In bowling, getting a strike every time is desirable, but it’s not practical, especially for beginners. That is why pro bowlers try to pick up spares consistently to keep their scores high. It is called a spare when you can knock all the pins down in two shots.
But what is a cherry, and how does it relate to a spare?
A cherry in bowling is a shot that hits only the front pin and results in a spare. This type of shot leaves the other pins standing, making it easier for the bowler to knock them down with his second shot.
To pick up more spares using a cherry, a bowler needs to understand the arrangement and spacing of pins and practice his aim. In fact, throwing a few practice games can greatly improve your chances of getting a cherry.
The idea is to get a feel for the lane and how the ball reacts when it hits the pins. The more you practice, the better you’ll get at making adjustments and hitting the spare. So, let’s find out how you can pick up more spares in a game and improve your score.
How to Pick Up More Spares Using a Cherry?
Picking up more spares can increase your bowling game’s average. So, learning some tips and tricks to make spares consistently is important. One way to achieve this is to use a cherry.
Let’s find out how you can pick up more spares in a bowling game by utilizing a cherry.
By understanding the bowling pin setup
Picking up spares in bowling requires bowlers to understand the different types of pins and how they fall. Most bowling leagues use the standard pin deck arrangement in which ten pins are arranged in a triangle formation. The point of the triangle is towards the bowler, and the pins are arranged so that they are all equidistant from each other.
By perfecting your aim and speed
Bowlers need to have good aim to pick up spares. They should practice their aim by bowling at different targets. They can also use a bowling ball with a thumb hole to help them control their speed by practicing a fingertip grip.
The aim is everything when it comes to knocking down only the front pins or practicing a cherry in bowling.
If you’re playing ten-pin bowling, you’ll want to aim for the 1-3 pocket, which is located between the first and second pins. If you’re playing nine-pin bowling, you’ll want to aim for the 1-2-4 pocket, which is located between the first, second, and fourth pins.
The most practical way to practice your aim is to set up a few pins in the desired pocket. Once you get a feel for where the ball needs to go, you can replicate that in a real game situation.
We have written an in-depth article on aiming Read it here: How to Aim in Bowling.
In addition to aim, speed is also important when it comes to knocking down the front pins. If you’re too slow, the ball will simply bounce off the pins and not knock them down. If you’re too fast, you risk hitting some other combination of pins, which will not result in a cherry.
If you can find the right combination of both aim and speed, you can easily achieve a cherry. It is recommended to experiment with different speeds until you find what works best for you.
Read more about speed here: How to Increase Bowling Ball Speed?
With a little bit of practice in both these areas, you’ll be knocking down that front pin in no time.
