Bowling Terms

Front 1

Address Position

Back 1

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

Front 2

Anchor Person

Back 2

The last person in the line-up of a team.

Front 3

Approach

Back 3

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

Front 4

Arrows

Back 4

Triangular-shaped aiming points. Also called spots.

Front 5

Auditory Cues

Back 5

Key words or catch phrases that present a concept.

Front 6

Baby Split

Back 6

The 2-7 or 3-10 split.

Front 7

Backup

Back 7

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

Front 8

Bedposts

Back 8

The 7-10 split.

Front 9

Blind

Back 9

Score given a team for an absent member.

Front 10

Blow

Back 10

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

Front 11

Board

Back 11

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

Front 12

Brooklyn Hit

Back 12

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

Front 13

Channel

Back 13

A more modern term for the gutter.

Front 14

Cherry

Back 14

Knocking down the front pin on a spare attempt, leaving adjacent pins standing. Also called a chop.

Front 15

Chop

Back 15

Knocking down the front pin on a spare attempt, leaving adjacent pins standing. Also called a cherry.

Front 16

Convert

Back 16

When you successfully make your spare.

Front 17

Count

Back 17

The number of pins knocked down with the first ball.

Front 18

Creeper

Back 18

A very slow ball.

Front 19

Crossover

Back 19

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

Front 20

Curve

Back 20

A ball that has a wide and sweeping arc, more pronounced than a hook.

Front 21

Dead Ball

Back 21

A poorly rolled ball that has little action - that doesn't take down as may pins as a "live" ball.

Front 22

Double

Back 22

Two strikes in a row.

Front 23

Error

Back 23

A blow or miss.

Front 24

Fast Lane

Back 24

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

Front 25

Foul

Back 25

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

Front 26

Foul Line

Back 26

The line that separates the approach from the lane.

Front 27

Four Bagger

Back 27

Four strikes in a row.

Front 28

Frame

Back 28

The box on the score sheet in which the score is recorded; also one-tenth of a game.

Front 29

Gutter

Back 29

Channels on both sides of each lane.

Front 30

Gutterball

Back 30

A ball that goes off the lane into the gutter.

Front 31

Handicap

Back 31

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

Front 32

Head Pin

Back 32

The 1 pin, which is the pin closest to the bowler.

Front 33

High Hit

Back 33

A strike ball that hits more of the 1 pin or head pin than the 1-3 pocket.

Front 34

Hook

Back 34

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

Front 35

Kegler

Back 35

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

Front 36

Kingpin

Back 36

The 5 pin.

Front 37

Lane

Back 37

Synonym for alley.

Front 38

Leadoff Person

Back 38

The first bowler in a team line-up.

Front 39

Leave

Back 39

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

Front 40

Line

Back 40

A game of ten frames.

Front 41

Live Ball

Back 41

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

Front 42

Lofting

Back 42

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

Front 43

Mark

Back 43

A strike or spare.

Front 44

Open Frame

Back 44

A frame without a strike or a spare.

Front 45

Perfect Game

Back 45

A score of 300 resulting from 12 consecutive strikes.

Front 46

Pin Action

Back 46

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

Front 47

Pin Bowling

Back 47

Using the pins as aiming points.

Front 48

Pocket

Back 48

The area defined as the 1-3 pins for right-handers, the 1-2 for left-handers.

Front 49

Pushaway

Back 49

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

Front 50

Railroad

Back 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 split.

Front 51

Scratch Bowler

Back 51

A bowler who has no handicap.

Front 52

Sleeper

Back 52

A pin hidden behind another pin.

Front 53

Span

Back 53

Distance between thumbhole and finger holes.

Front 54

Spare

Back 54

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

Front 55

Split

Back 55

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.

Front 56

Spots

Back 56

Dark-colored, triangular-shaped arrowheads on the bowling lane itself.

Front 57

Spt Bowling

Back 57

Using the arrowheads or spots as aiming points.

Front 58

Strike

Back 58

Knocking down all pins with the first ball.

Front 59

Strike Out

Back 59

To get three strikes in the tenth and final frame.

Front 60

Sweeper

Back 60

A live ball that sweeps the pins off the lane.

Front 61

Tap

Back 61

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

Front 62

Thin Hit

Back 62

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

Front 63

Turkey

Back 63

Three strikes in a row.

Front 64

Visual Cues

Back 64

Images of proper approach techniques that you picture yourself doing.

Front 65

Washout

Back 65

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