Release the ball. Maintain a straight forward, non-twisting approach of your body, as your ball and hand position should be held relatively the same — underneath and behind the ball during the swing. Swing your ball arm smoothly back and then forward to release the ball. Release the ball when your arm has moved as far forward as it can go.

• When released properly, your thumb should come out first, followed by the fingers. This should help get rotation on the ball, which should help the ball hook and carry once it gets down the lane.
• Keep your eye on the target you’re aiming towards as you release the ball. If you look down at your feet or the ball, you will lose balance and won’t be able to aim your ball correctly.

Wipe your hands after your turn is over. Make sure your hands are completely dry before you pick up the ball to start bowl each time. Use a cloth to wipe your hands, or at least wipe your hands on your pants if you don’t have one. If your hands are still sweaty, the ball can slip out of your hands.

• You can also use rosin, which can be found in most pro bowling shops, to make your fingers and thumb slightly tacky and less slippery.

Keep score throughout the game. Most bowling alleys will have a computer near the sitting area that allows you to keep score. If an alley doesn’t have a computer, then you will be given a score sheet to record your scores. Either way, the process is the same. Here’s how to keep score:

• The area in the upper left of each frame is to record the first ball, and the box to the left is for the second ball and if you have a strike. A strike is marked with a “X” and a spare with a “/”.

Finish close to the foul line. The distance between the delivery line and you should be of about 6 inches if you want to have an optimal release. This means that the ball is lofted a small distance over the foul line before it makes contact with the lane. Thus, the ball gets further down the lane and it preserves energy when hitting the pins. Finishing too far from the foul line means you’ll have to move closer to it when you start in the stance.^[11]

• Remember that a strike is 10 plus the next two balls, whereas a spare is 10 plus the next ball. If you strike in the first ball in the 10th frame, you get two more balls to determine your final score. 300 is the highest score you can get.