Here we go,

I use a 5 step approatch and when I started to cross the second step to get my leg out of the way somehow my steps got smaller and I'm finishing too far from the foul line ,something like a foot, and starting a bit foward does not help, I just end on the same spot. So my friends watched and told me that my 3rd step was realy short, when I fixed that felt like I was running to the foul line ( not sure if this is related but I'm 6' height). So I'm considering moving to the second set of dots and starting from there but I'm afraid thats gonna take a lot of time to get used to, so this is the dilema...

Just an observation:
When these problems came up I noticed that the pros start their approatch realy far from the foul line, even the smaller guys like Norm Duke, than another question came. Is it an advantaje to start further?

Sorry for the long post but I felt like I should explain the whole situation.

Thanks for any advice

Where are you currently starting on the approach? How far from the foul line are you finishing?

Most of the pros that start farther back take 6 and sometimes even more steps. Norm Duke does it sometimes to get a little more speed on the ball. Others like the timing they get with the 6 steps like Patrick Allen.

If you aren't taking at least 6 steps I doubt you need to move back to the second set of dots as you will have to take much longer steps which can throw your timing off.

To find out where you should be starting from, go to the foul line, turn around with your back to the pins and place your heels an inch or so from the foul line. Then take 5 natural steps toward the back of the approach and add half a step to that. That should give you an rough idea of where you should be starting your approach.

To get to the proper starting position, walk out to the foul line and turn your back to the pins. Since you have a 5 step approach, take 5 even steps forward, then a half step more. That should put you in the aprox. correct starting position.

I start with my heel on the first set of dots (by firs set of dots I mean the dots father away from the lane) and when I finish I can place my right foot between my slide foot and the foul line easily.

I have done the five step drill and I end up on the area between the first and the second set of dots, this may sound kinda stupid but thats a spot I`d like to avoid because I have no board reference.

Ok, everyone else considers the first set of dots as the dots closest to the lane. You don't have to avoid the area between the dots as you can use the forward set of dots as a reference for what board you are standing on.

Over the past several years I have shortened my approach and really should be in front of the front dots but have issues with fouling but some of that is attributed to issues with my shoes. I take four steps and am start on the forward dots. When I work on my approach from in front of those dots I look at the dots as I step past them and line up on the board that way.

I see, well I'll do some tests next time I bowl and hopefully get this location problem solved.

Thanks a lot for the tips, and sorry for the dots confusion, poor choice of words on my part.

If you have an issue with finishing too far from the foul line and you want to finish closer to the foul line, try looking down at the point you want to slide near the foul line, during the approach and make sure you slide there. Repeat this until you can repeat it then look up at your target and then look down and make sure you are sliding where you want to, if not repeat looking at your feet through the approach until it comes natural to you.

I'll work on that also, Thanks for the hint

There is a drill suggested by Ron Clifton that might help. Put a piece of white tape on the foul line at the 20 board dot. Practice your approach without the ball, imagining that you are stepping on a bug on the tape with your slide foot. Do this over and over until you can do it without thinking about it. Your approach will then be ending closer to the foul line and you will have retrained your mind into accepting the new approach without over-thinking.