Sticky approaches have been a problem for many years before I knew how to bowl. Not long ago I had an experience that changed the way I treat approaches.

I was bowling one night when I suddenly got stuck while delivering the ball on my last pass. I headed over the free throw line and hurt my knee in the process. A fellow bowler gave me some talcum powder to help me slide better, but this only worked a few times. (Note that bowling establishments discourage the use of talc because it could cause a bowler to slide too unexpectedly.) Of course, now I’m a little hesitant wondering if I’m going to slide when I get close.

The lane shop pro came by to see what all the concussion was about and went back to his shop and came back with a slider that slipped over the slippery toe of my shoe with an elastic band that was wrapped around my waist. It worked like a charm and I tell everyone from that day on.

If you are a bowler who likes to frequent different bowling alleys, I would recommend buying a shoe with interchangeable soles. These soles are easy to change and comfortable. They come with several different soles for different lane approach conditions. This makes life much easier.

For the novice who doesn’t bowl much or who is happy with their current shoe, I recommend purchasing a slider pad from your pro store. You can get an idea of ​​how this will work, but cut the toe off of an old sock and slip it over the toe of your slider foot. This tends to fall down and bunch up, but it will give you an idea before you make the purchase.

I hope this article gives you a few more suggestions on what to do the next time you come across a tricky approach. May this help you learn how to bowl without injuring yourself.