Bowling Terms
Strike out
Three consecutive strikes in the tenth frame
Turkey
Three strikes in a row
Triple
Three strikes in succession (turkey)
Lofting
Throwing the ball out on the lane well beyond the foul line so it drops from a height
Cherry
To chop; to miss a pin of a two pin spare
Grave yard
Toughest lanes on which to produce good scores
Double
Two consecutive strikes
Split
Two or more pins left standing after the first roll with a pin down immediately between or ahead of them
Baby split
any split where ball must be rolled in between 2-7, 3-10, 4-5, 5-6, 7-8,9-10
Frame
1/10th of the game
Dutch 200
A 200 game scored by rolling alternate frames of spares and strikes
Brooklyn Strike
A ball crossing into the 1-2 pocket resulting in a strike (right-hander)
Crossover
A ball going to the 1-2 pocket side for a right-hander, 1-3 for left
House ball
A ball provided be the bowling center for customer use
Hook
A ball that breaks from right to left well after release (right-hander)
Full hit
A ball that hits squarely on the headpin
Perfect strike
A ball that hits the pins squarely in the pocket and clears the deck of all pins
Curve
A ball which moves to the left from the moment it is delivered. Not a hook, which waits until it nears the pins before breaking to the left.
Dead Ball
A ball with very little action; little pin carry
Angle
A combination of the direction of the delivery and the path the ball takes toward the pins
Open Frame
A frame without a strike or spare
Clean Game
A game with a mark in every frame
Mixer
A good working ball that produces lively action among the pins
Sleeper
A hidden pin; the 8 pin in the 2-8 setup
Full roller
A hook type of release in which the thumb rotates 10-11 o'clock and fingers lift through the ball
Semi-roller
A hook type of release in which the thumb rotates counter-clockwise and the finger lift throws the ball
Spinner
A method of release that imparts an excessive counter-clockwise rotation of the thumb
Error
A miss
Backup ball
A reverse hook; a ball that curves from left to right on the lane (for right-hander)
High hit, Heave hit
A strike ball that comes into the head pin more than teh 3 pin of the 1-3 pocket
Mark
A strike or a spare
Spot
A target guide on the lane used to aid the bowler in directing his ball; also term used to designate the handicap given another bowler or team
Powerhouse
A very strong hooking ball that seems to tear the pins apart
Sweeper
A wide-breaking hook or curve that seems to "sweep" all the pins away
Channel
Accepted term for the gutter
Handicap
Adjustments in sore total between individuals or teams to equalize competition
Target arrow
Aiming device located on the lane approximately 15 feet in front of the foul line
Arrows
Aiming targets embedded in the lane to help a bowler align the starting position on the approach with the ball path down the lane
League
Am organized group of teams competing on a regular, formal basis under a specific code of rules and regulations
Tap
An apparently perfect strike hit that leaves the 8 pin standing
Pit
Area at the end of the lane into which the pins fall
Pinspotter, pinsetter
Automatic machine that picks up and sets the pins for the bowler
Miss, Error, Blow
Ball not making contact withe any pins standing
Working ball
Ball that moves with good rolling action
Cushion
Barrier at the rear of the pit that absorbs the pins and balls
Reactive resin ball
Bowling ball with tacky surface created by a polymer added to urethane which provides more grip of ball to lane
Gutter
Channel or deep grooves on each side of the bowling lanes
Washout
the 1-2-10 pr the 1-2-4-10 spares
Slow lane
Double meaning term used to describing a lane which either resists a hook or assists it
Flip
Extreme delay in motion of ball right to left association with reactive resin bowling balls
Brow
Failure to make a spare; an error; miss
Average
Figure reached by dividing total sum of game or scores by the number of games bowled in one session or season
Lift
Giving the ball an upward motioning with the fingers at point of release
Conditioner
The oil or dressing applied over the surface of the lane to prepare it for play
Pumpkin
The opposite of powerhouse
Pushaway
The outward, downward thrust of the ball that puts the ball into the lane
Line
The path of the ball from release point to the pocket
Leave
The pins left standing after the first ball has been rolled
Boards
Individual strips of wood which make up the lane and approach
Spare
Knock down all ten pins in one frame with two rolls of the ball
Strike
Knock down all the pins with the first roll of the ball in a frame
LPBT
Ladies Pro Bowlers Tour
Fast
Lanes which hold down the hook; sometimes referred to as oily, slick
Approach
Maple area behind the foul line where bowler executes steps and delivery
NBC
National Bowling Council
Body English
Physical gyrations after the ball has been delivered, as if to steer the ball
Chop
Picking a cherry
Deadwood
Pins left down on the pin deck after the first ball of frame
Deck
Portion of lane where the pins are set
PBA
Professional Bowlers Association
Alley
The sixty feet of pine and maple in front of the foul line on which the ball is rolled (lane)
Oil
The substance used to coat or dress the lanes
Blind Score
Score given a team for it's absent member
Kickback
Side partitions between lanes at pit end
Lane
Sixty-foot maple-pine surface in front of the foul line on which the ball is rolled
Light hit, Thin hit
Strike ball that fails to come up into the 1-3 pocket; hits 3 pin more than 1
Picket fence
The 1-2-4-7 or 1-3-6-10
Bucket
The 2-4-5-8 and 3-5-6-9 leaves
Locator dots
The 3 rows of dots on the approach
Double Pinochle
The 4-6-7-10 set-up
Big four
The 4-6-7-10 split
King pin
The 5 pin
Sour apple
The 5-7-10 split
Bed post
The 7-10 split
Goal post
The 7-10 split
BPAA
The Bowling Proprietors Association of America; association of bowling center operators
Foul
The act of going beyond the foul line as you deliver the ball
Pitch
The angle in relation to the center of the ball at which the thumb and finger holes of a ball are drilled
Block
The application or build-up of oil in the center of the lane which, illegally, helps guide the ball to the pocket
Decks (pin decks)
The area of the lane where the pins are placed
The areas between the 1 and 3 pins; strike zone
Bridge
The distance between the finger holes
Span
The distance between thumb and finger holes
Heads
The first 15 to 17 feet of the lane onto which the ball is released, made of maple
Leadoff
The first person on a team
Anchor man
The last or fifth man in a team's line-up
Sweep
The metal mechanism that cleans teh pin deck after each delivery of the ball
Headpin
The number 1 pin
Scratch
Use of actual scores and averages in individual or team competition; non handicap
WIBC
Women's International Bowling Congress