SolveYourProblem Article
Series: Bowling
Teach Me How To Bowl
Learn
The Different Types of Bowling
Although most people are familiar with only a few types of
bowling, there are actually many different games that involve
knocking down pins with a ball. Ten-pin bowling is
the most popular form of the game played in the United States, and involves
knocking down 10 pins that are 15 inches high and approximately
4.7 inches in diameter at their widest point. These pins are
set up in a triangular formation at the end of a long, flat
surface called a lane, with the head pin set up at a distance
of 60 feet from the foul line, which is a line that cannot
be crossed by the bowler when throwing the ball. Each bowler
has ten frames with two chances in each frame to knock down
as many pins as he can. One point is given for each pin that
is knocked down, with bonus points earned if all ten pins are
knocked down in a frame. Another version, called “no-tap” bowling,
is identical to ten-pin bowling except for one rule that stipulates
a first shot which knocks down nine pins is also called a strike.
Duckpin
bowling is a style that is popular along the east
coast of the U.S., with every rule being the same as ten-pin
except for the size of the pins and ball. Duckpins are shorter
and thinner, at 9 13/32-inches tall by 4 1/8 inches wide, and
the balls weigh at most 3 pounds, 12 ounces, as opposed to
6 to 16 pounds for a ten-pin ball.
A Canadian version was invented in 1909 called five-pin
bowling,
as it was desired to quicken the pace of the game to fit it
into a typical lunch break. The pins are set up in a V formation
that points back at the bowler, and each has a value from two
to five, depending on the position. Each player has three chances
to knock the pins down in each frame, with bonus points awarded
if all pins are knocked down in the first one or two throws,
just as in ten-pin bowling. Another distinction is the addition
of a rubber band around the throat of each pin to increase
the amount of action, thus helping knock down more pins in
a given throw. Smaller balls are used which can be thrown at
a quicker pace, speeding up the game even more.
Another type played mostly in New England and parts of northeast
Canada is Candlepin bowling. Probably the largest difference
between this style and ten-pin bowling is the size of the pins
and ball. Candlepins are much thinner and a bit taller than
ten pins, and the ball is smaller and lacks finger holes. In
fact a Candlepin ball weighs slightly less than a single pin,
making the game more difficult than other forms of bowling.
Like five-pin bowling, this game involves three tries per frame,
but after each throw the fallen pins are not cleared away from
the lane, increasing the game’s difficulty. Because of these
differences, strikes are rare in Candlepin bowling. Another
rule change is the addition of a “lob line”, which is a heavy
black line ten feet down the lane from the foul line. The ball
must be in contact with the lane prior to reaching this line,
or the pins struck by that throw will not count toward the
bowler’s score.
There are many forms of bowling with various combinations
of rules and equipment, as diverse bowling styles have evolved
over the years in different regions of the world. One may have
a favorite version, but it is always nice to try different
adaptations to add some excitement to the game.
# # # # #
SolveYourProblem.com
: 2008
> Home > Bowling:
Main Page
|
