Last updated on May 26th, 2021
Bowling is a skill-based game that is mainly for fun among family and friends. Every person has their bowling style. Knowing this bowling style is essential to enjoy the game to its core. Moreover, the situation will also bring variations in your bowling style.
Before deciding what your bowling style is, you need to know what they are. There are three common styles which are Cranker, Stroker, and Tweener bowling. Learn more about the three key bowling styles and decide which one is for you.
Cranker Bowling Style
Cranker bowling style is said to be the most aggressive among these three styles. People need to have the utmost dedication to learn and master it. In this style, you need to exert a lot of power and speed. It is perfect for people who require high speed in their bowling style.
Due to spin and power in this style, you can use this for getting higher points. When you break the first lot, using the cranker type would be very effective. After breaking the set and fewer pins are in the correct position, you can use a different technique.
Mastering the Cranker Bowling Style
To effectively do the cranker technique, you need to place the body on the lane’s left side. After positioning your body correctly, throw your ball with as much power as you have to make a perfect strike.
For the best shot with this style, you need to produce immense power. You can make this possible with regular practice.
After you master the technique, you will find that the cranker style helps the ball’s revolution tremendously. Since the revolution is high, you need to place the ball on the lane properly.
If the placement is off, the ball will not strike the pins in the proper position. Therefore, despite putting power, your pins will stay in the court.
You should check the entry angles carefully, or the ball will not have the right impact. Bowling enthusiasts are in favor of learning this style. However, you need to know the correct time to use this style.
You cannot use this style for every entry but only for those that require spin and speed.
Tweener Bowling Style
The next one is the tweener bowling style which is known to be very versatile. This style gets its inspiration from the cranker style. You need first to know the cranker technique to learn the tweener bowling technique successfully.
Players can adjust their positions according to their wishes in this style like the low back-swing and high back-swing. Skilled and experienced bowling enthusiasts use this technique mainly for the main game.
Players can use this technique at the entry-level or even when fewer pins are present on the lane. They can take control of the ball’s revolution and speed with this technique. Therefore, bowlers use tweener bowling very often for scoring more points.
Mastering the Tweener Bowling Style
People who do not know the cranker cannot learn the tweener bowling style quickly. If you are a beginner, you need to start with the cranker style.
Only after you have effectively mastered the cranker technique can you go on to master the tweener technique. That is why experienced players mainly use the tweener technique.
The tweener bowling style can be very confusing for some players. Beginners will find it hard to master the technique. You will need to go through extensive practice to use the tweener technique successfully in a game.
Most people who are unable to master the tweener bowling style go for the stroker style.
Stroker Bowling Style
The last bowling style is the stroker bowling style which is known for making elegant shots. It is a striking style that professional players highly use. It is a unique style that they limitedly use. However, there are various reasons for doing so.
The very first reason is that the rev rate is low for strokers. If you master this bowling style, you can increase your score. However, it isn’t easy to maintain accuracy when using this style. You can only become a bowling expert when you can do this technique effortlessly.
Players generally use this style when they are playing casual games. It helps them showcase their skill and coolness. However, they need to use this style in a limited manner.
You need to know the right time and technique for using this bowling style. If the timing and technique are correct, then you can become an expert player.
Mastering the Stroker Bowling Style
There is a variation to the stroker technique, which is called the power stroker. This technique is a combination of power and elegance and is used to score more points.
For example, if a player has a rev rate ranging from 300 to 370, they will have to get more control and power for increasing their bowling points.
The player will, at this moment, use the power stroker for scoring higher points. With such a unique combination of power and elegance, it is easier to increase the score in any competition.
It is also easy to master this technique if you are proficient in the tweener bowling style.
The power stroker technique is similar to that of the tweener bowling technique. Whether you face a poor form or find the correct bowling rhythm, the power stroker can help you.
When you perform a new style, you can find back your rhythm. You can remove the bad phase you face while bowling with the correct application of the power stroker.
It is also an excellent alternative to the tweener bowling style. People who know the tweener style technique but cannot perform it can use the power stroker.
Difference between Cranker, Tweener, and Stroker
The above sections have highlighted the basic information about the three styles. To become a professional bowling player, you need to learn these three techniques.
However, mastering all of them is not essential. You need to find your style from these three and see which suits you better.
You can master one or a maximum of two techniques to enhance your bowling expertise. To understand which style would suit you better, you need to know about the difference between these three.
This section highlights the significant differences between the cranker, tweener, and stroker techniques.
Cranker Bowling Style
You will mainly have to use your wrists for the cranker technique. When you use this technique, the rev rate implemented is high.
With the cranker technique, you can generate more revolution and power. You can put more power in the shot if you practice the cranker style every day.
The spinning effect that the ball gets is another advantage of the cranker style. This spin or revolution helps in hitting the majority of the bowling pins at one go.
You can implement this style on several bowling courts. However, it is best to use this bowling technique on pretty slippery bowling lanes.
You can get higher points if you use this technique on a slippery and well-polished bowling court. The spinning occurs very smoothly if the surface is slippery. Therefore, professional players preferably use the cranker bowling technique on slippery surfaces.
Stroker Bowling Style
Compared to the cranker bowling style, the stroker bowling style focuses more on elegance than on power. It is a very graceful style where players need to adapt flamboyance and elegance when striking their ball. You need to play this in a very effortless manner.
When you learn to perform this style with little effort, you can become a master of stroker style. The best thing about this technique is that it is not too hard to learn.
Players can show their coolness by using this style. However, most players do not use the style frequently and only in limited scenarios.
You can perform the stroker style when you have a casual bowling match with your family and friends. This style will show your bowling skills to your opponent.
Tweener Bowling Style
Tweener bowling style is a combination of the cranker and stroker styles. This bowling style requires elegance as well as power from the player. Moreover, this style is typical for bowling experts who have mastered the other two techniques efficiently.
If you wish to become an expert as well, you need to master the tweener bowling technique.
You can implement the tweener style in different bowling scenarios. When you master the technique, you can get the ability and strength to control the ball’s spin and speed. While cranker showcases power, tweener showcases the player’s intelligence.
When there are just a few pins present on the lane, it is wise to use a slow ball throw. That is when the tweener bowling style will help you out in scoring easy points. However, beginners cannot use this style.
A beginner will first need to learn the cranker style properly. After mastering the cranker technique, the player can proceed to the tweener style.
Areas to Play the Bowling Lane by Individual Bowlers
Each player will know the right place for playing in the bowling area, depending on the bowling style. The information given below is for the right-handed players. Left-handed players can reverse the area for the best shot.
For the cranker technique, you will position yourself on the left of the lane. Stay at a distance and then make your shot across the lane. It helps in hooking the balls to the pins.
When you are performing the stroker style, you need to focus on accuracy. Place the ball on the right side and make a straight-line shot.
Finally, for the tweener bowling technique, you need to stay in the center. Make sure you throw the ball rightfully from the center position to get a high score.
Among these styles, the cranker bowling style has high revs, high power, and high speed. You need to use extensive control to get the highest potential of the strike. That is why it is always advisable to master the cranker style first before learning any other techniques.
Bowling Ball Layout
Bowling layout is the difference between the bowling pin and the positive access point (PAP). Through bowling, layout professionals understand the difference between the bowling ball and the closer pin called a vertical access point (VAL).
If you want to master any of the styles mentioned above, you will have to use the correct bowling layout. Different bowling styles require different bowling layouts.
Cranker Bowling Ball Layout
In the cranker technique, the PAP rate is generally between 5 and 6 inches. Since the gap is more, the player can generate extensive power for making their shot. In this shot, the player has to make their measurements and create a layout for performing the style effortlessly.
Tweener Bowling Ball Layout
One thing to remember in the bowling layout is that the PAP rate can be different for different players.
The general PAP rate for tweener bowling style is about 4 inches. If the PAP rate is more than this, the shot will become too aggressive. However, a lower PAP rate will make the shot less aggressive.
You can make a perfect shot with this style if the PAP rate stays between 3 and 3.8 inches.
Stroker Bowling Ball Layout
PAP rate for stroker and tweener is almost the same at 4 inches. However, the general PAP rate followed is around 3 inches. It is because players will generate an average speed for performing this style.
Summing Up
Now that you know about the three bowling styles, it should not be too hard to find which one is yours. If you are a beginner, then professionals generally advise you to start with the cranker style. It is better and easier to master this style since you need to focus mainly on power.
No matter which style you have expertise in, following the proper technique, bowling layout, and wrist movements is necessary. Furthermore, practice is also a crucial factor in mastering any bowling style.
Knowing about these three fundamental techniques would be a great way to enhance their game for a bowling enthusiast. You can use these bowling styles in different situations. Before you perform any of these styles, you need to learn them properly and assess their correct usage.