Bowling Basics

Everyone that wants to bowl should learn the bowling basics so they know the basic rules of the game and how to bowl effectively. The basics of the game cover the number of pins you are trying to knock down, the number of throws you have per turn, how to score during a game of bowling and how to throw a bowling ball. It will also cover the shoes you should wear on bowling lanes so you do not damage the floor. Knowing these basics of bowling by heart will help you to enjoy playing the game that is popular all over the world.

1. Number of pins. There are ten pins lined up in a triangle at the end of a lane in bowling, with four pins at the back, three pins in front of the four, two pins in front of three and one pin up front. The machines at bowling alleys are designed to reset these pins after every two bowls, unless you hit a button, commanding the machine to reset all the pins after one bowl.
2. Objective of the game. The basic objective in bowling is to knock down all the pins in a maximum of two bowls. If all ten pins are knocked down on the first bowl, it is called a strike. If all ten pins are knocked down in two bowls it is called a spare. After two bowls, if all the pins are not knocked down, it is called an open frame and only the pins you knocked down are scored.
3. Basic bowling scores. For each pin that is knocked down, one point is scored. When a strike is thrown, an "X" is marked in the frame. This guarantees ten points, though that frame is not scored until the next two balls are thrown. If the next two balls that are thrown are a "6" and a "3," the score added to the frame where you got a strike would be "19" and then the "9" points should be added to that score from the following frame. If a spare is thrown or all the pins are knocked down on the second bowl and a "/" is marked in the frame, the first ball that is bowled is added to the score of the ten points garnered by the spare. So, for example, a "/" followed by a "5" would add "15" points to the spare's frame and then another five points plus whatever is bowled on the next bowl of the subsequent frame.
4. Frames and top scores. All bowlers bowl ten frames with the possibility of bowling 21 times, as on the tenth frame if you close it at any point, you will be given one extra ball to throw. If you bowl a strike on every frame, you will only bowl twelve times total in the game and have a total score of 300, also known as a perfect game, one of the most elusive feats in sports.
5. Wardrobe and equipment. Bowlers must wear bowling shoes, so that their black soles do not scuff the lanes when the stride forward to bowl. These smooth flat soles also allow bowlers to slide, helping them throw in a particular way. Some professional bowlers use gloves on their bowling hands to help them grip the ball properly, as well as chalk to keep their hands dry. Many professional and serious bowlers have their own bowling balls custom-made.