If you are bowling at an alley without a scoring computer, you’ll probably be given a paper scoresheet. Before you start playing, record each players name in the appropriate area of the scoresheet. The pins that are knocked down on a player’s first attempt are counted and recorded. The mechanical pin setter then removes the standing pins, clears the knocked-down pins, and then returns the remaining pins.

The player then takes their second attempt, and any additional pins that are knocked down are counted and added to the first. The score from both attempts is first added together, and then to any previous scores, to calculate the running score for the frame. Most scoresheets have a small area in each frame to record the number of pins knocked down in each of the first and second attempts. The running total is then written in the larger area of the scoresheet.

For example:

If a player knocks down six pins on their first attempt, and then two pins on their second attempt, then they’ve scored an 8 on the first frame. In the second frame, if that player knocks down seven pins on their first attempt, and one pin on their second attempt, then their total score is now 16.

Players score bonus points when they knock down all ten pins in a frame, by either bowling a strike or a spare. The number of bonus points depends not only on whether a strike or spare was bowled, but also on the player’s performance with the next 1 or 2 balls.

You score a strike when you knock down all ten pins on the first ball of the frame. To record a strike, mark an X for that frame; their score will be the ten pins of the strike plus any pins knocked down on two balls of the next frame. (You delay recording the score for that frame until the next one is completed).

After a strike, the next frame should be scored as usual. If the player bowls a second strike, scoring will need to be delayed until the next frame. The pins knocked down with that ball are added to the 10 from each strike.

A player that knocks down all 10 pins with their second ball is scored as rolling a spare.

To record a spare, mark a/ in that frame. The score for the frame is the 10 pins knocked down plus the number of pins knocked down on the first ball of the following frame. Bowling scores accumulate each frame until 10 frames are completed. If, in the tenth frame, a bowler rolls a strike or a spare, they are allowed bonus balls to determine their score.

Once each player has finished the ten frames, the resulting highest score determines the winner.

Sure, you could try learning how to be the best bowler through these methods – but honestly, who has the money or patience for that?

If you’re going to become an amazing bowler, then you need the very best tips and techniques from an acclaimed professional who can show you how to use everything from the lanes to the ball to your advantage.

That’s right: when it comes to bowling, there’s so much more involved than pure natural talent or luck.

If you’re just starting out in the world of bowling, then you’ll need to find a ball that’s the right weight for you (a ball that’s too heavy can end up straining your hand), has proper holes drilled in by a professional (these holes should be based off of your own hand) and is a great fit. Think of your bowling ball as the foundation to a sturdy house – if you don’t have the right foundation to start out with, how can you expect to build your dream home?

However, bowling the perfect game comes down to so much more than just your ball; you need to take into consideration how you’re throwing it as well. Bowling a perfect game is all about angles and force – if you learn how to bowl at different angles to hit pins at a certain force, then you’re bound to have many successful games!

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Even so, if you want to be more serious about bowling, or further improve your score, you’ll need to learn more advanced techniques, adding more skill than luck to your game.

One of the first advanced moves most bowlers incorporate in their game is the hook ball.

By adding the hook ball to your arsenal, you gain much more control over where the ball travels, and which pins are knocked down.

The reason straight bowling can only get you so far is because you have to send the ball down the center of the lane, and hit pins straight on, while avoiding the gutters (and the dreaded gutter ball).

Few people can consistently bowl strikes with straight bowling — often it’s simple luck dictating where the ball strikes the pin, how much the ball is spinning, and how the pins fly around once hit.

More often than not, by sending the ball down the middle of the lane, you’ll end up with a nasty split that is difficult to convert into a spare. Even if you do manage to nail the spare, you still won’t be able to win a game against others that are able to hit strikes consistently.

That’s where the hook ball comes in.

By using the hook ball, you add spin into your shot, using the spin to send the ball exactly where you want it to go.

Creating the hook is controlled by the way you release the ball.

In general, you should release the bowling ball with your thumb close to the bottom, using your fingers to give the ball some spin. With the right amount of spin, the ball should travel in a fairly straight line, until it reaches the “break point”.

The break point is the spot in the lane when the ball begins to turn towards the target, leaving it’s straight path. When the ball hits the break point, it should arc outwards slightly, then curve back toward the pins you were targeting.

To get the perfect hook ball, you’ll need to analyze your bowling habits. You need to figure out your typical axis rotation and axis tilt — or the amount of vertical and horizontal spin you usually put on your shots.

You can get an idea of these by the position of your hand when you release the ball — get someone else to watch or take pictures or video of you while you throw several shots.

Once you’ve identified your axis rotation and tilt style, you can make appropriate corrections to your game. You can also get the best bowling ball for your style.

For a hook game, urethane balls are perfect. The texture of these bowling balls helps to add just the right amount of spin to your throw.

Once you’ve got the right ball, you need to practice. Learning how to hook the ball properly takes many throws, as you need to become comfortable with each aspect of the throw — rotation, spin, location, speed.

It does take an investment of time, but once you’ve mastered the hook ball, you’ll have a bowling technique available to you that will help you to score higher, making more strikes, and giving you a greater chance of hitting difficult spares.

Picking up a spare can be difficult or easy. It all depends on the location of the remaining pins. Some spares are fairly easy for novice bowlers, such as a single pin standing in the center of the lane. Other situations require more concentration, and a little knowledge of geometry

Splits–when there is two or more pins standing, with a gap in between–are considered the most difficult to spare, and the larger the gap, the tougher the shot.

Single Pin Spares

Potential spares that do not involve splits, are fairly straight-forward. With single pin spares, a straight aim at the remaining pin is often all it takes. Because even a glancing blow will knock the pin over, there’s a wide target area to aim for.

An exception to this simplicity is a single pin adjacent to the gutter, especially when on the same “hand” as the bowler. For right-handed bowlers, the 10-pin is the culprit, for left-handed bowlers, the 7-pin.

Because of the natural throwing motion, and the narrowed target area, it is easy to end up with a gutter ball when attempting this shot.

One technique is to move to the opposite side of the lane, and throw the ball across the lane, towards the pin.

When the single pin is against the gutter, but opposite the bowler’s hand, the shot is less difficult. If you can hook the ball, do so, as this increases the size of the target area.

Adjacent Pin Spares

When you are left with two adjacent pins, and one is closer t o you than the other, you have a fairly easy spare, as well.

Aiming for the forward pin, on the opposite side of the rearward pin, will usually result in the front pin hitting the back pin, giving you the spare.

While you can also attempt to use the ball to hit both pins, by aiming the ball at the forward pin on the same side as the rearward pin, often this results in the ball ricocheting and bypassing the second pin, and missing the shot.

Making the Split

Splits are considerably more complex shots than other spare situations.

Baby splits, splits with small gaps between pins, are easier, but they still require skill and precision to hit the shot.

To pick up a 3-10 or 2-7 split, the best technique is to hit the leading pin on the side closest to the back pin. This allows the ball to hit both the front and back pins, by taking advantage of any minor ricochet.

With the 4-5 and 5-6 splits, the pins are equidistant from the bowler, and this shot can only be made by sending the ball between both pins, hitting them both at the same time.

Larger splits, like the 7-10 split, require not only skill, but also luck. The only hope of hitting this spare is to hit one pin, and have that pin fly across the lane and knock down the other one.

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