BOWLING STUDY GUIDE
Individual Sports
Columbus North Physical Education
TERMS TO KNOW
• Back up ball – a ball that will curve to the right when rolled by a
right handed bowler
• Baby split – the 2-7 or 3-10 split
• Bed posts – the 7-10 split
• Brooklyn strike – a strike where the head pin is hit on the left side
• Gutter channel – deep groove on either side of the bowling lane
• Lane – the hard wooden surface 60 feet in length upon which the ball is rolled
• Headpin – the number 1 pin
• Kingpin – the number 5 pin
• Key pin – front pin on a spare
• Hook ball – a ball that will curve to the left
when rolled by a right handed bowler. Caused
by having the thumb at 10 o’clock and the fingers
at 4 o’clock and releasing straight up.
• Lofting – throwing the ball down the lane several feet
• Mark – a strike or a spare
• Open frame – when 1 or more pins are left standing after both balls are rolled
• Pocket – located between the 1 and 3 pins for the right handed bowler
• Sleeper – a hidden or obscured pin – examples (2 & 8), (3 & 9)
• Spot bowling – using the marks or arrows on the lane for aiming instead of aiming
directly at the pins
• Strike out – to roll three strikes in the tenth frame
• Turkey – 3 strikes
7
4
8
2
5
9
1
3
6
BOWLING ETIQUETTE
Bowling has recognized methods of procedure, many of which can be listed under good rules
of sportsmanship
• It is considered bad manners in bowling to address a bowler or make a sudden
sound when they are about to begin delivery.
• The bowler on the right has the right-of-way.
• Once the ball is delivered, you should not make any unnecessary motions or
gyrations while standing by the foul line.
• Never use another bowler’s ball without permission.
• Control your temper, be a good loser, give credit where credit is due, don’t use
abusive language.
SCORING
A game of bowling consists of ten frames. Two ball deliveries are allowed in each frame
except when a bowler scores a strike. A strike occurs when all ten pins are knocked down in
the first delivery. On the scorecard, a strike is marked with an “X.” If all pins are knocked
down with two deliveries in the frame, it is called a spare. A spare is marked with a”/” on the
scorecard.
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BOWLING
Individual sports
Frame – one unit of a bowling game- game consists of 10 frames
Perfect frame – 30 points
perfect game – 300 points
SCORING A FRAME:
The number of pins knocked down with the first ball is placed in the upper left corner box.
The number of pins knocked down with the second ball is placed in the upper right box.
The total of the pins is placed at the bottom of the box. For example, if the bowler knocks
down 2 pins with the first ball and 7 pins with the second ball (total of 9 pins knocked
down), the scorecard would be marked like this:
1
2 7
FRAME 1: 2 + 7 = 9
9
SCORING A SPARE:
For a spare, you get a score of 10 plus the score of the total pins knocked in the next
delivery. In the example below, the bowler scored a spare in the second frame. The bowler
receives a score of ten for that frame plus seven, which is the number of pins knocked down
by the first ball in the third frame. The scorecard is marked like this:
1
2
2 7 8
9
26
FRAME 2: 10 points for the spare + 7 for the next ball = 17.
Add this to 9 from frame 1 to equal 26.
3
7 1
FRAME 3: 26 + 7 + 1 = 34
34
SCORING A STRIKE:
For a strike, you get a score of 10 plus the score of the total pins knocked down in the next
two deliveries. In the example below, the bowler scored a strike in the fourth frame. The
bowler receives a score of ten for that frame plus nine, which is the total number of pins
knocked down in the next two deliveries (frame 5). The scorecard is marked like this:
1
2
2 7 8
9
26
3
4
7 1
34
5
6 3
53
62
FRAME 4: 10 points for the strike + 6 + 3 for
the next two balls = 19. Add this to 34 from
frame 3 to equal 53.
FRAME 5: 53 +6 + 3 = 62
THE TENTH FRAME:
The bowler gets two deliveries on the tenth frame unless a strike or a spare is scored. If a
strike or spare is scored, the bowler takes three deliveries. All three deliveries are added
to the bowler’s final score.
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BOWLING
Individual sports
ZERO: If no pins are knocked down, the scorecard is marked with a line “
”.
FOUL LINE:
If the bowler crosses the foul line, the delivery counts, but the player receives a score of
zero for that delivery.
EXAMPLE OF A COMPLETED GAME;
1
2
2 7 8
3
4
7 1
5
6
7
6 3 0 5 8
8
5
9
9
10
3
score
6
129
9
26
34
53
62
67
82
87
110
129
Frames 1-5 as in previous sections.
Frame 6: 0 (bowler crossed the foul line) + 5 = 5. Add this to 62 from frame 5 to equal 67.
Frame 7: 10 points for the spare + 5 for the next ball = 15. Add this to 67 from frame 6 to
equal 82.
Frame 8: 82 + 5 = 87.
Frame 9: 10 points for the spare + 10 + 3 = 23. Add this to 87 from frame 8 to equal 110.
Frame 10: 10 points for the strike + 3 + 6 = 19. Add this to 110 from frame 9 to equal 129.
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