Expert: Russ King - 12/19/2007

Question
Russ I am having a problem keep my shoulders open so I can keel the ball to the right of the lanes.  I have read books to tell you to put one foot more forward than the other. I have tried that but still isn't working.  I heard body angle is really the key.  should my body be pointed towards the mark or straight.  Please help me to fix this problem.

Answer
Your body will follow where your toes point.It's not against the law to walk across the approach boards.Each point of your body (toes,knees,hips,shoulders & eyes)should be squared up to your target.

By walking straight down the boards, your about 3-5 boards off target at the foul line.So when you line up at the stance,You should be (right hand) 3-5 boards left of your starting point. This off sets the off target walk & also the increased leverage you will get being squared up.

TRY LOOKING AT YOUR TARGET WHILE OFF OF THE APPROACH. YOUR STANDING NEAR THE AREA YOUR GOING TO START FROM.PULL AN IMAGINARY STRING FROM YOUR TARGET TO YOUR FEET & SNAP THAT CHALK LINE.AS YOU STEP UP ON THE APPROACH, YOUR STEPPING INTO & RIGHT ALONG THAT CHALK LINE.AS YOU WALK UP INTO THAT CHALK LINE, YOUR WALKING NATURALLY & YOUR BODY IS FOLLOWING YOUR TOES.ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS SET YOURSELF AT THE CORRECT DISTANCE FROM THE FOWL LINE,SET YOURSELF BY RELAXING & SLIGHTLY SINKING DOWN INTO THE APPROACH FOR A RELAXED SHOT, TAKE A SEMI-DEEP BREATH & BEGIN YOUR SHOT BY PUSHING THE BALL STRAIGHT OUT IN FRONT OF YOU(BEING SQUARED UP TO YOUR TARGET)RIGHT TO YOUR TARGET.

        TRY THE ABOVE DRILL IN A PRACTICE SESSION

 YOUR BODY & BRAIN MAYBE SO USED TO WALKING CROOKED, YOU MAY HAVE TO DRILL IT INTO YOUR HEAD. SO YOU MAY NEED SOME BARRIERS.PUT YOUR BALL BAG UP ON THE APPROACH AROUND 2-3 FEET BACK FROM THE FOUL LINE ABOUT 10 BOARDS LEFT OF YOUR APPROACH FINISH LINE.IN YOUR SUBCONSCIOUS, YOU WILL FEEL THAT BAG THERE & YOUR BODY WILL NATURALLY AVOID IT. THIS WILL MAKE YOU WALK TO YOUR TARGET.>> MAKE SURE THE BAG IS EMPTY!<< ADJUST THE BAG AS NEEDED SAY IF YOU KICK IT WITH YOUR KICK FOOT JUST MOVE THE BAG CLOSER TO THE FOUL LINE & IF YOU CLEAR THE BAG,JUST MOVE IT TIGHTER/CLOSER TO YOUR FOOT LINE UNTIL YOU ARE WALKING STRAIGHT TO YOUR TARGET. THIS REDUCES/ELIMINATES FOOT DRIFT.

 IF YOUR WALKING STRAIGHT TO YOUR TARGET, THERE ARE NO ANGLES INVOLVED!!!

A NEAT LITTLE DRILL IS TO HAVE A 7 PIN ONLY STANDING. PULL THAT STRING & SNAP IT. THROW A BALL ALONG THAT LINE. THE BALL WILL MISS IT TO THE LEFT. DECIDE HOW MANY BOARDS IT MISSED BY & SNAP ANOTHER LINE TO YOUR TARGET.BEFORE YOU STEP UP ON THE APPROACH, COUNT OFF THE AMOUNT OF BOARDS YOU MISSED LEFT.NOW PULL ANOTHER STRING FROM THAT ADJUSTMENT (IF YOU MISSED 7 BOARDS TO THE LEFT)YOU ARE LOOKING 7 BOARDS TO THE RIGHT OF THE 7 PIN & SNAP THAT CHALK LINE . NOW, STEP UP INTO THAT LINE.THROW THE BALL IN THAT CORRECTED LINE & THE BALL(THROWN AS CLOSE TO THE FIRST SHOT AS POSSIBLE)SHOULD ROLL UP HOOKING THAT 7 BOARDS & BE DEAD CENTER ON THE 7 PIN.

NOW YOU HAVE THE IDEA ON A STRIKE BALL OVER HOOKING TO THE POCKET MAKING THE SAME ADJUSTMENTS TO GET A POCKET HIT.THIS SQUARES YOU UP TO YOUR TARGET KEEPING THE PINS OUT OF YOUR MIND UNTIL THE BALL PASSES YOUR MARK. THIS IS WHERE THE BALL PASSES YOUR MARK/WHERE YOUR LOOKING.THEN ,YOU FOLLOW THE BALL TO THE PINS.

 ALL SHOULD BE DONE ALONE IN SEVERAL PRACTICE SESSIONS WITH NOBODY NEXT TO YOUR LANE SO THEY DON'T INTERFERE WITH YOUR CONCENTRATION.

TRY THESE DRILLS A FEW TIMES & GET BACK WITH ME ON HOW IT WENT.