BOWLING HISTORY

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sport. Just roll a ball down a

lane and knock down the pins.
Simplicity is one reason bowling has
been popular with millions of people
for thousands of years!
Bowling balls and pins were found
in the tomb of an Egyptian king who
died in 5,200 B.C. The ancient
Polynesians bowled on lanes that were
60 feet long, the same as today.
Bowling was part of a religious
ceremony in fourth centuIy Germany.
Those who could knock down the pins
were said to be of good character. Those
who missed had to do penance. Even
Martin Luther was a bowler. British
kings Edward II and Richard II banned

bowling because they said people were

wasting too much time playing the sport.
But Sir Francis Drake played a game of
bowls before he went to war against the
Spanish Armada.
Bowling has been popular in
America since Colonial days. The British
imported lawn bowling but German
settlers introduced ninepins, the ancient
game that evolved into today's modem
tenpin sport.
Because of confusion over playing
standards, the top bowlers of the 19th
centuIy decided that the sport needed a
standard set of rules. They started the
American Bowling Congress in 1895.
The Women's International Bowling
Congress was started in 1916.

EOUIPMENT & BOWLING CENTERS

Bowling equipment specifications
have remained basically the same for the
last centwy:
TIlE BALL must be round, have a
circumference of 27 inches and weigh
no more than 16 pounds.
TIlE PIN is 15 inches high, 43/4" wide
at the belly and weighs between 3 lbs. 6
oz. and 3 lbs. 10 oz.
TIlE LANE is 60 feet long and 42 inches
wide. (Lanes must be level to within
40/10000's of an inch!)
The pins are set in the form of a
.
triangle. The lead pin closest to the
bowler is known as the headpin or No. 1
pin. The other pins are numbered from
2 through 10.
Bowling is popular because it is a
terrific recreation for people from every
walk of life. There are some 8,000
bowling centers with 140,000 lanes in
the U.S. Bowling is also played in nearly
1()() countries overseas. You can enjoy
bowling if you are short or tall, thin or
fat, young or old, rich or poor. Most

....-- 8.595 inches -----..

people start bowling in "open play",

rolling a few games (or "lines")
whenever lanes are available at their
local center. To get the most enjoyment
from the sport consider joining a league.
The friendly counter people at your
neighborhood center can tell you about
various types ofleagues. There's a
league for every lifestyle.
Some leagues are run during the
weekday, some at night, some on the
weekend. Some leagues are all-male,
some are exclusively for women, some
are co-ed. There are leagues for seniors,
singles, shift workers andjuniors. There
are even special leagues for church
groups, fraternal organizations and
industrial groups. Whatever your
schedule or way of life, there's a league
for you!
lfyou're a beginner, don't be
intimidated You'll get lots of help from
the center staff and your teammates. And
most leagues are "handicapped," which
means new bowlers can compete equally.

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2

1
1

3
2

How to Score

Many centers have automatic

scorers which display your scores on a
video screen. All you have to do is
punch in a few cormnands (fellow
bowlers or the center staff can assist)
and the rest is automatic. .
If your center does !lot have
automatic scoring, you will be given a
scoresheet and a pencil to keep your
own score. You'll find that keeping your
own score can be enjoyable.

STRIKE

10

121212121212123

SPARE

Frames and Games

A game is made up of ten frames.

At the beginning of each frame, the
bowler tries to knock down all ten pins.
If successful, the result is a strike and the
frame is over. If any pins are still
standing after the first shot, a second ball
is rolled. If the remaining pins are
knocked down it is a spare. If a pin or
more is standing after the second shot
the result is an "open" frame. The.
bowler is credited with just the amount
of pins that fell.
When a spare is made the bowler
gets credit for 10 plus the number of
pins knocked down on the next thrOw.
No score is marked in that frame until
the next shot is made.
For instance, a player who follows

a spare by rolling a 6 count on the next

ball will get credit for those 6 pins added
to the 10 for the spare. It is now known
that spare was worth 16.
A strike is worth 10 plus the
number of pins knocked over on the
next two tosses. Say a strike is followed
by a frame in which the bowler knocks
down 5 on the first ball and 3 more on
the second throw. The strike would
then be worth 10 + 5 + 3 for a total of
18. The score of each frame is added to
the score of the previous frame until
reaching a final total after 10 frames.
In the final frame, if a spare is recorded,
another ball must be rolled to determine
how much that spare will be worth. For
the same reason, when a strike is made
in the 10th frame, two more shots are
needed to find out how much the strike
will be worth.

~
FOUL

SPLIT

Scoring Premiums

The scoring sYstem is not just a

simple count of pins knocked down.
Spares and strikes provide a bonus
opportunity to get extra credit.
The scoring sYstem greatly .
rewards consecutive strikes. In fact,
real high-scoring games-over 200-are
possible only by bunching together
strikes.

THE CHALLENGE
Just having the chance to roll
something fairly big and heavy at those
"sitting duck" pins is fun. But when
competition is introduced, bowling
becomes a real challenge. Getting some
pins down on most shots is the first goal.
Becoming better requires improved
physical technique and strategy. The
most obvious skill needed is accuracy.
To make a strike it is almost
always necessary to hit the headpin.
Righthanders should aim just to the right
of the headpin (the left side for
lefthanders). This area is known as the
pocket.
To hit the pocket means properly
directing the ball to hit within a two inch
area located 60 feet away That is a
pretty good test of skill. Of next
importance is the impact or "carry" the
ball has when it contacts the headpin.
One of the things that determines
impact is the weight of the ball. Another
is the speed of the ball. The angle that
the ball contacts the pocket and the way
it is rolling also are factors.
A word of caution. A powerful
ball is of no use if it is not accurate. It's
much better to use a lighter ball with a
slower speed than to throw wild shots.
Top bowlers do not try to throw the ball
perfectly straight. They intend their
strike shots to have some hook. For
righthanders a hook ball breaks right-toleft while lefthanders make the ball
travel left-to -right.
All lanes may look the same but
they do not play that way Like an auto
tire on a road, the amount of "traction"
created between the ball and lane affects
the way a ball rolls. This has an
especially pronounced effect on how
much a ball hooks. Adjusting to the lane
is part of the challenge of the sport.
Indeed, knocking down pins with
a ball does not seem complicated. But
the better you get at it the more
fascinating it becomes to improve even
more.

THE GRIP

=====~

The Conventional Grip

A standard three -holed ball is

gripped by inserting the middle two
fingers and the thumb. The fingers
should fit to the second knuckle and the
thumb all the way. The outside fingers
extend comfortably across the top of the
ball and the palm should be in loose
contact with the ball's surface.
This is a "conventional" grip. If
properly fitted it enables a bowler to
swing a relatively heavy ball without
having to squeeze it. Yet there will be no
fear of having the thumb or fingers get
stuck in the holes. Getting a custom
fitted grip is crucial to learning how to
bowl better.

The Fingertip Grip

It is not even necessary to buy a

new ball because even a hand-me-down
ball can be plugged and refitted for its
new owner. But a brand new ball,
measured and drilled by a professional
will insure that you bowl your very best.
A pro shop at your bowling center, or
one recommended by the center, will
best serve your equipment needs.
A good fit first takes into account
the size of the holes. Then a span
measure is taken to get the correct
distance between the thumb and each
finger. Finally; the best pitch, or angle,
for the holes is determined. A welltrained professional ball fitter and driller
is needed to get a truly productive fit.
When you consider all the fitting
options, no piece of sporting equipment
is more personal than a bowling ball to
a bowler.

=TH=E=S=TA=N=C=E==============~
A Shoulders at right angles
to the bowling target.
B. Non-bowling hand
helps to support ball.
C. Wrist fairly fum and straight,
but not bent backward.
D. Bowling ann elbow kept
close to hip.
E. Knees bent slightly.
E Feet together, pointed
toward target.

The Stance

When stepping onto the approach

you will notice two rows of dots. The
back row marks a distance 15 feet from
the foul line while the row further up is
12 feet away. These dots are most
helpful for measuring your starting
position.
Children need to stand closer to
the foul line than adults because their
steps are shorter. Also, new bowlers of
any size may be more comfortable with
a shorter approach. After gaining some
confidence and experience you may
decide to stand farther away from the
foul line.
Whatever your starting distance,
you want your final step to end within a
foot of the foul line but not so close that
you risk crossing the line. For a good
stance, place the feet together and bend
slightly forward from the back. Seek a
feeling of relaxed readiness, not stiffness.
The ball should be placed
somewhere between waist and chest
high toward the right side of the body
Oeft side for lefthanders). The bowling
hand should grip the ball from
underneath and the opposite hand also
should support some of the weight of
the ball.

THE SWING, STEPS & TIMING

=====~
The Swing

The Steps

If you take a rather heavy object

such as a bowling ball and simulate an
underhand throwing motion, you'll
notice the movement takes a
momentum of its own.
That is the pendulum principle.
It is the essence of what makes a good,
consistent swing. If bowlers did not
have this "free" energy source, we could
hardly get the ball down the lane at all.
In terms of weight, use a ball that
can be swung back and forth freely and
comfortably. The ball is too heavy if it
makes the wrist flex back or causes the
bowling shoulder to drop during the
swing. It is too light if you feel you can
"manhandle" the ball.

New bowlers are encouraged to

use a four step approach. Later, a fifth
step may be added.
Take each step straight ahead.
Simple, walking-type steps in a normal
heel-toe manner are the goal. Only the
last step, which includes a slide, is
different. On that step, the bowling shoe
hits the approach with the ball of the
foot causing it to glide forward. Then
the weight transfers back toward the
heel as a means of braking to a stop.
The first step should be the
shortest. The last step, because it
includes the slide, should be the longest.
Think of a metronome beating
1-2-3-4 to keep a steady tempo. For
righthanders the step sequence is right,
left, right, left. Lefthanders follow a left,
right, left, right pattern.

2ND STEP
(Ball moves down)

PUnlNG IT ALL TOGETHER

===~~==(!J
PutIi... Swi... and Steps Together

Taken individually, the swing and

the steps are not difficult physical
movements. But it is how they operate
together that determines whether the
bowling approach is pleasant or strained.
You need to be in a stable position when
releasing the ball but you also want to
take advantage of the momentum of
your steps. You want all the speed you
picked up to be transferred to your ball
when you release it onto the lane. So a
well-timed release occurs just as the
sliding foot comes to a stop.
How do you achieve a release
point that displays the best combination
of stability ~d momentum? By having
the backswing reach its highest point as
the next to the last step is completed.
From this position both the sliding foot
and swinging arm move forward
together. When that.happens the timing
sequence has been effective.

The first three steps are taken

:-vhile the ball moves to its highest point
m tJ:~ backswing. From there you are in
poSItion for the downswing, slide and
release. The key is getting the ball
started with a proper outward
movement. In bowling terms this is the
push-away. As the first step is taken the
b~ moves from its starting position to a
pomt about 12 to 18 inches in front of
the body. From there it is ready to
proceed into its swing arc as the second
and third steps are made.
The start of the approach is the
trigger point of the timing sequence.
The push-away must be simple and easy
to repeat. Even accomplished bowlers
often seek to fine tune their timing.
When doing so they concentrate on the
.first movement of the ball in relation to
the steps. Get the first step and the
push-away working together. From
there the timing process will click into
place for the remainder of the approach.

4TH STEP
(Ball moves down)

RELEASE & FOLLOW-THROUGH

=====~

Just as bowlers corne in many

different sizes, shapes and ages, their
arrnswing and footwork styles can also
be unique. But once the ball nears the
point of release all good bowlers look
pretty much the same.
The ball should be released as it is
moving past the ankle of the sliding foot.
Righthanders slide with their left foot
while lefthanders take their last step
with the right foot. The ball should be
two inches, or slightly closer; to the ankle
as it passes by. From this position the
body is ideally situated to send the ball in
the desired direction. With good timing
and a proper release point a bowler
achieves a position ofleverage-the
result of an ideal combination of body
position, momentum and balance.
To have the ball pass near the
sliding ankle requires some bending.
Bending the knee with the last step
permits this to happen. What first
seems like an awkward physical posture
can become quite natural. Besides some
bend from the knee, the upper body also
contributes to the "getting low" process.

Bending forward about 15-20 degrees is

ideal. For best balance, the middle of
the chest should finish directly above the
sliding knee as the shot concludes.
Throughout the approach, the
head should remain steady. The eyes
remain focused on an intended target.
The non-bowling arm serves as a
balancing aid, stretched off to the side.
The Follow-Through

Any activity that involves hitting,

kicking or throwing a ball requires a
purposeful follow- through to complete
the movement. Bowling is no exception.
You can always identify good
bowlers by their release and followthrough mannerisms. A full followthrough takes the bowling arm from its
release point on an upswing to shoulder
level or higher. The line of the followthrough should be toward the target, not
left or right. Although the ball is already
gone when it occurs, practicing a
complete follow- through is a great
training aid It improves .t he
ftmction of the swing and
overall approach balance.

~I

TARGETING & STRATEGIES

~~~====~
Alignment Guides

If you are going to toss a ball at

somethlng, nonnally you l~k at the ,
target. Pitchers watch theIr catcher s
glove. Basketball players shoot at a
basket. Quarterbacks, unless they're
trying to be deceptive, look at their
receiver. But experienced bowlers
almost never look at the pins!
Granted, the idea is to get the ball
rolling toward specific pins. But it is
better to sight at a nearby spot on the
lane and roll the ball instead of
"pitching" it at the pins some 60 feet
away. It is also easier to see and make
a connection to a marker that IS much
closer.
The arrows, or rangefinders, are
located 15 feet from the foul line. They
serve as targeting guides. There are
seven arrows. The middle one is located
directly in the center of the lane in line

with the headpin. The other arrows are

also aligned with specific pins.
In order to help position your
stance the rows of dots on the approach
match 'up directly to the arrows. A
straight path can be drawn from the
middle dot on the approach through the
middle arrow on the lane to the headpin.
The other dots and arrows match up in
a similar way. .
Targeting is a matter of choosing
a starting position and a fo.c~ pOint: .
Your stance location and amung pomt IS
determined by the path you want the
ball to take. Adjustments are made by
changing either the starting position,
focal point, or both. Using th~ dots and
arrows as guides makes the aligmnent .
more precise. After each shot evalua~ if
that particular aligmnent is worthwhile
or how it should be changed.

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Line Up With The Target Arrow.

(Don't look at the pins, instead

follow the ball's path to the target.)

=
P L=_=r=IN=G=A=N=G=LE=S===========~
The ball should come into the 1-3 pocket at a right-to-Ieft
angle. Lefthanders seek to throw the ball into the 1-2 pocket with
a left-to-right angle. Angle is important on a strike shot because it
helps the ball keep moving in its path rather than deflecting off
the headpin. When that happens the chances of a strike drop
significantly. A ball that hooks builds more right-to-Ieft (for a
righthander) movement. The result is much stronger angle of
entry into the 1-3 pocket.
Even without a hook a righthander can create some side
angle by directing the ball toward the pocket from the right side
of the lane. Typically; the second arrow from the right is
suggested as a target. A good strike ball attacks from a strong
side angle.
The Spare Gam e
An old saying in bowling is, "make the spares, the strikes
will come." This is especially good advice for new bowlers. There
are 1,023 poterttial spare combinations. But don't be alarmed.
The vast majority of those spare possibilities you will never face.
While there are a couple of dozen "normal" spare combinations,
they can be solved by using a minimum of targets and angles.
The first rule of spare shooting involves simple geometry. It
is the cross-lane principle. When pins are on the left side of the
lane, the best starting position is on the right-and vice -versa.
Practice four separate spare shots or lines using the cross-lane
technique. You develop a separate spare line for each of the back
row of pins (7, 8, 9 and 10). There is only one other spare line to
choose from. That is the original line used on the first ball. Any
spare combination can be negotiated using one of those five lines.
For example, the line needed for a righthander to pick up a
1-2-4 leave mimics the line needed to convert the 8-pin. That's
because the 8-pin should be positioned directly behind the 2-pin,
if all those pins were standing. The 3-6 spare can be converted
by using the 9-pin line because the 3-pin stands right in front of
the 9-pin. Any spare leave in which the 5-pin is the key is best
made by throwing the ball as if you were going for a strike.
The line for any back row spare shot should go across the
third or fourth (middle) arrow or somewhere in between. The
stance position varies for each shot. It does not take tricky board
counting formulas to become a good spare shooter Rather; it is
the ability to mentally see a cross-lane ball path and execute the
shot the way you see it. You'll get better at executing these shots
from practice and experience.
Picking up splits presents a much greater challenge. The
margin for error to get one pin to slide into another is less than a
half inch. Yes, making splits takes a very precise shot- and luck!
Even though spare shooting may lack glamour; it should not be
overlooked. Learning to make spares is the surest way to
improve your scores.

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Bevlnnlnll Stance Positions WIth Path

Travelleel By Ball To Make The Spare.

T~H~E~H~O~O~K~B~AL~L===========g
What Creates A Hook
The direction of the ball is
determined primarily by how and where
the armswing brought it forward. But,
the ball usually also contains some spin
or "side-rotation." Putting a side-spin on
the ball is done intentionally by better
bowlers. Beginners may do it
accidentally and unpredictably. In either
case the way the ball is rotating usually
affe~ts its movement. If the ball is
rotating in a counter-clockwise manner
it will move right-to-Ieft. Lefthanders put
a clockwise rotation on
the ball to have it
hook from left-toright. In the

past bowling balls were made of hard

rubber or plastic. Nowadays urethaneshelled balls have become popular. In
general, urethane balls react more to the
spin on the ball. That means they hook
more and deflect less when they hit the
pins.
A hook that is predictable is a big
advantage but for newcomers, most
progress is made by improving timing, .
balance and overall accuracy: Even so, It
is not too soon to learn the hand position
for a hook release.
Specifics of the Hook Release

To make a ball hook, the thumb

exits first followed by the fingers. As
the ballp~itselfoffthefingers, it.s~
rotating. The direction of the rotation IS
determined by where the thumb was
pointed as the ball left the hand. This is
a split second process.
Having the thumb come out first
is natural because the thumb is shorter
in length than the fingers.
.
Nevertheless having a well fitted ball IS
certainly important. So is making a
good approach to the foul line .
To create a hook, place the
thumb so it is pointed at 10 or 11
o'clock or 2 or 1 o'clock for
lefthanders. A straight up, or 12
o'clock release position of the
thumb will create a straight ball.
With the thumb in a hook
'-----===--, position, keep the wrist
relatively firm through the
release. You should feel some
pressure or tug on the fingers as
the release occurs. Those are
the ingredients for a hook.
Importantly; it is just as easy to
learn a modest hook release as it
is to throw a predictable straight
~_ _ _ _~ ball.
Eventually; many bowlers attempt
to increase the rotation and power of the
hook by applying more aggressive hand
action. But don't do so at the expense of
good form.

=TH=E=F=UN==O=F=LE=AG=U=E=P=L=AY======~
It's hard to not like bowling and
harder still not to enjoy league bowling.
League play has many features of open
bowling except that it's on a regular
schedule. It can be relaxing, stimulating,
or both. Traditionally; a team is made up
of five bowlers. Some leagues, most
frequently mixed leagues, have four per
team as a way of balancing the
male/female make-up. There are also
leagues with two or three per team.
Morning leagues often feature
housewives. Many leave their pre-school
children in the center's playroom. Other
daytime leagues fit the schedules of
senior citizens and retirees. Late
afternoon brings youngsters after schooL
Early evening attracts folks after work.
Later evening bowling is popular for
couples on dates or groups of friends
having a night out. It is also a
great time for those
already in a league to
do some practicing.

A bowling center is a place to bring

friends and make new ones.
Most leagues apply for sanction
from the American Bowling Congress or
Women's International Bowling
Congress. Sanctioned leagues follow a
structured set of rules that helps solve
disputes. Scores are reported so a
bowler establishes an official average.
That average may be used for entering
tournaments or joining other leagues.
ABC;WIBC also offers awards for honor
scores and other achievements. Youth
bowling leagues may be sanctioned by
the Young American Bowling Alliance
(YABA). There are dozens of award
patches youngsters can win based on a
participant's age and ability. No matter
who's doing the bowling or the way it's
done, you can figure everybody is having
a good time. Come and join in!

bbio
Billiard and Bowling Institute of America
200 Castlewood Drive
North Palm Beach, Florida 33408
407 / 840 - 1120

This booklet was made possible by a grant

furnished by the SGMA
from revenues earned from THE SUPER SHOW to
promote industry education and sports participation.

Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association

By: LYLE ZIKES

Design: BILL WERME
Illustration: BARBARA FINN
THE WILLSON CREATIVE GROUP