eyes.
Missing Left or Right Consistently
Missing Right: Often caused by drifting right during your approach or stepping too far right on your slide.
Missing Left: Usually results from excessive left drift or forcing your swing around your body due to poor step positioning.
Correction Method: Practice walking your approach without a ball, focusing on landing on the same boards each time.
When Footwork Affects Your Timing
Early Timing: Rushing your steps to compensate for poor direction can throw off your entire swing sequence.
Late Timing: Hesitating during your approach because you’re unsure of your direction creates rushed, uncontrolled releases.
Fix: Establish consistent footwork first—proper timing will naturally follow when your approach is reliable.
Practice Drills for Perfect Targeting
Developing consistent targeting requires specific practice techniques that train your feet, eyes, and muscle memory to work together. These proven drills will transform your accuracy in just a few practice sessions.
Essential Targeting Practice Methods
🎯 The Board Walking Drill
Setup: Choose specific boards for each step of your approach and practice walking to those exact spots without a ball.
Execution: Repeat 10-15 times, focusing on landing on your target boards consistently before adding the ball back.
Benefit: Builds muscle memory for consistent footwork direction without the distraction of ball timing.
📹 Video Analysis Practice
Recording Position: Have someone video you from directly behind, capturing your entire approach from stance to finish.
Analysis Focus: Watch for drift patterns and compare your actual footwork to your intended straight line.
Adjustment: Most bowlers are shocked to see how much they drift—this visual feedback accelerates improvement.
🎯 Target Progression Drill
Start Simple: Begin by targeting the same arrow for 10 consecutive shots, focusing on footwork consistency.
Add Complexity: Once consistent, practice hitting different arrows while maintaining the same footwork pattern.
Goal: Develop the ability to hit any target through body position changes, not footwork changes.
Common Misconceptions About Bowling Targeting
Debunking Popular Myths
“Targeting is all mental focus”
Reality: While mental focus helps, physical fundamentals like footwork direction have a much bigger impact on targeting consistency.
“Good bowlers can compensate for any footwork”
Reality: Even professionals struggle with inconsistent footwork. The best players work constantly to maintain straight-line approaches.
“You need perfect form to hit targets”
Reality: Consistent footwork direction can dramatically improve targeting even with other form issues that need work.
Why Targeting Consistency Is Essential for New Bowlers
Learning proper targeting fundamentals from the beginning prevents years of frustration and helps new bowlers see rapid improvement in their scores and enjoyment of the game.
Key Benefits for New Bowlers
Faster Improvement: Consistent targeting allows you to see the direct results of adjustments, accelerating your learning curve and skill development.
Confidence Building: When you can hit your target consistently, you’ll feel more confident trying new techniques and making strategic adjustments.
Foundation for Advanced Skills: Spare shooting, lane play adjustments, and competitive bowling all depend on reliable targeting accuracy.
When to Consider Professional Coaching
While the fundamentals in this guide will help most bowlers improve their targeting, some situations benefit from professional instruction to accelerate your progress and prevent the development of hard-to-break habits.
Signs You Should Consider a Qualified Coach
Persistent Problems: If you’ve tried these techniques consistently for several weeks without improvement, a trained eye can identify issues you might miss.
Competitive Goals: Bowlers aiming for tournament play or significant average increases often benefit from professional video analysis and customized training plans.
Complex Issues: Sometimes targeting problems stem from multiple interconnected issues that require systematic correction by an experienced instructor.
Final Thoughts
Consistent targeting isn’t just about making more strikes—it’s about unlocking your potential to truly enjoy and excel at bowling. When you can reliably hit your target, spare shooting becomes manageable, lane adjustments make sense, and your confidence soars. The techniques outlined in this guide mirror the fundamentals used by professional bowlers worldwide, proven through decades of success at the highest levels.
Remember that footwork direction is the foundation everything else builds upon. Master this fundamental, and you’ll find that many other aspects of your game naturally improve. Be patient with yourself during the learning process—even small improvements in consistency will have a dramatic impact on your overall performance.
Start with the basics: practice your four-step approach without a ball, focusing on walking straight to the foul line. Once your feet are consistent, your targeting will follow. The investment in building proper fundamentals now will pay dividends for years to come, transforming you into the accurate, confident bowler you’ve always wanted to be.
Happy bowling! 🎳
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Thanks coach. Great stuff. Just reading your article gives me a heads up for when I get to the lanes tomorrow.
Good pointers, great help! Thanks for sharing.
Hi coach! Thank you for sharing these videos.
I have a question about this one. You stated that if the second step crosses over too much to the left it would cause the hips to open up too much…..
Wouldn’t the hips instead close to the left?
Thanks Hugh and good luck with your game.
You’re welcome Chet.
Hi Mike. This info is for a four step bowler and the second step should go in front of the first. But if step two of a five step bowler crosses over to much then yes the hips could get closed a bit. Thanks for your question.
Do you still have the academy or classes in Atlanta?. I’m in Charlotte, nc or would you do a clinic here?
Thanks a lot it really is a great help !!!
I had a problem, with sliding on my left foot, I would put on numerous sliding agents to make slide properly nothing would work for me!!!!