Day #10: January 10th, 2026
How a bowler lines up before the shot is one of the biggest factors in spare shooting consistency, often even more important than release or ball choice. For your SpareTime Bowling readers, this article walks through a simple, repeatable way to line up for every spare, so they can stop guessing and start converting.
Why Alignment Matters
Good spare shooters think “line first, release second.” Proper body and target alignment let the ball roll on the correct path even when execution is not perfect.
Consistent alignment across frames builds a repeatable routine, which lowers anxiety and makes pressure spares feel like practice shots.
Step 1: Set Your Spare Philosophy
Before talking boards and arrows, each bowler needs a clear philosophy for spare shooting.
Use a straight ball whenever possible
A plastic spare ball or a flattened, end‑over‑end release reduces hook and keeps the ball on the chosen line.
Pick one spare system and commit.
Common systems include:
3–6–9 System: Move your feet 3, 6, or 9 boards on the approach while keeping the same strike target.
Center‑Arrow/4th‑Arrow System: Keep feet fairly similar, and always target around the middle/4th arrow while adjusting your starting board.
For most league bowlers, a straight ball plus one simple system is enough to cover almost every spare they will see.
Step 2: Align Your Body, Not Just Your Eyes
Many bowlers “aim” at an arrow but forget to line up their entire body to the spare.
Square to the spare, not the headpin
Shoulders, hips, and knees should face the pin you want to hit, especially on corner pins.
Adjust your stance angle for side spares
For right‑handers:
10‑pin and right‑side spares: Open the stance slightly (right foot a bit behind left) so the shoulders face the right corner.
7‑pin and left‑side spares: Close the stance slightly (right foot a bit in front) so the shoulders face the left corner.
Body alignment makes it easier to project the ball down the chosen line without steering at the release.
Step 3: Use a Visual “Line” from Pin to You
Instead of just “shooting at the 10‑pin,” great spare shooters draw a mental line from the pin back through the lane and onto the approach.
Connect pin → target → feet
Pick the spare pin.
Draw a straight line in your mind from that pin through a mark near the middle of the lane (often the 3rd, 4th, or middle arrow).
Continue that line back to where your sliding foot should finish on the approach.
Stand so your natural walk follows that line.
Your starting board should allow you to walk straight and slide on that line, not drift across it.
This “line‑drawing” habit works with any spare system and gives you a repeatable picture for every leave.
Step 4: Apply a Simple System (3–6–9 or Center Arrow)
Here is how two of the most common systems look in practical lane play.
3–6–9 Foot‑Movement System
The 3–6–9 system uses your strike shot as the reference, then moves your feet opposite the spare while keeping the same strike‑line target.
Basic idea for right‑handers:
Start from your normal strike alignment.
Right‑side spares (3, 6, 10): Move your feet left 3 boards for the 3‑pin, 6 boards for the 6‑pin, 9 boards for the 10‑pin, still targeting your strike arrow.
Left‑side spares (2, 4, 7): Move your feet right 3, 6, or 9 boards, again keeping the same target.
This system keeps the target simple and lets you think only about foot position and execution.
Center‑Arrow / 4th‑Arrow System
The center‑arrow style locks your target near the middle of the lane and changes your starting board for different spares.
Pick a main spare target.
Many coaches recommend the 4th arrow (between the middle and right arrow for right‑handers) as the universal spare target for most “right side” leaves.
Move your feet to create the angle.
For example, stand far left for the 10‑pin while targeting the 4th arrow with a straight ball.
For multi‑pin right‑side clusters (e.g., 2‑4‑5), keep the same target but adjust a few boards with your feet to “fit” the line through the key pin.
Because the target rarely changes, this system feels very friendly to visual learners and developing bowlers.
Step 5: Match Release and Walk to Your Line
Once lined up, the bowler’s job is to stay on that line from push‑away through follow‑through.
Walk straight
Avoid drifting left or right during the approach; let your feet follow the same board path every time.
Use a spare release
Keep the hand more “up the back” of the ball with less side rotation to keep it straighter.
Shift more of the ball’s weight to the fingers and keep the wrist firm and neutral for a flatter roll.
Follow through toward the target.
Finish with the arm and hand reaching along the line you traced from the pin to the target to you.
When the walk, release, and follow‑through all stay on the same line, spare shooting turns into a simple repeatable motion instead of a new puzzle every frame.