Even if you are bowling in a center where you’ve competed before and have an idea what the pattern will be, the process of warming up for a tournament is a bit different from warming up for league. You still need a dynamic warm-up prior to throwing your first ball, but you also need a strategy for finding a good line by the end of practice:

  • Start with your benchmark ball: This is a ball with a smoother shape and a medium hook to help narrow down your options to start.
  • Start with straighter angles: Test lines up the first and second arrows to get a sense for where there is some hold on the lanes.
  • Find the hook: Open your angles slightly to see where you can find recovery, and then refine your line and ball choice based on everything you’ve seen.