10. Spare Shooting

Today's average bowler is more of a strike shooter than a spare shooter. He takes careful aim; he concentrates on the strike shot; but on spares he tends to get a little lax. This is a costly mistake. Spares are of prime importance, and should be granted as much, or more, concentration than the normal strike delivery.

Without the spare credits on your score, the strike balls aren't nearly as important as they might be. I tell my pupils to make their spares—the strikes will take care of themselves.

When attempting to convert spare leaves, always keep these two cardinal rules in mind:

1. Position yourself on the approach diametrically op­posite your pin leave. Give yourself as much lane to shoot over as possible. If your pin leave is on the left side of the pin deck—say the 7-pin—position yourself to the right of the approach.
   
2. Always face your work. By this I mean, turn your feet and your shoulders, your whole body, directly facing the pins you are aiming at. This will insure that your pendulum swing in spare shooting is the same as it is when you are angling for strikes.
   

Let's look at some individual spare shots and see just how they are best converted.

SPARES TO BE SHOT FROM THE RIGHTHAND SIDE OF THE APPROACH.

7 Position yourself to the ex­treme right-hand side of the approach.

Clause readies for the 10-pin.

This is the proper foot position for making the 10-pin.

3-6-10 Hit the 3—6 pocket full.

6-10 The ball should hit both pins
	3-10 (Baby Split) Fit the ball in between.

3-5-6-9 Hit full in the 3—6 pocket, or just aim for the 9-pin.

5-7 A real hard one; the 5-pin must slide over to get the 7.

6-7 Only the experts make this.

5-6 Another "fit-in" shot

3-9 Watch the 9-pin, the sleeper; shoot "through" the 3-pin to get it.

SPARES TO  BE  SHOT FROM A NORMAL STRIKE POSITION. 1-3-6    [left] 1-3-6-10    [right] {Picket Fence)

Use your normal strike posi­tion, and come into the 1—3 pocket.

5-9 A good strike ball will make this easy. TM You will note the charts on the previous pages do not list some of the more difficult spares like the 7—10 split or the 4—6—7—10, the "big apple" as it is nicknamed. These are just about impossible to make and I don't recommend you even try. In the 7—10 split, try for just one pin; in the "big apple," try for two. Often one or two pins can mean the differ­ence in winning or losing a game or even a match.

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