Why Do I Always Leave the Ten Pin or Seven Pin?

Even after making a perfect strike ball, you will most likely have the 7 pin or 10 pin still standing. You thought you made the perfect throw at the optimal speed, only to find that you have left the ringing 10 pin or a 7 pin.

Have you been wondering why you usually leave the 10 pin or 7 pin? The most common reason for leaving the ten pin or seven pin is wrong entry angle. According to the USBC, the right entry angle for a bowling ball to enter the pocket is 4 and 6 degrees at board 17 to 18. A very strong or weak angle entry reduces the optimum pin carry.

Common Reasons for leaving the 10 Pin or 7 Pin

Usually, left-handed bowlers struggle with the issue of the 7 pin refusing to fall down. The main cause for this is having a poor entry. You are probably coming in too light, which causes the 2 pin to hit the back of the 4 pin and this brings it in front of the 7 pin.

Alternatively, you could be hitting heavy, causing the 2 pin to hit the front of the 4 pin. When this happens, it hits behind the 7 pin, and it will be left standing.

Also, if your 10 pin is consistently left standing, then you could be making a wrong entry angle as a right hander. The first reason for this is when you make a light hit. In this case, the 3 pin hits the back of the 6 pin, causing it fall in the front or left of the 10 pin. This is also known as flat ten pin and it occurs when the ball has lost its velocity prior to getting into the pocket.

The other common type of 10 pin that you are likely to leave is one caused by heavy hitting. When you are hitting heavy, the 3 pin will hit the front of the 6 pin, causing it to fall back or right of the 10 pin and wraps it around. A common term for this is ringing ten pin. Usually, this occurs when the ball has a lot of energy.

Therefore, if you want to know whether you are hitting light or heavy, keep track of the 6 pin. If it falls in the left or front of the 10 pin, then you are hitting light and when you see the 6 pin hitting behind or on the right of the 10 pin, then you are hitting heavy.

What Adjustments Do I Make If I Am Hitting Light?

If you are coming in light, then a possible solution is an earlier roll into the pocket. By getting your ball out of the oil sooner, it will have a better angle of entry and get into the pocket stronger.

You can also reduce the ball speed, change the hand position. The methods for fixing leaving the 7 pin because of hitting light include:

  • Moving 1 to 2 boards right on the approach while still maintaining your target consistent. This allows the ball to come stronger into the pocket and at a more optimum angle.
  • Moving 4 to 6 inches back on the approach while still maintaining your target consistent. This tactic helps to slightly boost your ball speed to improve the angle.

If you are leaving the 10 pin because of hitting light, you can try these possible solutions:

  • Moving 1 to 2 boards to the left on the approach and maintain the same target.
  • Moving 4 to 6 inches back on the approach and maintain the same target.

These methods will help you make more strikes and reduce the chances of leaving the 7 and 10 pins. In order for these tweaks to work, make sure that you practice your line, approach and release to get consistent results.

What Adjustments Should I Make If I Am Coming in Heavy?

If you find that the reasons for leaving 7 or 10 pins is because you are coming in heavy, then you need to make some adjustments. Usually, to fix this issue, you can change the angle at which the ball is hitting the pocket or make a later roll into the pocket.

Just like the fixing hitting light, you can two simple methods to help correct the heavy 10or 7 pins.

Try these tweaks for the heavy 7 pin:

  • Move 1 to 2 boards to the left on the approach and keep the same target.
  • Move 4 to 6 inches forward on the approach and ensure to maintain the same target.

Do the following to fix the heavy 10 pin:

  • Move 1 to 2 boards right on the approach and ensure that you keep the same target.
  • Move about 4 to 6 inches forward on the approach and keep the same target.

Do I Need to Change my Mark and Feet?

Yes, there are certain instances when you may be required to move your stance and move, depending on the lane conditions. Just like other games, bowlers may also need to make adjustments to perform well in the game.

If you are missing your mark, you need to move in the direction of your miss while keeping consistency with the target on the lane. Therefore, if your ball misses to the right of where you intended it to be, move right on the approach. On the other hand, move left on the approach if it misses to the left of the planned destination.

You can also shape the path of your ball to get it to the pocket. For instance, if the ball is not hooking soon enough, consider aiming at the target that is closer to the foul line. This way, the ball will hook earlier. On the other hand, aim for a target that is far from the foul line to prevent your ball from hooking too soon.

One of the rules of bowling adjustments is to move your feet in order to get your ball into the pocket. You need to move you feet in the direction of the miss. For instance, if you are hitting too high and are missing to the left, then you need to move your feet to the left. If you are missing on the right, make adjustments by moving your feet to the right.