Delivery

• The most important thing to master in your quest for a higher average is your delivery. Start by standing far enough behind the foul line that you can comfortably take four steps. If you are right-handed, line up on the right side of the lane. Hold the ball cupped in your bowling hand. Take your first step with the foot opposite your dominant hand (right-handed bowlers start with the left foot; left-handed bowlers with the right). Push the ball away from you and drop it back in a swinging motion behind you. As you take the third step, the ball should reach the high point of its arc behind you. The fourth step is a slide to the foul line. Release the ball as close to the floor as possible, and allow your arm to follow through as you complete the slide. Be careful to walk in a straight line as you approach the foul line. You can use the marks on the approach to help keep straight. Practice this motion at home, with or without a ball in your hand, to learn proper technique.
  
  

Lane Marks

• Every lane in a bowling alley has marks on the lane to help a bowler aim. Once you release your ball, pay attention to where the ball is on the lane as it passes the marks, and where it first strikes the pins. If you can consistently release the ball the same way with every throw, you can move yourself left or right on the lane approach to adjust where the ball strikes the pins.
  
  

Tempo

• Adjusting your tempo, or the speed you approach the foul line and throw the ball, will change how the ball moves as it travels down the lane. You first throw should always be steady. You want your first shot to be the exact same way every time, striking the pins in the pocket. The pocket is the head pin and the pin directly behind it and to the right, if you are right-handed, (or the left if you are left-handed). Bowlers are more likely to make a strike if the first ball hits the pocket. Your second throw can and should vary depending on what pins are left standing.
  
  

Spares

• Learning to convert spares consistently is the fastest way to boost your average. Beginners tend to concentrate on strikes, which is natural. Strikes are the most exciting part of the game, and really boost your score. Spares, while less exciting, also provide a boost to your score. By avoiding open frames, spares can help your score add up quickly.
  
  Splits are best converted into spares with extra speed and a healthy dose of luck. You can use your normal approach and tempo to pick up single or double pins. Picking up the single pins on the same side of the lane as your dominant hand (the 7 pin for a lefty, 10 pin for a righty) is more difficult than it appears. Trying to throw a ball straight along the gutter is extremely difficult. The bowler must switch sides on the approach, and roll the ball across the lane.