There are moments in time when lofting the bowling ball works or rolling the ball works. How do we know when one will work better than the other? Why should I loft the ball over rolling the ball? I'm going to break down the difference between the two and try to give you some pointers on what to look for to help distinguish between lofting and rolling.

We have all been told at one point in time to roll the ball smoothly down the lane. Why? The purpose of it is to help you let go of the ball right at your ankle. Now, what are some of the benefits and downfalls of rolling the ball? The benefits could be some of the following things: rolling the ball creates an earlier roll down lane. It will help with being smooth when you release close to your ankle. When we roll the ball, if we are setting it on the foul line, is that good or bad? I will say bad! The reason is there is no oil for the first 6 inches starting at the foul line to the lane pattern. With that being said, the ball will jump on you if you rotate the ball where no oil is. The other downfall that could happen when rolling the ball is, if you need length and you're rolling the ball, it will hit flat, causing flat ten pins. If you see the ball rolling out too soon, that is where lofting the ball can come into play.

When I mention loft, I am not talking about Osku Palarmaa over the chair loft. Lofting to the first set of dots is more like it. By doing this, you will naturally get a bit more length since the ball rotation is delayed 5 feet due to the loft. Some bowlers may say lofting is a bad thing since you're releasing the ball past your ankle, but it's okay to do. When the shot starts to break down and the ball begins hooking too much for you, this added loft will help you. You may still have to move, but again, that added length could help as well. If you are leaving ring ten pins, the ball is going too long and that is where rolling the ball may come back into play.

Make sure you are watching your ball reaction. Watch how the ball is mixing the pins around. This will tell you whether to roll the ball or loft the ball. If you ever get the time to practice, put a towel down on the lane, have the towel lay across the foul line. This will help you not set the ball down too soon. Hitting the towel is like hitting that part of the lane where no oil is. Take video of yourself practicing to see what you need to work on. It is easier to see than to feel. Remember to enjoy the game of bowling and as always Practice Practice Practice.

Steve Lemke
Bowling.com
SFA NCAA Coach