Bowling Terms

Front 1

Establishing your starting position on the lane prior to taking your first step,

Back 1

Address Position

Front 2

The last person in the line up of a team.

Back 2

Anchor Person

Front 3

The arena across which the bowler steps prior to delivering the ball at the foul line.

Back 3

Approach

Front 4

Triangular - shaped aiming points. Also called spots.

Back 4

Arrows

Front 5

Key word or catch phrase that presents a concept.

Back 5

Auditory Cues

Front 6

The 2-7 or 3-10 split.

Back 6

Baby Split

Front 7

A ball that curves left to right for a right hander, right to left for a left-hander.

Back 7

Bedpost

Front 8

Score given a team for an absent player.

Back 8

Blind

Front 9

Failing to make a spare, except in the case of a split that cannot normally be made; also called an error or a miss.

Back 9

Blow

Front 10

One of the one-inch boards making up each lane.

Back 10

Board

Front 11

A ball that rolls into the pocket on the wrong side of the head pin. Also called a crossover or Jersey hit.

Back 11

Brooklyn Hit

Front 12

A more modern term for the gutter.

Back 12

Channel

Front 13

Knocking down the front pin or a spare attempt, leaving adjacent pins standing; also called a cherry.

Back 13

Chop

Front 14

When you successfully make a spare.

Back 14

Convert

Front 15

The number of pins knocked down with the first ball.

Back 15

Count

Front 16

A very slow rolling ball.

Back 16

Creeper

Front 17

Brooklyn hit is also called _________.

Back 17

Crossover

Front 18

The two cues.

Back 18

Auditory and Visual Cues.

Front 19

A ball that makes a wide sweeping arc, more pronounced that a hook.

Back 19

Curve

Front 20

A poorly rolled ball that has little action, that does not take down as many pins as a "live" ball.

Back 20

Dead Ball

Front 21

Two strikes in a row.

Back 21

Double

Front 22

A blow or a miss.

Back 22

Error

Front 23

A lane on which the hook ball does not curve or "take" as much as usual.

Back 23

Fast Lane

Front 24

Touching or going beyond the foul line when the bowler delivers the ball.

Back 24

Foul

Front 25

The line that separates the approach from the lane.

Back 25

Foul Line

Front 26

Four strikes in a row.

Back 26

Four Bagger

Front 27

Channel on both sides of each lane.

Back 27

Gutter

Front 28

A ball that goes off the lane into the gutter.

Back 28

Gutter Ball

Front 29

A scoring advantage that lets individuals or teams of different averages compete in the same league.

Back 29

Handicap

Front 30

The 1 pin, which is closest to the bowler.

Back 30

Head Pin

Front 31

A ball that breaks to the left for a right-hander; or to the right for a left-hander.

Back 31

Hook

Front 32

A synonym for bowler, derived from the German word kegel.

Back 32

Kegler

Front 33

The five pin.

Back 33

Kingpin

Front 34

Synonym for alley.

Back 34

Lane

Front 35

The first person in a team line-up.

Back 35

Leadoff Person

Front 36

The pins that remain standing after the first ball is rolled in a frame.

Back 36

Leave

Front 37

A game of ten frames.

Back 37

Line

Front 38

A ball that knocks down a lot of pins even though it may have miss the pocket.

Back 38

Live Ball

Front 39

Throwing the ball too far out on the lane so that it bounces.

Back 39

Lofting

Front 40

A strike or a spare.

Back 40

Mark

Front 41

A frame without a strike or spare.

Back 41

Open frame

Front 42

The manner in which the pins fall, depending on the speed and spin of the ball.

Back 42

Pin Action

Front 43

Using the pins as aiming points.

Back 43

Pin Bowling

Front 44

The arena defined by the 1-3 pins for right-handers; the 1-2 for left-handers.

Back 44

Pocket

Front 45

The extension of your arms as you push the ball out from your body when taking your first step.

Back 45

Pushaway

Front 46

A bowler who has no handicap

Back 46

Scratch Bowler

Front 47

A pin hidden behind another pin.

Back 47

Sleeper

Front 48

The distance between thumb hole and the finger holes.

Back 48

Span

Front 49

Knocking down all ten pins with two balls in a frame.

Back 49

Spare

Front 50

A leave in which the head pin is down and two or more pins remain standing with adjacent pins knocked down in front and between; also known as a railroad.

Back 50

Split

Front 51

Dark colored, triangular arrowheads on the bowling lane itself.

Back 51

Spots

Front 52

Using the arrowheads or spots as aiming points.

Back 52

Spot Bowling

Front 53

Knocking down all ten pins with the first ball.

Back 53

Strike

Front 54

Getting three strikes in the tenth and final frame.

Back 54

Strikeout

Front 55

A live ball that sweeps the pins off the lane.

Back 55

Sweeper

Front 56

Leaving a 10, 4, or 7 pin on what appears to be a strike ball.

Back 56

Tap

Front 57

A hit in which the ball barely contacts the 1 pin, also called a light hit.

Back 57

Thin Hit

Front 58

Three strikes in a row.

Back 58

Turkey

Front 59

Images of proper approach techniques that you picture yourself doing.

Back 59

Visual Cues

Front 60

The 1-2-4-10 leave for a right hander; the 1-3-6-7 leave for a left hander.

Back 60

Washout