Bowling centres
- Frame: the set of ten pins which you have two goes to knock down with your ball. Usually, you play ten frames but in some bowling centres you play by the hour.
- Gutters: you'll find these on either side of the bowling lane at every bowling centre and you'll want to avoid them: if your ball rolls in to one you score nothing. For beginners and children, most bowling centres can fill the gutters with rubber pads, making the game easier and more fun.
- Lane: the tenpin bowling "pitch". Bowling centres often have twenty or more of these. If you're planning a party, you'll want to book a lane for every six people you're inviting to the bowling centre.
- Pin: this what you're aiming to knock down with your ball. You'll find ten of these skittles in every lane.
- Pocket: this is the magic spot to aim for. The pocket is just to the side of the front pin, and if you hit it just right they'll all go flying. Everyone in the bowling centre should be aiming for the pocket.
- Strike: getting a strike means knocking over all ten pins with your first ball, and it's the aim of everyone in the bowling centre. Roll a strike and the electronic scoreboard in most bowling centres will flash and play a little animation to congratulate you.
- Spare: if you knock all of the remaining pins down with your second ball, that's known as a spare. It's not quite as good as a strike, but it will still earn you ten points plus a bonus of whatever you score with your next ball. Confused? Don't worry: the scoreboards at most bowling centres will tot it all up for you automatically.
- Split: if the pins left standing after your first ball are separated by a gap, it's known as a split. You'll need a lot of skill—or all the luck in the bowling centre—to get all the remaining pins down with your second ball.
- Thanksgiving Turkey: this is the ultimate game! If you roll a strike with every ball, that's a Thanksgiving Turkey. You'll score a perfect 300 points, and earn the admiration of everyone in the bowling centre.
- Weights: all bowling centres offer a choice of balls of different weights, so be sure to try out a few different ones. Getting the right ball for your size and strength could make all the difference between rolling splits and tucking into a Thanksgiving Turkey!
All guides on Yell.com are provided for general guidance only, do not constitute legal or professional advice and are not intended to be exhaustive.
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