Every missed shot leaves evidence: where it landed. Short, long, left and right misses each point to a different fault, so start there instead of changing everything at once.
The fixes below assume the basic shooting throw. If you are new to shooting, read our shooting technique page first.
Diagnose from where the miss lands
Mark every miss for one session, then match the pattern to the table.
| Miss | Likely cause | First fix |
|---|---|---|
| Short | Swing too small or slowing down at release | Longer backswing, full follow-through |
| Long | Pushing with the shoulder or releasing late | Let the arm swing; do not force it |
| Left or right | Shoulders or hips turning, arm crossing the body | Square the body, swing straight at the target |
| Hits but no carreau | Hitting the target off-center | Aim at the middle of the target boule |
Grip and release
Gripping too tight
A tight grip tenses the forearm and shoulder, which makes the swing jerky. Hold the boule in your fingers firmly enough to control it and no harder.
The palm turning at release
The boule should leave a hand facing down. If the palm turns toward the side, the boule picks up sidespin and drifts.
Check it on video from behind: at release, you should see the back of your hand. Our page on grip and stance shows the standard hold.
The swing
A short backswing
A half backswing forces you to add speed with the shoulder, which ruins accuracy. Let the arm swing back fully and let gravity bring it forward.
The arm crossing the body
If your arm finishes across your chest, the boule goes wide on the opposite side. Picture the arm moving along a straight rail aimed at the target.
Stopping the follow-through
Stopping the arm at release slows it down just before the boule leaves. The shot lands short and the direction wanders.
Let the arm continue toward the target after the release. Finish with the hand pointing where you want the boule to go.
Body and head
Keep shoulders and hips square to the target and the head still until the boule lands. The FIPJP rules also require your feet to stay in the circle and on the ground until then, so any step forward comes after impact.
Most right-left errors disappear once the body stops turning. Our post on body position covers stance in more detail.
Practice the fix
Set one target boule at 7 m and throw 20 shots. Count hits and mark where misses land.
One change at a time
Pick the most common miss and work on its fix alone for a week. Changing two things at once makes it impossible to know what helped.
When hits pass half, test yourself with the official precision shooting series. Our drills page has more routines.
Frequently asked questions
Why do my shots keep landing short?
Usually the swing is too small or slows down at release. Take a full backswing and follow through toward the target.
Why do my shots go to the right?
For right-handed players, the shoulders turning or the palm opening to the side are the usual causes. Keep the body square and the palm facing down.
What is a carreau?
A shot that knocks the target boule away while yours stops in its place. The glossary lists other shooting terms.
How long does it take to fix a shooting error?
A few weeks of focused practice on one fix is typical. Short daily sessions work better than long ones.
