Bowling Intro
Popular Bowling Terms You Should Stick in Your Mental Glossary
If you’re a newbie bowler, sometimes hitting the alley can be a little intimidating. It can seem like everyone has been bowling longer than you have. Also, in many places, the bowling alley has its own little community talking its own language and lingo that may sound like Greek when you’re the new kid on the block. So can you start to fit in? Take a little time to learn some common bowling terms, and soon no one will be able to tell you didn’t know your break point from your foul line a few weeks ago.
The words you should concentrate on learning first are the words associated with the equipment and basic scoring. Most people know what a strike is – knocking down all the pins – but some people may not know that a strike can only happen on your first ball. Knocking all the pins down with your second ball, whether you hit any balls the first time or not, is known as a spare. When you approach the lane to make your shot, the line at which you must stop and throw your ball is the foul line – step over that, and your shot will be disqualified. If your ball rolls off the lane on either side, it will be in the gutter and called a gutter ball. If your ball moves from side to side when it hits the pins and knocks some down on each side, it is called a hurricane. If it goes directly down the middle and knocks down those pins, leaving pins on each side, it is called a split.
You should also familiarize with the words for a few common bowling techniques. Straight bowling is the “point and shoot”, straight down the center lane style of bowling that most beginners rely on. Hook balls are balls that thrown so that they arc out and then hook back in to knock down certain pins. Hook balls are the primary balls thrown when bowlers want to aim at a specific target. Axis tilt refers to how much vertical spin you put on the ball, and axis rotation refers to how much horizontal spin you put on the ball. Axis tilt and axis rotation all influence how, when, and where a hook ball makes its turn. The point where the hook ball does begin to turn towards its target is known as the break point.
If you’re getting into league bowling, there are a few league related terms you should take note of. The anchor on any bowling team is the player who bowls last; usually the best player. The first person who plays is called the lead man. The foundation frame is the last frame of a match, and a box is any single frame. If everyone fails to get a strike in any particular frame, the frame is called an open frame. If someone talks on your team tells you to hit the barmaid, they’re talking about the pin behind another pin. Slow balls are known as creepers, and if you roll a gutter ball, it might be also called a poodle. ABC stands for the American Bowling Conference – the people who make the rules.
Like most sports, bowling has tons of slang, and some of it is regional, so getting to know all the little ins and outs of bowling lingo will take some time. Get to know these basic terms, however and you won’t sound like the odd man out at the bowling alley. Pretty soon you’ll be telling the keglers (bowlers) to watch their chicken wings (elbows) when throwing their apple (bowling ball).
Everything You Wanted to Know About Bowling But Were Afraid to Ask
The game of bowling seems like a fairly simple game right? Just throw a round ball down a long lane at 10 pins and try to knock them all down. Actually, bowling is a fairly complicated game with a strict and sometimes difficult to master scoring system. There are several rules a bowler should know as well as information of technique that can make your bowling experience more enjoyable and successful.
The most important rules in bowling have to do with scorekeeping bowling rules. All games have rules, and bowling is not an exception. There are several restrictions and guidelines that need to be followed if you want to be a bowler.
The bowling rules of scorekeeping should be followed exactly especially if you are learning to become a competitive bowler. They are also essential to the game of bowling. It would not seem that keeping score is the most relevant and important part of bowling, but in fact, knowledge of how the score is kept as well as what is going on, may change how you play the game.
Bowling scores are kept in this way. There are 10 frames, which are the turns you get in each game. Each frame gives you two attempts to knock all 10 pins down and the score of each frame is added to the previous frame. If you knock down all the pins in the first try it is known as a strike. When this happens the next two throws are added to the frame that you got the strike. If you get a spare on your second roll, the next throw is added to the frame that you got the spare. Any time you knock down pins, you get points for those pins, but if your previous frame contained a strike or a spare, you can earn additional points. The maximum amount of points you can receive for one frame is 30, which indicates three consecutive strikes. If you fail to knock down any pins on a throw, it is called a gutter ball. If this happens on your first throw of the frame, you will get a second try but can only get a spare, not a strike.
Three strikes in a row are known as a Turkey, and additional strikes after that are known as a four-bagger or five-bagger. A perfect game is 300 points and indicates that the bowler has bowled 12 strikes in a row.
Each pin has a number associated with it to indicate where it is placed in the configuration. For example, the most difficult configuration to knock down is a 7/10 split. This represents the two outer most pins remaining after the first throw.
Another one of the most important bowling rules is to use the proper technique for bowling. Primarily, there are a couple of simple moves that will improve your bowling skills. They are bowling rules of posture, pressure and release and by perfecting your technique you can improve your skills as well as protect your body from injury.
Perhaps it sounds ridiculous, but concentration on your bowling can really help when you are trying to get that high score. Re-think the physical bowling rules, and then envision your ball rolling down the lane towards a perfect strike. The worst bowlers are the ones who toss the ball carelessly and have poor technique. Unless you get lucky, not having knowledge of proper technique will result in the bowling ball ending up in the gutter. Making sure you know the basic bowling rules is very important and if you ever have any questions about bowling consider purchasing a book about basic bowling techniques.
Have a Ball while Following the Rules of Bowling
To the novice who might simply have come in for the first time, bowling appears to be nothing more than rolling a heavy ball toward a number of pins that are set up at the end of a lengthy corridor. Nothing could be further from the truth! As a matter of fact, there are quite a few aspects to this game that rank it among the most complicated and also the most rewarding athletic experiences a hobby athlete will likely encounter.
Of course, there are a number of rules in existence, some of them dealing specifically with league games while others cover open nights. So have a ball while following the rules of bowling! First and foremost, if you are simply showing up for a fun evening at the bowling alley with a group of friends, do not make a nuisance of yourself. To this end, the first rule is the fact that you must wear special bowling shoes. If you own a pair, you know that they not only improve your game, but also protect the finish of the lane itself against scuff marks, holes, and unusual wear and tear. Those who have to rent shoes very often do not cherish the prospect of putting their feet for legions of other bowlers have gone before them, but this rule is not optional. The alley workers may exclude you from the game, or ask you to leave the bowling alley altogether if you fail to wear bowling shoes. Secondly, you must remain behind the foul line. Sure, if you are a novice, you might be tempted to try and get a bit of an advantage by getting closer to those pins, but don’t do it! Observing these two rules will go a long way to making everyone’s game a lot more enjoyable.
For those who are past the novice stage of bowling and are ready for the more intricate aspects of bowling, you will want to make sure to observe the rules set forth by the various governing bodies that oversee the game. Some of the most commonly cited rules at bowling alleys are the mode of ball delivery and when a ball is considered “dead”. The mode of ball delivery applies to those who have drilled additional holes into their bowling balls so as to affect the trajectory the ball will take once it is released. If you have a ball that has additional holes, you must cover these holes with your palm before releasing the ball. Failure to do so might result in your delivery being declared illegal, and you will loose any advantage you may have gained during that roll.
Some rules are more controversial, and even though these rules stand, several leagues have taken to modify them, simply to add a bit more fun to the game. This refers to the rule when a ball is declared “dead.” Obviously, a gutter ball is always considered out of bounds, and you will not receive any credit for the roll. Yet what should happen if the ball somehow rebounds and leaves the gutter lane only to knock down several pins? The official rules state that this ball is still considered “dead” and that you will not receive credit for the pins that were knocked down. Some groups have taken to modifying that latter portion of the rule, so as to give either partial or complete credit for the roll.
It is probably your best bet to inquire about the rules before play begins, just to make sure that everyone is on the same page before the game starts.
An Overview on Different Types of Bowling
Although most people are familiar with only a few types of bowling, there are actually many different games that involve knocking down pins with a ball. Ten-pin bowling is the most popular form of the game played in the United States, and involves knocking down 10 pins that are 15 inches high and approximately 4.7 inches in diameter at their widest point. These pins are set up in a triangular formation at the end of a long, flat surface called a lane, with the head pin set up at a distance of 60 feet from the foul line, which is a line that cannot be crossed by the bowler when throwing the ball. Each bowler has ten frames with two chances in each frame to knock down as many pins as he can. One point is given for each pin that is knocked down, with bonus points earned if all ten pins are knocked down in a frame. Another version, called “no-tap” bowling, is identical to ten-pin bowling except for one rule that stipulates a first shot which knocks down nine pins is also called a strike.
Duckpin bowling is a style that is popular along the east coast of the U.S., with every rule being the same as ten-pin except for the size of the pins and ball. Duckpins are shorter and thinner, at 9 13/32-inches tall by 4 1/8 inches wide, and the balls weigh at most 3 pounds, 12 ounces, as opposed to 6 to 16 pounds for a ten-pin ball.
A Canadian version was invented in 1909 called five-pin bowling, as it was desired to quicken the pace of the game to fit it into a typical lunch break. The pins are set up in a V formation that points back at the bowler, and each has a value from two to five, depending on the position. Each player has three chances to knock the pins down in each frame, with bonus points awarded if all pins are knocked down in the first one or two throws, just as in ten-pin bowling. Another distinction is the addition of a rubber band around the throat of each pin to increase the amount of action, thus helping knock down more pins in a given throw. Smaller balls are used which can be thrown at a quicker pace, speeding up the game even more.
Another type played mostly in New England and parts of northeast Canada is Candlepin bowling. Probably the largest difference between this style and ten-pin bowling is the size of the pins and ball. Candlepins are much thinner and a bit taller than ten pins, and the ball is smaller and lacks finger holes. In fact a Candlepin ball weighs slightly less than a single pin, making the game more difficult than other forms of bowling. Like five-pin bowling, this game involves three tries per frame, but after each throw the fallen pins are not cleared away from the lane, increasing the game’s difficulty. Because of these differences, strikes are rare in Candlepin bowling. Another rule change is the addition of a “lob line”, which is a heavy black line ten feet down the lane from the foul line. The ball must be in contact with the lane prior to reaching this line, or the pins struck by that throw will not count toward the bowler’s score.
There are many forms of bowling with various combinations of rules and equipment, as diverse bowling styles have evolved over the years in different regions of the world. One may have a favorite version, but it is always nice to try different adaptations to add some excitement to the game.
