Becoming a Better Bowler

Michael Fratacci Sr. is the founder and president of Ramco Electrical Contracting Corporation. Some of his company’s major projects include electrical installation for the 9/11 Memorial and Museum, the Barclay Center in Brooklyn, and Lenox Hill Hospital. In his free time, Michael Fratacci Sr. takes an interest in several sports, from baseball to hockey to bowling.

Bowling is one of the most popular and recognizable games in the world. With the simple premise of rolling a ball down a 60-foot lane to knock over bottle-shaped targets known as tenpins, the game is nevertheless one that demands practice and precision.

An important technique for bowlers to hone is how to hold and release the ball. A good grip on the ball would involve distributing pressure across the fingers instead of the thumb, and to maintain that pressure when aiming and swinging. When letting go, releasing the thumb before the fingers gives the ball better momentum and rotation.

Becoming a better bowler also means developing one’s approach to the lane. The basic bowling approach takes four steps, or strides, with the backswing on the third step and the ball release on the fourth step. Streamlining this comes with practice, to build up the muscle memory that improves these four steps into one smooth motion.

Bowlers should also be familiar with the guiding arrows at the beginning of their bowling lane. The accuracy of the throw depends on matching the right arrow to the style of throw; for instance, the center arrow should be used for balls that roll perfectly straight. As with one’s approach, trial and error will lead to a better game.