Good timing is essential to good bowling. But what is good timing? On the PBA Tour, we see bowlers with all kinds of different timing at release: some are rollers, still sliding when the ball comes off their hand; some have textbook timing, with the ball and foot arriving at the foul line together; and some have leverage timing where the foot has completed its slide before the ball comes past the ankle.
Put simply, good timing is consistent timing that allows you to repeat shots. To be a more consistent shotmaker, you need consistent timing at the release point. To achieve this, there are two points in the swing you should be checking: the ball start and the swing apex.
The ball start should be consistently timed based on the height of the swing. Bowlers with higher backswings will generally need to get the ball started sooner than those with lower backswings. Practice one-step or two-step drills to perfect the timing of your ball start.
The ball should reach the top of the swing and descend at the same time. The best way to achieve this is to allow gravity to start it on the way down. Do swing drills to practice achieving a “weightless” feeling at the top of the backswing and as the ball starts its downward path.