PBA Bowling Hints - Author unknown There are no easy shortcuts or cheats in PBA Bowling. Just like "real" bowling, the only way to be better is to practice. And when you've finished practicing, practice some more. And more. Think of it this way, getting to 300 has never been easy; if it were, nature sure would have given us a lot more fingers and toes to count. On the other hand, knowing how and what to practice makes getting real good at PBA Bowling a whole lot faster and easier than life in the hardwood lanes. PBA Bowling's Producer/programmer Craig Walton shared some game-playing advice with us: The basics: Learn to get your power, swing and targeting down so you are rolling the exact same ball on every throw. You want to hit consistently at the same place every time. Initially, play as a beginner and practice rolling straight balls. Concentrate on throwing with the same power, swing and release every time. Work on one variable at a time until you're satisfied that you're doing it properly and consistently. Once you have that down, then work on positioning by moving over a bit left or right before you begin your approach. Once you can throw consistent strikes as a beginner, it's time to move on the throwing hooks. Throwing hooks is exactly the same as bowling straight shots - concentrate on throwing the same ball each time; the same swing and release with the same power to the same spot. Throwing Strikes: Perhaps the most important fact to know about PBA Bowling is that, in general, when rolling a hook shot the ball will hit the front pins three boards over from where it was released. Depending on whether you are left- or right-handed, each board you move to the left or right generally translates to a three-board change in the 1-3 or 1-2 pocket. Learn to throw strikes using the hook the same way as with the straight ball - concentrate on throwing the same ball each time; the same swing and release with the same power to the same spot every time. If you consistently missing the pocket, remember that a one board reposition to the right at the line is three boards to the left at impact. While it is quit possible to bowl 300's, always remember that, even if you do everything correctly, you won't get a strike every time. The computer calculates what will happen based on the pixel pixels where the ball was released. While there is a lot of leeway there, it is very difficult to notice if you're a pixel or two out of the red zone. Spares Pick your targeting point for spares the same as you would for rolling a strike. While you can increase the amount of hook in your shot, the one board at the line equals three at the pin still holds. Just adjust your target point. A right-hand does need to move left and change the target point in order to compensate for the edge of the gutter while shooting the 10-pin. . Likewise, a left-hander needs to move right when shooting the 7. Whether you're practicing strikes, spares, straight balls or hooks, always change one factor at a time and see how that affects your throw. If you work on more than one aspect at a time, it will be very difficult to pin down, much less fix, what might be the problem. Lane Conditions Some lanes are faster than others, some slicker. These conditions will effects your shots. Always play in Practice mode first in order to get a feel for the conditions. If your shot is consistent, it will be relatively easy to adjust your shots to the lane. During league, the same lanes will change condition from week to week. Again, always practice before you compete.