This video does a much better job of getting into the details of what arrow to aim for after you move your feet than some off the others I've watched. Other videos tell you where to move your feet, but did a terrible job telling you how to adjust what arrow you would then aim for. Thanks for this detailed explanation!

This was the most helpful video I've ever watched. Thank you. I always wanted to know a method in spare shooting and I have been playing for years and have missed a lot more spares than I should have. This will help a lot

This spare system is a starting point. As another person said, experiment to see what really works for you as a bowler. The issue that I have though with this video is they do NOT talk about throwing the ball straight at these spares and where you would adjust to, to do that. For both right and left handed players, if they hook their ball at spares I am suggesting a plastic ball for the 6/10 for a right hander and the 4/7 for the left hander, the other spares you need to adjust accordingly to where the friction is on the lane. For people like myself who can throw a ball pretty straight despite it being a reactive ball, we have the choice to pick either a plastic, urethane or one of the regular reactive balls for our spares.

Finally a video that actually shows you everything you need to spare....been looking for two weeks for something like this....awesome, thank you so much.

When I was coaching high school level in the 1990's I used the 3-6-9 system and it worked well. I also used the arrows as my sight finders. Now that I am older I use the dots which are much closer [my eyesight isn't as good as it once was]. Unfortunately this system does NOT work as well with the dots [3-5-8-11-14 boards] as they are too close to the bowler and the angles do NOT work out the same way. Also, as I have gotten older I use a more reactive ball to pick up my left side spares [I am RH and use my strike ball to do so] BUT change to a less reactive plastic ball for right side spares to reduce hook except for double wood 3-9 spare. Thus parts of this system will work for you and parts won't. The length of the oil pattern and how the oil is pushed down and 'soaked' up by the reactive balls will play a great deal with spares as well... causing spares misses by 1/4 inch which happen often. Notice the date of the video is 2014... much of this will get you in the 'ballpark' BUT with new oil patterns and ball technology this will not be able to be taken as gospel... you will need to tweak to fit your own needs.

You made this extremely clear. Thanks

To simplify, I was taught this too, and I call it the 369, and it deserves the name. You make a first ball shot, but for a righty you get the 3 and lefty the two. What you do is move 3 boards in the opposite direction of your bowling hand, so move left for right handed bowlers and vice versa. The thing about this method is that there are 4 rows of pins so the memorization is pretty easy. If you have the headpin or it plus a row behind it, keep your first ball mark and position. If you get the 2nd row (2-3), move 3 boards in the opposite direction of your bowling hand. If you get the 3rd row (4-6), move 6 boards and aim at the pin, adjusting for hook if you can't throw it straight. If you get the 7-10 row, move 9 boards and aim at the pin and adjust for hook. But, if you get a corner pin (7/10), it is HIGHLY recommended to throw it straight. If you can't, get a plastic ball because it makes the corners SO much easier.

I use the same ball to strike and spare. This video is very helpful. Thanks

This is good info for different players on the approach.

I have to say, the other day I tried this system of picking up spares and dog gone it works. The only time I did not pick up a spare is when I did not aim correctly and missed the target. Aiming is another aspect in bowling I need to work on.

Alrighty, just wanted to get this straight: To pickup pins to the left (2-4-7) move 3 boards to the right from each respective pin (2 pin=3 boards, 4 pin= 6 boards, 7 pin= 9 boards) and target board changes only half an arrow to the left of target board (~2.5 boards). To pickup pins to the right (3-6-10) move 4 boards to the left from each respective pin (3 pin= 4 boards, 6 pin = 8 boards, 10 pin = 12 boards) and target changes half an arrow to the left from each respective pin (3 pin = half arrow, 6 pin = full arrow, 10 pin = one and half arrows).

Most helpful video very good tips I will have to work on !!

This was a good video and explanation. What would have made it perfect was you to show the southpaw view. The use of two bowlers -one right handed and one left handed- would have made this excellent

Thank you- I really needed that as my spare game has really deteriorated. Question- what if, for your strike ball, you spot off the range finders ?

What most instructional videos never say is whether or not you suppose to walk straight up the boards when shooting at the 10 pin. In other words, if your left foot is on board 39 at the start, are you suppose to end up on board 39 at the foul line?

this is helpful! thanks for this video!

it's a great video. I can show to my youth league. it makes me a better coach. go Fresno bulldogs

It all depends on your roll and lane conditions or what ball youre using. These are good fundamentals but wont always work for every bowler.

Gee whiz, a lot of stuff to remember, and a heck of a lot of science to remember.

I made a 7 - 10 split when I was 13 years old and still have that bowling ball (I will be 59 this month) and making spares seemed to be easy.......should have stuck to bowling......now all the ally's are gone where I live and I even own a pin-set part of a lane that is now gone.

Two questions. 1. Would I use my plactic ball for all the right side spares? 2. As the lanes break down and my strike zone changes, will my new spare shots reset from the new strike zone? Thank you

Does the approach stay the same or is it angled towards the arrow?

this is great!!!

On the 7 pin spare, I notice that Brian's feet appear to drift left several boards from starting position. Doesn't that change the equation?

If using a 15-16 lb ball for first shot, would it be better to use a ball of less weight if using another with less hook? How much less?

You should show more lefthanded bowler tips

Thank you for sharing this video, it totally helped with my spare pick ups.

They should call it the 3-6-9-move-your-eyes-a-half-arrow-left--regardless-of-zone-unless-it-is-zone-5-6-7-in-which-case-you-move 4-8-12-and-your-eyes-a-half-arrow-left-for-each-zone system.

Showing new bowlers how to pick up corner pins by hooking it? Why? You get on a short pattern and you try to do that, you'll miss every time. Just throw it straight at corner pins, no error possible if you're throwing straight at it

So is it just opposite if your left handed?

Can you do this with a straight ball? What happen if there only five dots.

Is it necessary to slide? Because I am unable to make the slide happen in my approach.

Can you show me this 1to 7 technique left handed it hard to figure it out. I am left handed,not right handed. I would appreciate it. Thank you.

Will this same system work if I use the dots instead of the arrows?

I've wondered who created these spare systems?

Easy... Angle your feet so that they face the pin/area you are trying to aim fore and just throw your spare ball without even thinking

When you use this 3-6-9 system, shall I use the plastic spare ball or my strike ball?

when he says stand on the 11 board, with what foot is he talking about . The left or the right one.?

BTW how about rolling the ball in a straight line on the spares instead of hoping it curves into those pins?

Why does this only shows right handed bowlers?

May be a good idea to note how far these bowlers drift...some are substantial. If a bowler does not drift at all, this method is not very efficient.

That music at 14:53 😩😩 whyy

what do I do when I have a good game on dry lanes and do bad when the lanes have oil on them??

Why don't they explain this technique for left handed bowlers?

BBQ spare ribs

My method: Get plastic spare ball and throw a straight ball at the pin. THE END.

DO THEY HAVE A LEFT HANDED VERSION OF THIS VIDEO ????

the are using reactive balls that hook and not spare balls?

😆😆 😆 what is up with the bedroom music at 14:50 😆

spares are hard for me

Just look up the 3-6-9 right and 4-8-12 left system. It's a hell of a lot easier to remember than this.

There's way too much to remember with this system. I have NEVER encountered a bowler who uses this system. Ever.

U guys help me pick up the 6 7 spite lest night cause i i bowl on a League on Sunday nights and it was my frist time picking it up cause i before it would only would over curve or under curve the shot thank u guys

12 boards left from where?

I don't get it!

Music is hurendouus

What about for left handed people? What are the movements for them? And please don't say just reverse everything. It would be nice to also have an visual.

Lmao that porn music kicked in rains the 15:00 mark lol

love u tube

Dafuq is the left handed spare shooting tips!?

This is the theory from 25 years ago. Today's balls react differently. Experiment and practice your game.

Great information. Next video, leave out the off angle B&W camera shots. It's distracting and totally unnecessary for an informational video like this. Oh, and never play background music while the instructors are speaking. A bowling instructor does not have a boom box turned up while giving a lesson.

When you use this 3-6-9 system, shall I use the plastic spare ball or my strike ball?