Bowling For Dummies®
Table of Contents
Introduction
About This Book
Conventions Used in This Book
What You’re Not to Read
Foolish Assumptions
How This Book Is Organized
Part I: The Opening Frame
Part II: Body Basics: Throwing Yourself into the Game
Part III: Time to Get Rolling: Making Your Shot
Part IV: Staying on Your Game
Part V: Joining Others at the Center
Part VI: The Part of Tens
Icons Used in This Book
Where to Go from Here
Part I: The Opening Frame
Chapter 1: Welcome to the Wonderful World of Bowling
Figuring Out How the Game Works
Seeing what equipment you need
Bowling in a nutshell
Looking at scoring
Surveying the Main Benefits of Bowling
Providing a social outlet
Improving your health
Chapter 2: Getting Down to the Basics of the Game
Dem’s da Rules: Bowling 101
Keeping Score
Diving into the basics
Scoring strikes and spares
Walking through a frame-by-frame scoring example
Letting the computer score for you
Calculating your bowling average
Looking at the Lanes
Walking through the parts of a lane
Deciphering lane markings
Pondering Pin Particulars
Curves ahead: Examining a pin’s shape
Triangles, splits, and pockets: Figuring out pin configuration
Coping with Mechanical Difficulties
Chapter 3: Heading to the Center
Going to the Center for the First Time
Finding a center near you
Choosing when to go
Dressing for the center
Counting (and cutting) the costs
Checking out what’s where
Renting Bowling Shoes
Discovering the benefits of bowling shoes
Making sure the shoe fits
Sharing shoes the safe and sanitary way
Choosing a House Ball
Get a grip: Seeking out the right finger span and hole size
Not too heavy, not too light: Finding a ball that feels just right
Do the best with what you can get: Accepting that your ball isn’t perfect
Watch Yourself: Minding Bowling Manners and Safety
Being a courteous bowler
Keeping it safe
Chapter 4: Buying Your Own Ball, Shoes, and Accessories
What to Know Before You Buy a Ball
A bowling ball’s makeup
Coverstock options
Choosing a Custom-Drilled Bowling Ball
Knowing where to shop
Picking the perfect weight
Buying a ball that’s made to hook or go straight
Getting a grip
Drilling the ball for a perfect fit
Adding a bag to store your stuff
Maintaining and Storing Your Bowling Ball
Keeping your bowling ball cleaned and polished
Letting a machine do the work
Dealing with defects
Where (and where NOT) to store your ball
Deciding When to Upgrade or Add Another Ball
Selecting the Right Accessories for Your Feet
Buying your own bowling shoes
Outfitting your shoes
Get Wise and Accessorize: Hand Gear
Supporting your wrist with a bowling glove
Avoiding slip-ups with gripping aids
Part II: Body Basics: Throwing Yourself into the Game
Chapter 5: Finding Your Form and Style
Understanding the Finer Points of Form
Getting a feel for the different forms
Determining your natural form
Using more than one type of form
Holding and Releasing the Ball Properly for Each Form
Throwing a straight ball
Throwing a hook shot
Throwing a backup ball
Putting Your Own Spin on the Game: Bowling Styles
Chapter 6: Positioning Yourself for a Smooth Approach
Getting into Position
Choosing a starting spot
Setting your stance
Moving through the Four-Step Approach
Assessing Your Stance and Approach
Doing a little self-examination
Asking for a critique
Chapter 7: Throwing the Ball
Setting Your Fingers, Hand, and Wrist
Sticking your fingers into the ball
Positioning your hand and wrist
Putting Your Arm through the Motions
Swinging your arm forward, back, and forward again
Releasing the ball
Following through
Seeing How the Ball Rolls
Knowing your ideal ball speed
Putting a little spin on your hook shot
Chapter 8: Correcting Common Approach Problems
Reevaluating Your Equipment
Correcting the bowling ball blues
Solving shoe troubles
Sizing Up Your Stance
Standing in the right spot
Holding the ball properly
Aligning the rest of your body
Improving Your Approach
Fixing footwork fumbles
Bettering your backswing
Tweaking your timing
Recognizing Release Problems
For early releasers
For late releasers
Assessing Your Throw
Sending your ball spinning (or not)
Throwing the ball with consistent force and speed
Following through for strong throws
Checking for Problems, Point by Point
Part III: Time to Get Rolling: Making Your Shot
Chapter 9: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know about Hook Shots
Getting Acquainted with the Hook Shot and Your Form
Creating a Hook
Hook shot must-haves
The how-to
Improving Your Hook
Fixing a throw that’s hooking too much
Pumping up a throw that isn’t hooking enough
Understanding what the lanes are telling you
Chapter 10: Knocking ’Em All Down: The Secrets to Bowling Strikes
The Key to Strikes: Hitting the Pocket
How to Throw a Strike
If you’re a right-handed straight bowler
If you’re a left-handed straight bowler
If you’re a right-handed hook bowler
If you’re a left-handed hook bowler
Increasing Your Odds of Throwing a Strike
Adjusting how you throw
Increasing your pin action
Being consistent
I Was Robbed! What to Do When You Can’t Buy a Strike
Looking into the lane conditions
Double-checking your form
Chapter 11: Picking Up Spares
Seeing Why Spares Are Essential
Picking up spares makes you a better bowler
Picking up spares is essential for high scores
Identifying Spares and Adjusting Your Shot Accordingly
Single-pin spares
Multipin spares
Mastering Spares
Chapter 12: Conquering Classic Splits
Splits — Why Every Bowler Hates ’Em
Understanding how you wound up in Splitsville
Recognizing how splits affect your score
Avoiding the Splits
Identifying the Different Types of Splits
Easy splits
Not-so-easy splits
Almost-impossible splits
Converting Splits
Picking up the easy ones
Picking up the more difficult splits
Picking up the toughest splits of all
Part IV: Staying on Your Game
Chapter 13: Understanding the Ins and Outs of Oil on the Lanes
Flooring Basics
Oil, a Slippery Topic
Recognizing how oil affects your bowling
Factoring in the weather
Looking at Oil Patterns
Knowing where oil patterns come from
Zooming in on PBA patterns
Compensating for Oil
Adjusting your approach
Bowling around the pattern
Chapter 14: Staying in the Game, Physically and Mentally
Bowling as Exercise? You’d Better Believe It!
Staying Flexible for Better Bowling Form
Loosening up your neck
Crossing over to stretch your shoulders
Stretching to avoid the “Oh, my aching back” scenario
Keeping your hands and fingers limber
Being nice to your knees
Moo-ving on to the calf stretch
Common Injuries: How to Avoid Them (And How to Treat Them If You Can’t)
Bumps and bruises
Cuts, scrapes, and blisters
Wrist and knee sprains
Shoulder injuries
Repetitive stress injuries
Having a Good Mental Game
Visualizing success
Staying positive
Chapter 15: Improving Your Game on Your Own or with a Coach’s Help
Doing as Much as You Can on Your Own
Deciding Whether You Need a Coach
Wanted: A Personal Bowling Coach
Considering your goals and commitment level
Finding a coach
Knowing what to look for
Working with a Coach
Setting goals together
Looking at commonly used coaching techniques and drills
Chapter 16: Bowling When You Have Special Health Conditions
Staying Safe with Baby on Board
Heading to the Lanes in Your Senior Years
Adding some sparkle to your golden years
Accommodating special senior circumstances
Bowling with Special Needs
Adjusting for physical limitations
Taking advantage of special equipment
Finding bowling opportunities through special organizations
Post-Surgery Bowling, Your Doctor’s Decision
Bowling with a Bad Back
Understanding how bowling affects your back
Taking care of your spine
Part V: Joining Others at the Center
Chapter 17: Taking the Kids Bowling
Kids and Bowling, a Winning Combination
Choosing the Right Ball
Finding a ball with the right weight and fit
Hunting down a house ball
Purchasing a child’s bowling ball
Teaching Kids the Basics of Bowling
Explaining the game in kid-friendly terms
Letting your child play the game
Avoiding common pint-sized bowling problems
Signing Your Child Up for a League or Tournament
Surveying your child’s league options
Trying out a youth tournament
Bowling in School
Playing for the high school team
Hitting the college circuit
Letting the Good Times Roll with a Bowling Party
Keeping things under control
Making sure everyone has fun
Chapter 18: Playing in Leagues and Tournaments
Introducing League Bowling
Discovering how a league works
Getting acquainted with the various kinds of leagues
Deciding whether to go sanctioned or not
Joining a League
Finding a league
Making your choice
Signing yourself up
Using a substitute when you can’t bowl
Following League Rules for Bowling
Doing the Math for League Scoring
Calculating your average
Calculating your team’s average
Calculating handicaps
Competing in Tournament Play
Checking out the types of tournaments you can enter
Signing up for your chance to play and win
Part VI: The Part of Tens
Chapter 19: Ten Ways to Add 10 Points (Or More) to Your Score
Give Your Ball a Tune-Up
Practice, Practice, Practice
Improve Your Approach
Analyze Your Hook
Move Around
Understand the Oil
Consistently Hit Your Target
Adjust for Spares
Take Care of Your Body and Your Mind
Stay Calm, Relax, and Have Fun
Chapter 20: Ten Tricks to Throwing a Great Hook
Have the Right Kind of Ball
Make Sure Your Ball Fits Right
Get a (Fingertip) Grip
Clean Up Your Stance and Approach
Work on Your Timing
Spin That Ball
Hit the Target
Know How to Read the Lane
Avoid Overthinking
Commit to Practicing
Chapter 21: Ten Ways to Make Bowling More Fun
Coordinating Team Building through Bowling
Starting a League
Organizing a Fundraiser
Participating in Charity Bowling Events
Hosting Parties and Celebrations
Getting Hitched at a Bowling Center
Engaging in Virtual Bowling
Changing Up the Routine
Watching a Tournament
Visiting the International Bowling Museum
Chapter 21: Glossary
Bowling For Dummies®
Bowling For Dummies®
Published byWiley Publishing, Inc.111 River St.Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
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Copyright © 2010 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Indianapolis, Indiana
Published simultaneously in Canada
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About the Authors
Over his 15-year amateur bowling career, A.J. Forrest has racked up a host of accomplishments, including a total of twelve 300 games, eight 800 series, multiple 299 and 298 games, and 20 games where he bowled 11 strikes in a row. In 1996, he was a member of the Region 15 College Team, and in 1997, he was on the National Junior College Athletic Association All-American Bowling Team. He qualified for and participated in the Empire State Games, New York’s Olympic-style amateur athletic program, and has been a coach for the Empire State Games bowling team since 2006. In 2006, A.J. was the Dutchess County/Putnam County All-Events Bowling Champion, the Dutchess/Putnam Singles Bowling Champion, and the Dutchess/Putnam Doubles Champion. In 2008, the Hudson Valley chapter of the United States Bowling Congress presented A.J. with its Award of Distinction, and in 2010, he was a recipient of the Shaker Award, given by the Greater Southern Dutchess Chamber of Commerce.
A.J. has coached college bowling for four years, leading the Dutchess Community College bowling team to its first regional championship in 2007. He was named the Region 15 Coach of the Year and is a level one and level two certified bronze medal coach. Previously, A.J. owned his own pro bowling shop in Dover Plains, New York. Currently, he is general manager of all five HoeBowl Family Fun Centers in upstate New York (hoebowlfamilyfun.blogspot.com). You can reach A.J. at hoebowlfamilyfun@yahoo.com.
Lisa Iannucci is an award-winning veteran of magazine and book publishing who has been in the business for more than 20 years. She has written articles for USA WEEKEND, SHAPE, Parenting, Frequent Flyer, the Travel section of the Los Angeles Times, The COOPERATOR, BobVila.com, and many more publications and Web sites. She writes on many topics, including health, travel, celebrities, and real estate. Lisa is also the founder of a celebrity-do-gooders blog (celebrity-do-gooders.blogspot.com) and the author of young adult biographies of Ellen DeGeneres and Will Smith. She has been bowling since she was a kid and now has two children in the USBC Youth League program, where they have won multiple awards in league and tournament play as well as a scholarship. You can reach Lisa at lisawriter@msn.com.
Dedication
From A.J.: I dedicate this book to my boys — 2-year-old Tyler and 6-year-old Baylee. They’re young and yet already bowlers. Helping them has been so much fun and has shown me how much fun it would be to help others, so they’re my inspiration for writing this book. I’d also like to dedicate this book to my mom, Barbara Forrest. She has always been a positive influence and inspiration.
From Lisa: When I wrote my first book, my kids — Nicole, Travis, and Samantha Brinkley — were 6, 4, and 2. Today, 11 years and many books later, they’re slowly making their way out into the world, yet they still inspire me every day. Thanks to my mom, Patricia Quaglieri, who not only modeled for this book but is also my hero. The family that bowls together stays together, and we’re a bowling family.
Authors’ Acknowledgments
This book wouldn’t be what it is without these people who helped us along the way: our acquisitions editor, Mike Lewis; our fantabulous, amazing project editor, Vicki Adang; our Dummifier, Sharon Perkins; our amazing copy editor, Jen Tebbe; and our technical editor, Joan Taylor.
Special thanks to our agent, Marilyn Allen, who was behind this project since the beginning, and our models, Chrissy Gallagher, Travis Brinkley, Heidi Hoffman Kane, Patricia Stein, Patricia Quaglieri, Venus Worthy, and Walter Sankar II. Thanks to Diane Hoe, owner of HoeBowl Centers in New York’s Hudson Valley, for the use of her center for our photo shoot and to photographer Mark Engelman. Thanks also to the entire staff at Holiday Bowl in Wappingers Falls, especially Eric Brought and Marshall Smith; to Gene Pedicone, owner of GT’s Behind The Line bowling pro shop; to the USBC’s and the PBA’s press departments; and to physicians Dr. Jeannette Anderson and Dr. Dolly Garnecki.
Lisa thanks A.J. for all of his hard work and sacrifice during the writing of this book. A.J. would also like to thank Lisa for asking him to write a fun book on a fun topic.
Publisher’s Acknowledgments
We’re proud of this book; please send us your comments at dummies.custhelp.com. For other comments, please contact our Customer Care Department within the U.S. at 877-762-2974, outside the U.S. at 317-572-3993, or fax 317-572-4002.
Some of the people who helped bring this book to market include the following:
Acquisitions, Editorial, and Media Development
Project Editor: Victoria M. Adang
Acquisitions Editor: Michael Lewis
Copy Editor: Jennifer Tebbe
Assistant Editor: Erin Calligan Mooney
Senior Editorial Assistant: David Lutton
Technical Editor: Joan Taylor
Editorial Manager: Michelle Hacker
Editorial Assistants: Rachelle S. Amick, Jennette ElNaggar
Art Coordinator: Alicia B. South
Cover Photo: © iStock / James Steidl
Cartoons: Rich Tennant (www.the5thwave.com)
Composition Services
Project Coordinator: Patrick Redmond
Layout and Graphics: Brooke C. Graczyk, Brent Savage, Erin Zeltner
Proofreaders: Betty Kish, Jessica Kramer
Indexer: Rebecca Salerno
Special Help: Sharon Perkins; photographs by Mark Engelman
Publishing and Editorial for Consumer Dummies
Diane Graves Steele, Vice President and Publisher, Consumer Dummies
Kristin Ferguson-Wagstaffe, Product Development Director, Consumer Dummies
Ensley Eikenburg, Associate Publisher, Travel
Kelly Regan, Editorial Director, Travel
Publishing for Technology Dummies
Andy Cummings, Vice President and Publisher, Dummies Technology/General User
Composition Services
Debbie Stailey, Director of Composition Services
Introduction
Anyone can bowl — whether you’re 2 or 102, a league bowler or someone who has never picked up a bowling ball before — and we want you to have just as much fun with bowling as we do. And at a time when many folks are looking for an affordable activity that’s closer to home, bowling is an outing an entire family can enjoy for less than the cost of heading to the movies and springing for overpriced popcorn, soda, and candy.
If you’ve never bowled before, you’ll wonder why you waited so long to have so much fun, and we guarantee you’ll come back again. If you’ve been away from bowling for a while and need a refresher course, welcome back, we’ve missed you. And if you’ve been bowling for a few years and want to raise your game to the next level, then get ready to bowl better and achieve higher scores with the information we present in this book.
About This Book
Bowling isn’t a complicated sport. All you need to know to start knocking down some pins are the basic rules of the game, a few tidbits about scoring, and some simple tips on how to throw the ball. Getting started bowling really is that easy, and this book is just as easy to understand. Bowling For Dummies takes you through every aspect of the game with simple terminology, as well as illustrations and photographs to help you understand more complex points.
Bowling For Dummies starts with an overview of bowling and then moves into the specifics, including how to move your body, how to throw a hook shot, and how to throw strikes and pick up spares. We go on to share how you can get kids excited about bowling and what you can do to keep yourself in tiptop condition (and what to do when an injury slows you down or age catches up with you).
The great thing about Bowling For Dummies is that it includes something for every skill level. If you’re new to bowling, you find out about the proper shoes and equipment to start with. If you’re more advanced, we give you tips for picking up difficult shots and fill you in on what you can do to improve your score. Regardless of your bowling expertise (or lack thereof), we’re certain you’ll discover something helpful in the following pages.
Conventions Used in This Book
We use the following conventions throughout the book to make things consistent:
All Web addresses appear in monofont. (Note that we haven’t inserted any extra punctuation if an address breaks across a page. Just type it in exactly as you see it.)
New terms appear in italics and are closely followed by an easy-to-understand definition.
Boldface is used to highlight the action parts of numbered steps and keywords in bulleted lists.
You’ll also find that we refer consistently to bowling centers rather than bowling alleys. Years ago, bowling alleys were called alleys because they were just for bowling and bore a resemblance to a back alley. Bowlers smoked, ate, drank, and bowled; they didn’t have any other activities available to them. Today’s bowling facilities are now smoke free, and many have even been expanded to include additional fun activities such as rock climbing, paintball, and arcades, as well as fancy restaurants. Some state-of-the-art centers even resemble night clubs with catering services and big-screen televisions. So now that bowling alleys offer more than just bowling, people refer to them as bowling centers.
Additionally, in some of the photos throughout this book, it may look like the bowlers are standing at the foul line as they’re preparing to make their shot. Rest assured, they’re not; they’re standing in the right place to begin their approach. The photos were taken at a bowling center that has two different shades of flooring, which makes it look like the pictured bowler is already at the foul line.
As a final note on the convention front, we recognize that every bowler is different, so we kept that in mind when writing this book. Even though it may seem that what we tell a right-handed bowler to do is pretty much just the reverse of what we tell a lefty, we often provide the instructions for both right-handed and left-handed folks.
What You’re Not to Read
Whenever you come across sidebars (the information in gray-shaded boxes), trust that the material in them is interesting but not essential to your understanding of bowling basics. Feel free to skip over sidebars for now (or forever!).
Foolish Assumptions
We know the old saying that you shouldn’t assume anything about anyone because you make an . . . well, we’ll assume you know that saying. However, we did have to make some assumptions about you while we were writing. Here’s what we came up with:
You’ve either never been inside a bowling center and bowled a game or you’ve bowled years ago and are just now thinking about returning to the sport.
You want to take your bowling skills to the next level, improve your average score, and pick up perplexing spares.
You’ve seen advanced bowlers throw amazing hook shots, and you want to know how to throw one just like ’em.
You understand that practice is the only way to get better in any sport, so you’re ready to practice on your own, with friends, or both.
How This Book Is Organized
Bowling For Dummies is divided into six parts that group together important information so you can easily find what you’re looking for. Following is a short rundown of what the different parts cover.
Part I: The Opening Frame
Here’s where you discover what bowling is all about, from why it’s so popular and how it’s played to how it’s scored and what equipment you need to get started. Not only do we walk you through an actual bowling center so you know what to expect when you arrive but we also give you some insight into the many health and social benefits bowling offers and fill you in on how to buy your own bowling ball, bag, shoes, and other equipment. By the time you’re done with this part, you’ll be ready to bowl.
Part II: Body Basics: Throwing Yourself into the Game
The secret to bowling well lies in your form, which is why this part gives you step-by-step instructions on holding the ball, starting your approach to the lane, and throwing the ball. We show you where to aim and explain how to get your ball to go to the sweet spot that makes a strike a sure thing. Whether you’re a lefty, a righty, a hook bowler, or a straight bowler, we cover it all right here. We also help you troubleshoot any problems you may be having, such as too much of a hook, too little of a hook, and not hitting your target.
Part III: Time to Get Rolling: Making Your Shot
Bowlers love high scores, and strikes are what make those high scores possible. This part shows you how to knock ’em all down and helps you understand how the angle of your throw affects the number of pins you knock down. And because most people can’t bowl a strike every single frame, we also show you how to pick up spares (which is when you knock down all the pins with your second throw) and splits (which are what you have when the pins left standing after your first throw have a varying amount of distance between them). This part is a great guide to refer to over and over again during your game so you can ace every throw, especially if you want to score strikes, pick up spares, and convert splits.
Part IV: Staying on Your Game
Lots of factors can affect your game, from the oil on the lanes to your own mental state. In this part, we show you how each lane is different, explain how the oil that’s used to condition the lanes affects how your ball travels toward the pins, and give you tips on adapting to potential game-changing factors. This is also the part where we get into your head and show you how to keep a positive attitude and stay injury free, both of which will improve your game. And if you think you need some extra help to better your game, this part even tells you all you need to know about finding and working with a bowling coach. We also review cautions for those bowlers who are pregnant or have other special considerations that may cause them to adjust how they normally bowl.
Part V: Joining Others at the Center
Bowling is a social sport, and this part helps you find others to play with. First, we reveal everything you need to know to take the kids bowling, including the type of equipment they need and how to sign them up for a youth league. Of course, adults deserve a little playtime too, so this part also addresses adult bowling leagues, including league rules and costs as well as how the scoring differs from traditional scoring. It also covers bowling tournaments and how to sign up for one.
Part VI: The Part of Tens
This part is short and sweet but filled with a great deal of helpful information. It contains three chapters that are chock-full of ways to improve your score, throw a better hook, and make bowling even more fun. Refer to these chapters often for quick tips on improving your game or making bowling a bigger and better part of your life.
We also include a glossary containing some familiar and some not-so-familiar bowling terms. You can turn to these pages when you need a refresher about a word’s meaning.
Icons Used in This Book
Even though all the information in this book is useful, we mark especially important text with an icon. Here’s a key to what each icon represents.
Where to Go from Here
Excited about throwing a hook? Then jump to Chapter 9. Interested in signing up for a league but want the inside scoop before the first week? Jump ahead to Chapter 18. Where you decide to start reading is up to you. However, if you’re not sure where to start, especially if you’ve never bowled before, we recommend that you start right at the beginning. That way you can progress with your bowling as you go through each chapter.
Part I
The Opening Frame
In this part . . .
This part is your opportunity to take a closer look at the sport of bowling, including how and where it’s played. We get you familiar with the rules and scoring and reveal that those little marks on the lane aren’t just there for decoration — they’re actually there to help you become a better bowler. We also run through the equipment you need to get started, from your very own bowling ball (should you want one) to bowling shoes (they’re not all ugly, we promise).
Chapter 1
Welcome to the Wonderful World of Bowling
In This Chapter
Reviewing the finer points of bowling
Enjoying the social benefits of the sport
Looking at bowling as a form of cardiovascular and strength-training exercise
Every year, millions of people go bowling and have a great time with their family and friends. Bowling is a sport that just about anyone can play, you can enjoy it year-round, it’s easy to learn (not to mention affordable), and you can get started right away without having to buy any special equipment. All you have to do is walk into your local center, rent some shoes, borrow a ball, and you’re ready to go.
Consider this chapter your introduction to the sport of bowling. In it we give you an overview of the various aspects of the game and highlight its mental and physical benefits.
Figuring Out How the Game Works
Several types of bowling exist, including duckpin, five pin, and candlepin. In this book, however, we focus on ten-pin bowling because that’s the most popular version of the sport in the United States.
Ten-pin bowling involves knocking down bowling pins with a bowling ball. The pins are set up in a triangle at the end of a lane that’s 60 feet long. Your task is to stand behind what’s called the foul line (if you cross it, you don’t get any points), throw the ball down the lane, and try to knock down all the pins. You earn points for each pin you knock down, plus bonus points if you throw well enough to knock down all the pins with one shot. At the end of the game, the person with the highest score wins.
In the following sections, we cover the basics of bowling so you can be ready to head to the lanes tonight.
Seeing what equipment you need
One of the best things about bowling is that you don’t have to invest hundreds of dollars in equipment in order to start playing. In fact, you don’t have to buy any equipment at all. The center has bowling shoes that you can rent and bowling balls that you can borrow (flip to Chapter 3 to read all about bowling shoes and house balls). All you have to do is pay for your shoe rental, the number of games that you bowl, and any snacks or drinks that you consume.
Of course, just because you don’t have to buy equipment to bowl doesn’t mean you can’t decide to buy your own bowling ball if you really like the sport. When you’re ready to invest in your own equipment, head to Chapter 4; it contains everything you need to know about buying a bowling ball, shoes, and other accessories.
Bowling in a nutshell
Bowling is probably one of the easiest sports to learn how to play because you don’t need to memorize a bunch of complicated rules (although if you want to know the basic rules of the game, you can refer to Chapter 2). You just need to become familiar with the main concepts of the sport. Here they are:
A game of bowling consists of ten frames. In each frame, you get two chances to knock down all ten pins.
You throw a specially weighted ball, which ranges in weight from 4 to 16 pounds, down the lane to try and knock down the pins.
As you bowl, you move your arms, legs, hands, and wrist in certain ways to make the ball go where you want it to. (When you’re ready to tackle the specifics of form and throw, take a look at the chapters in Part II.)
If you knock down all the pins with your first throw, your turn ends and the other bowlers, if there are any, take their turn until that frame is over.
If you don’t knock down all the pins with your first throw, you get a second try. After you throw the ball a maximum of twice in one frame, your turn is complete.
The tenth frame works like a bonus frame. If you knock down all ten pins on your first try, you get two bonus throws. If you knock down all ten pins with two throws, you get one bonus throw.
Looking at scoring
Scoring a game of bowling is pretty easy because each pin you knock down is worth 1 point. However, it becomes slightly more complex when you start throwing strikes (when you knock down all ten pins on your first throw) and spares (when you knock down all ten pins with two throws). Strikes are automatically worth 10 points, plus whatever you get on your next two throws. Spares count for 10 points plus the number of points you get on your next throw. (We show you how to throw strikes in Chapter 10 and spares in Chapter 11.)
Nowadays, most bowling centers have automated scoring machines, so you don’t need to fuss with all the adding when you just want to bowl. Yet even with automatic scoring, it’s good to know how to keep score in case the computer messes up. We delve into the details of scoring in Chapter 2.
Surveying the Main Benefits of Bowling
Bowling provides two main kinds of benefits: the mental ones and the physical ones. On the mental front, bowling is a great way to socialize with other bowlers and have fun with family and friends. On the physical side of things, bowling is an activity that gets you up off the couch and moving your body, which can lead to improved health in the long run. We delve deeper into the details of these benefits in the sections that follow.
Providing a social outlet
Sure, you can bowl alone, but bowling is even more fun when you do it with others. It can even be a way to meet new people if you’ve moved to a new area. Whether you’re just bowling casually with friends or you have a competitive game going, bowling is a social sport. When you play it, you have the opportunity to share laughs, conversation, and good times with family, friends, co-workers . . . the list goes on and on.
Bowling centers offer many opportunities for you to expand your social circle, either as an individual or with a group of friends or family. Here are just a few of them:
Leagues: Leagues are a great way to socialize and compete with other bowlers. You can find all kinds of leagues, including ones for beginners, advanced bowlers, and children, that fit into just about any schedule. You can even choose a league based on how long it lasts. For instance, if you’re looking for a long-term commitment, sign up for a league that runs from September through April. Want a shorter-term commitment? Join a summer or short-season league that lasts anywhere from 12 to 16 weeks. Turn to Chapter 18 for more information about leagues and ask your local center for a list of its leagues to find one that’s right for you.
Tournaments: Tournaments offer another opportunity to engage in friendly bowling competition with others. Some tournaments raise funds for charities; others are just about competing for fun and prizes, including cash. Whatever the purpose, you can find a tournament that sounds fun to you by checking with your center. (For insight into how to sign up for a tournament, see Chapter 18.)
Charity bowling events: You can meet other bowling do-gooders through charity bowling events, such as bowl-a-thons. Sign up to help out the charity and meet others while having fun for a good cause.
Other social groups: Bowling centers host bowl-and-mingle events for singles and other groups all the time. Coauthor A.J.’s centers have worked with local online dating sites to host their speed-dating events. Ask the folks at your center what events are coming up.
Improving your health
Contrary to what some people may believe, bowling is a good form of exercise because it moves your entire body. It’s a great low-impact sport that combines fun with an activity that keeps your joints and muscles in action, making it great for people who’ve had minor joint surgery and other operations where mild activity is recommended during healing. (Low-impact sports cause minimal wear and tear to your weight-bearing joints, which include your feet, knees, and hips.)
When you bowl, your muscles and joints flex, turn, and swing. This movement helps keep your muscles and joints moving and flexible. As a result, it also helps your body burn calories. If you’re the type of person who likes the couch more than the treadmill yet you’re looking to get out and be a little more active, then bowling is a perfect activity for you.
Bowling also improves your hand-eye coordination, flexibility, and balance. When you bowl, you need to be able to hold the ball, focus on your target, swing the ball back, walk to the foul line, bend down, and release the ball. (We show you how to do all of this in one quick, graceful motion in Chapters 6 and 7.) These actions require you to maintain your coordination, stay limber, and keep from falling down. The more you practice bowling with the proper form, the more your coordination, flexibility, and balance will improve.
The next sections explain how bowling can be both a cardiovascular and strength-training activity.
Bowling as cardiovascular activity
From a heart-healthy standpoint, bowling isn’t going to give you the same cardiac workout as, say, skiing or aerobics would because you typically don’t build up a consistent cardiac-intense workout while bowling. The sport does, however, keep you moving, and any kind of movement and activity helps your heart.
Bowling as strength training
Whether you’re carrying a 6-pound ball or a 16-pound one, your arms and joints are still working to carry that extra weight every frame (and sometimes twice a frame) for several games. If you bowl fairly regularly, your upper body strength will increase, and your shoulders, arms, and legs will improve in muscle tone, strength, and power.
If you’re concerned about injuring yourself while bowling, turn to Chapter 14, where we show you some warm-up exercises and tell you what to do if you pull a muscle or suffer another injury while at the center. Have a bad back? You can still bowl. Just follow the advice we include in Chapter 16.