The Basic Bowling Terms

Knowing how to bowl does not simply depend on practicing how to roll the bowling ball down the lane. As a well-back grounded bowler, it is good to know some (if not most) of the basic bowling terms. When beginner bowlers decide to skip this step, many aspects of the game may look confusing to them. It is true that you might acquire many more terms when you actually practice the game, however not knowing what a spare or a foul line is on your first game can be a grave gap.

There are tens if not hundreds of bowling terms out there. So how do you choose which one to learn first and which one to leave for later? The words that you need to first concentrate on are the ones related to the basic equipment and to basic scoring. While many people know what a bowling lane, bowling bowl and strike is some are not aware that a strike can only be done on the bowler's first ball. Hence if you knock down all the pins on your second ball, that would not be called a strike but a spare.

After you warm up, hold your bowling ball with your fingers and approach the lane. You need to know that the line at which you need to stop is called the foul line which can cause you to be disqualified - if you crossed it. After you do throw the ball as a first timer and if the ball goes off course, it will fall into the side "gutter" and that would be called a gutter ball.

To bowl, you need to understand the terminologies used in bowling techniques. For example, straight bowling is the bowling technique also referred to as point and shoot bowling which most if not all beginners resort to when they learn how to bowl. On the other hand, pro bowlers throw hook balls when they throw the bowling ball in a straight lane until it reaches a point where it curves and hooks back to knock down all the ten pins. Hook ball bowling is one of the most popular bowling techniques and hook ball bowling needs a lot of effort from the bowler because the bowler needs to use the proper grip and make the proper swing as he releases. Top-spin bowling is another terminology referring to one of the hard available bowling techniques through which the bowler is supposed to place his right arm right above the head level and have his wrist bent.

Other common bowling terminologies which we still have not discussed are: frame (which is one tenth part of a game), box (also referred to a single frame on the scoring card), dead ball (a ball not counter, like a gutter ball or a foul ball), double (two consecutive strikes), mark (a strike or spare), string (several strikes in a row), and turkey (specifically three strikes in a row).

Finally, you need to keep in mind that just like many other sports, bowling has a lot of slang bowling terms which can be directly caught off the bowling game one of which is apple (referring to the bowling ball). So, knowing how to bowl is not just about rolling the bowling ball down the alley, but also about being familiar with basic bowling terms.

Want to learn how to bowl? Sick of not performing consistently on the bowling alley? Discover the best bowling tips and techniques among professional bowlers that no amateur ever learns on their own with The Bowling Tips

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Evan_Leeway
Click Here!