Glossary A- Z

[Pinboy]

Action
(1) The spin/rotation put on a bowlingball as it is released or (2) bowling for money.
Actual span
Distance from the edge of the thumb hole nearest to center, to edge of the finger holes nearest to center, including all inserts and/or grips.

Adjust
Changes a bowler will make in his approach and lane movements, throughout the course of a game, in order to get progressively closer to his target. A normal move as the lanes breakdown would be to move one's feet 2 boards and lane target 1 board deeper inside or vice versa.

Adult bumper bowling
A term used to describe a bowling lane that is very easy to bowl on due the oil pattern.

All events
Total combined pins bowled in singles, doubles, and team event of a tournament.

All the way
Completing the game with only strikes from a given point in the game. Also known as 'off the sheet', 'punched out' or 'XXX'ed out'.

Alley
(1) Term for lane bed or playing surface. Wood lanes are made of maple and pine boards. Synthetic lanes, first introduced in 1977, are made from a high-pressure lament. (2) An entire bowlingcenter.

Anchor
Last bowler in the lineup of a team, who is normally one of the better bowlers on the team.
Angle of entry

Angle, measured parallel to the boards, at which the bowling ball hits the pocket after completing it’s path down the lane.

Ankle shot
Hitting your ankle during the delivery of the bowlingball.

[Pinboy]

Apple
Term for a bowlingball. Also known as 'rock'.

Approach
Section of the lane situated behind foulline which allows one to pick up momentum before delivery. Also known as 'runway'.

Arc
Ball path from the foulline to the headpin that does not have a sharp, defined break point.

Armadillo
Clear plastic device for determining a bowler's positive axis point. Device has a series of lines on it, which are matched up to a bowler's initial track. When the device is aligned with the ball track, the device points to the bowler's axis point.

Arrows
Marks implanted in the lane which begin approximately fifteen feet past the foul line that serve as reference points when directing the ball.

Axis of rotation
Imaginary line, perpendicular to the track, along which a bowling ball rotates around during it’s path down the lane. A zero degree axis of rotation is all forward roll. The rotation on the ball is in the direction of the forward travel. The rotation will help keep the ball in the initial direction. The ball will not hook very much. It will roll out early. Therefore, a bowler with this style will need balls drilled to go long. A 90-degree axis of rotation is all side roll. The rotation is perpendicular to the initial direction. The rotation is trying to make the ball hook at a 90-degree angle to the initial direction. This gives the ball more potential to hook. This style causes the ball to skid further down the lane and then hook more. A bowler with this style will most likely need balls drilled to hook earlier, such as axis weight or pins closer to their axis.

Axis point
One of two points located on opposite poles marking the endpoints of the axis of rotation.

Axis rotation
The degree that the bowler’s axis of rotated in the horizontal plane towards the bowler at release.

Axis tilt
Angle between axis of rotation and the horizontal plane caused by the bowler at the release, represents an angle of the axis of rotation above a horizontal line through the middle of the ball. A full roller or high track style would have little or no axis tilt. The axis of rotation would be parallel or close to parallel with the lane surface. One rotation of the ball would cover the major diameter of the ball. A spinner would have an axis of rotation tilted up from the lane. The ball track would be far away from the thumb and finger holes. One rotation of the ball would cover a much smaller diameter then other bowlers. The spinner style will get the ball further down the lane before it hooks.


Axis weight
Axis weight is a drilling pattern designed to produce little or no track flare and get the ball into an early roll with little backend reaction. Axis weight has the pin located on or near the bowler's PAP. The weight block is positioned so that it’s mass is evenly distributed around the axis of rotation. This places the weight block in a stable position. The ball will be initially rotating about the minimum RG axis, which is a stable weight block position. Therefore, it will continue to rotate about this axis creating no track flare. This reduces the backend reaction. Since the ball is rotating about the low RG axis it is easier for the bowler to rotate it off their hand which gets the ball into an earlier roll.

[Pinboy]

Baby split
This are the 2-7, 3-10, 4-5, 5-6, 7-8, 8-9, and 9-10 splits.

Back of hole
Portion of hole facing away from the center of the grip.

Backend
Twenty feet of lane directly preceding the headpin. This is the area of the lane that is not oiled. The oil can move to the backend of the lane due to bowling activity, which is referred to as "no backends". A lane that has "Strong backends" causes balls to hook a considerable amount on its last 20 feet.

Backup ball
Style of bowling in which a bowler's release hooks towards the hand which released it. The movement of the ball is from left to right for right-handers and from right to left for left-handers.

Baker system
Assigns different bowlers to certain frames, predominately utilized by five-person teams in competition. Player one plays frame one and six, player two frame two and seven and so on.

Balance hole
An extra hole placed in the ball to bring a ball back into ABC static balance specifications. The maximum allowable diameter is 1-1/4" for ABC and 1-3/8" for PBA.

Balk
An approach without delivery of the ball, so a one or no step approach.

Ball reaction
Change in direction of the ball’s path as it travels from foul line to pins.

Ball track
Area of the bowling ball that makes contact with the lane surface during its path down the lane. Because of revolving motion, this area is usually in the form of a ring or rings around the ball.

Ball weights
A ball may not weigh more than sixteen pounds. Also, in order to get certain effects, weight may be added to certain areas of a bowling ball. However, there are rules as to how much weight is acceptable. In balls which are ten or more pounds, there may only be a three ounce difference between the top and the bottom of the ball and a one ounce difference between the two sides of the balls.

[Pinboy]

Bed
See alley.

Bedposts
See big four.

Beer frame
Determines who is responsible for refreshments during or after team competition. Usually it is either a frame in which all bowlers but one bowl a strike, or the frame which has been designated (usually the fifth) to see who gets the fewest pins.

Bevel
Rounded edge of any hole drilled in a bowling ball.

Big four
The split of the 4, 6, 7, 10 pins, also known as bedposts or double pinochle.

Blind score
Approved score for a bowler who is not in attendance, this is usually a score lower than the bowler's average.

Blocked
A lane which has been intentionally given favorable conditions in order to increase scoring by making it easier to hit the pocket, also known as pie, slots or tracked.

Blow
See miss.

Board
Any one of 39 individual strips of either wood or synthetic material pieced together to comprise the surface of the lane, which is a reference point for bowlers to aim at.

Bocce style
Finishing one's approach on the same side as the release, a style used in the Italian game 'bocce'.

[Pinboy]

Bonus
Used in match play competition where the winner of the match is awarded bonus pins or extra pins given to women when competing in a mixed competion or bowlers with a certain (lower) average in tournaments to even things out.

Bottom weight
Imbalance in which the half of the ball opposite the center of the grip weighs more than the half containing the center of the grip.

Box
See frame.

Break point
Point in the trajectory of a bowling ball at which the ball makes it’s greatest change in direction. Low RG balls have a sooner break point and high RG balls have a later break point.

Bridge
Distance between the finger holes.

Brooklyn
The is the opposite side of the headpin the bowler traditionally needs to hit (the pocket), which is left for a right-handed bowler and right for a left-handed bowler. Also known as crossover.

Broom ball
A pocket hit which causes the pins to be swept like a broom.

Bucket
The first ball has left the 2, 4, 5, 8 or 3, 5, 6, 9 spare.

[Pinboy]

Caliper
A graduated rule with one sliding jaw and one that is stationary. Used to determine thumb oval sizes.

Callus
Thickened, hardened area of skin caused by build-up due to friction against the skin.

Canto
See frame.

Carry down
Oil moved down the lane by the bowling ball.

Center line
Vertical line between the fingers and through the middle of the thumb.

Center line transposition (CLT)
Lateral shift of the center line, after drilling thumb first.

Center of gravity (CG)
That point in a body or system around which the whole mass is concentrated and may be assumed to act. It is the location of the heaviest point on a ball. It is the point on the surface of the bowling ball where static balance is zero in all directions on a do-do scale - usually marked by a logo.

Channel
See gutter.

Cherry
See chop.

Choke
When a bowler doesn't perform his expected potential (e.g. bowling a strike) in a high stress situation.

[Pinboy]

Chop
Taking care of the front pin of a spare leave while a pin behind or alongside still remains standing. Also known as cherry or pick.

Christmas tree condition
This refers to a type of oiling pattern applied to the lanes. The oiling pattern looks like a Christmas tree lying on the lane. There is oil applied from gutter to gutter at the foul line and then it tapers to a point in the middle of the lane at the end of the oil, which is about 36-40 feet from the foul line. The goal of this oil pattern was to allow bowlers to play anywhere on the lane because there was oil across the lane at the foul line and less on the outside boards.

Clean game
A game which only is built up out of spares and strikes.

Clothes line
The first ball has left the 1, 2, 4, 7 or 1, 3, 6, 10 spare.

Conventional grip
Grip in which the bowler places his fingers in the ball to the second joint at a 90 degree angle, while placing his entire thumb in the ball.

Convert
Removing the remaining pins to get a spare in that particular frame.

Core
See weight block.

Cosmetic bevel
Bevel at the extreme top of the hole which provides a neat appearance to the finished hole.

Coverstock
Outer shell of the bowling ball. The composition varies from polyester, urethane, reactive resin and particle reactive resin.

Cranker
Bowler who generates revolutions by a cupped wrist, bent elbow or muscled armswing.

[Pinboy]

Crossover
See brooklyn.

Curve
The course of the ball from release to completion.

Cut to Cut span
Distance from edge of thumb hole nearest to center, to edge of finger holes nearest to center, excluding all inserts and/or grips.

[Pinboy]

Dead ball
Defective ball which does not give one his desired result, either by fading or deflecting after contact with the pins. Also known as flat ball, nothing ball, pumpkin or roll out.

Dead wood
Fallen pins which remain on the lane or in the gutter. They must be removed before the next delivery.

Deflection
Amount of displacement incurred in a bowling ball’s trajectory after making contact with a headpin.

Degree of oval
Degree of oval of a hole will be to the center line measured on a horizontal line from the center of the thumb hole.

Delivery
Combination of the approach and the release.

Differential RG
Difference between the low RG and high RG values of any bowling ball. This property determines the track flare potential. The maximum allowable differential RG is 0.080 inches. The more the differential RG the more potential for track flare. Track flare increases the friction between the ball and the lane.

Dime store
This is the 5, 10 pin split.

Ditch
A type of shot which uses a severe curve directing the ball right next to the gutter.

Dive
The accelerating and severe curve of a hooked ball which occurs immediately before contact with the pins.

Dots
Markers included in the lane, similar to arrows, placed directly past the foulline, sometimes used as reference points for contact.

[Pinboy]

Double
Two strikes in a row.

Double pinochle
See big four.

Double tap
The first ball leaves the 7, 10 split despite a seemingly good pocket hit.

Double wood
The first ball leaves two pins which has one directly in front of the other. Usually the 1, 5 or 2, 8 or 3, 9 combination. Also known as sleeper or tandem.

Doughnut
See split.

Dressing
The lubrication of the lane which attempts to keep it safe from damage. This usually consists of a mineral based oil.

Dropped ring finger
A fit in which the ring finger span is intentionally shortened to be less than the middle finger span.

Dry lane
A lane which has virtually no dressing (left) on it, which makes it possible to create severe hook.

Dull finish
Referring to the bowling balls surface texture caused by using sandpaper and/or scotch brite pads.

Durometer
Device used to measur the hardness of a bowling ball. ABC requires a minimum hardness of 72 durometer D. PBA has a minimum hardness specification of 75.

[Pinboy]

Dutch 200
A score of exactly 200 achieved by the alternation of strikes and spares.

Dynamic imbalance
Measure of weight in an object in motion.

Dynamics
Characteristics of the mass inside of a bowling ball.

[Pinboy]

Equator
Line around the ball, perpendicular to the vertical axis and the midline covering the entire circumference of the ball.

Error
See miss.

[Pinboy]

Finger weight
Imbalance which effectively makes the side of the ball, divided by the midline, containing the finger holes, heavier than the side containing the thumb hole.

Flare
Refers to the bowling ball changing it’s axis of rotation while seeking it’s preferred spin axis during it’s path down the lane. The result is several distinct oil rings being visible around the ball.

Flat ball
See dead ball.

Forward pitch
The drilled hole, either finger or thumb, is angled towards the midline of the grip.

Foul
The act of crossing or contacting the foulline with any part of the body during delivery.

Foulline
The line separating the approach from the lane, usually a black line. This line must not be crossed or contacted during delivery, else resulting in a foul.

Four bagger
Four strikes in a row.

Frame
The ten divisions within a game. The first nine allow two deliveries unless a strike is rolled, while the tenth frame allows a maximum of three deliveries regardless of what is thrown. Also known as box or canto.

Friction
The resistance to motion of two moving objects or surfaces that touch.

Front of hole
Portion of the hole facing toward the center of grip.

[Pinboy]

Full roller
A bowler whose track passes between the thumb and fingers and whose track measures the circumference of the ball.

Full span
Distance from edge of thumb hole nearest to center to edge of finger holes nearest to center, including all inserts and grips.

[Pinboy]

Greek church
This is the 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 or 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 split.

Gripper
See squeezer.

Gutter
The lowered gullies on either side of the lane which force the ball into the pit not allowing them contact with the pins.

Gutter ball
A ball that does not contact any pins because it has been rolled down the lane in the gutter. Zero pins are being counted, even if the ball comes back out of the gutter to hit a pin.

[Pinboy]

Heads
Portion of the lane from the foul line to the range finders (arrows) which are generally located 15 to 18 feet down the lane.

High performance balls
Bowling balls designed to produce specific reactions for different bowlers.

High track
A track outside of the thumb hole and finger holes that is no more than an inch from either.

Hinge angle
Angle at which the thumb is connected to the hand.

Hit the ball
Acceleration of the hand around the ball, from bottom to side, at the release point.

Hook
Amount, measured in boards and angle, that a bowling ball deviates from it’s original trajectory in it’s path down the lane.

Hook angle
Angle at which the bowling ball changes direction at it’s break point.

Hook potential
Degree to which the properties designed into a bowling ball and in it’s potential to traverse towards during it’s path down the lane.

Horizontal axis measurement
Displacement of the center of gravity from the geometric center of a bowling ball.

[Pinboy]

Imbalance
Displacement of the center of gravity from the geometric center of a bowling ball.

Inside line
The portion of the lane bounded by ten boards on each side.

[Pinboy]

Kegler
The german term for a bowler.

Kickback
The dividers between lanes in the pit which often cause previously contacted pins to knock down other pins by providing a backboard to repel them back towards the remaining pins.

Kingpin
Either the first or fifth pin, depending upon which region of the country one is in.

[Pinboy]

Label shift
Displacement of the label from the center of the grip.

Lateral pitches
Right and left components of hole angle in any drilled bowling ball.

Leverage position
In bowling, it is the position at which the bowler is able to use his body to create rotation, speed and momentum on the bowling ball (balanced position).

Leverage weight
A drilling in which the center of the weight block is placed at a 45 degree angle to the axis of rotation of the bowler.

Line
Intended path of the ball down the lane.

Loft
Distance the ball travels before actually making contact with the lane surface after the bowler releases the bowling ball.

Low track
A track outside the finger holes and thumb hole, but more than two inches from either.

[Pinboy]

Mark
A strike or a spare. Also the point on the lane at which the bowler is aiming.

Mass bias
Weight in a particular area of the ball.

Midline
Line that perpendicularly bisects the center line of the grip. A horizontal line halfway between the fingers and thumb.

Midplane
See vertical axis line.

Miss
A failed spare. Also known as blow or error.

Moment of inertia
Amount of force required to spin an object. Mathematically, it is equal to the mass times the distance squared. The further the mass is away from the rotation point the harder it is to rotate (or to slow down for that matter). It is interchangeable with radius of gyration as far as the effect to the ball reaction.

Mule ears
This is the 7,10 split.

[Pinboy]

Negative side weight
Imbalance in a ball that effectively makes the left side of the ball heavier for right handed release players, and the right side of the ball heavier for left handed release players.

Negative weight
Imbalance which causes thumb, negative side or bottom weight.

Nothing ball
See dead ball.

[Pinboy]

Off the sheet
See 'all the way'.

Ovaled hole
The shape of a hole being out of round.

[Pinboy]

Pick
See chop.

Pie
See blocked.

Pin
A small round colored pin in a bowling ball that signifies the top of the core/weight block. Usually colored the same as the engraving paint.

Pin action
The manner in which the pins react to the impact of the bowling ball.

Pin shift
The process of creating reaction in a bowling ball by displacing the pin from the axis of rotation or the PAP.

Pitch
The angle at which a hole is drilled into a bowling ball in relationship to the center of the ball.

Pivot point
Point on the ball’s surface where all track lines intersect.

Positive axis point (PAP)
Point on the surface of the ball that signifies the bowlers axis of rotation, on the positive side of the ball.

Positive side weight
Imbalance that effectively makes the right side of the bowling ball from the center of grip heavier than the left for right handed release players, and left side of the ball heavier than the right for left handed release players.

Positive weight
Imbalance which causes finger, positive side or top weight.

[Pinboy]

Preferred spin axis (PSA)
The axis about which the bowling ball wants to rotate around.

Pumpkin
See dead ball.

Punched out
See 'all the way'.

[Pinboy]

Radius of gyration (RG)
An account/measurement of the distribution of the mass in an object from the geometric center.

Release point
Point in the delivery at which the ball leaves the hand.

Reverse block
A lane condition in which the inside portion of the lane is covered with less conditioner than the outside.

Reverse pitch
The drilled hole, either finger or thumb, is angled away from the midline (center) of the grip.

Revolutions
The number of times the bowling ball makes a complete rotation about its axis during its path down the lane.

Rock
Term for a bowlingball. Also known as 'apple'.

Roll out
See dead ball.

Runway
See approach.

[Pinboy]

Safe zone
The area on the ball from one inch inside the vertical axis line to a line from the bowlers PAP to the ring finger and from the PAP to the equator, in which the pin of a ball can be placed safely without the track and holes interfering with one another.

Shell
The outer portion of a bowling ball surrounding the core.

Shiny
A ball that looks glossy. In general, shiny balls are smoother textured.

Skid
The portion of the bowling balls path in which the velocity of the contact point on the ball is greater than zero and the ball is therefore actually not rolling but is instead sliding down the lane.

Sleeper
See double wood.

Slots
See blocked.

Snap
A ball path which has a sharp, defined breakpoint. However, when referring to the actual break point, the term snap is often used as a quantifying term.

Span
Distance from edge of thumb hole nearest to the center, to the edge of finger holes nearest to the center.

Squeezer
Someone who holds on to the ball with excessive force or muscle. Also known as gripper.

Squirt
The action of a bowling ball as it hydroplanes past its breakpoint.

[Pinboy]

Stacked leverage
A layout where the pin and CG are the same distance from the bowler’s PAP.

Static weights
Measurements of forces at work in systems that are at rest. Side, finger and top weights measured on a do-do scale.

Stroker
Someone who has a smooth swing and delivery without sudden acceleratioin

Surface
The texture, both finish and hardness, of a bowling ball.

[Pinboy]

Tandem
See double wood.

Tapered
Any hole in which the upper diameter of the hole is larger than the bottom.

Thumb weight
An imbalance in a bowling ball which effectively makes the half of the ball containing the thumb heavier than the half containing the fingers, separated by the midline.

Track
See ball track, also the name of a manufacturer of bags, balls and accessoiries for bowlers.

Track flare
The result of the migration of a bowling ball from the bowler’s axis of rotation to the ball’s preferred spin axis.

Track flare management
The regulation of the position of the flare intersections and thus the amount of flare.

Tracked
See blocked.

Traction
The power, as of tires on pavement, to grip or hold to a surface while moving without slipping.

Turkey
Three strikes in a row.

Tweener
Bowler with a style between that of a stroker and a cranker.

[Pinboy]

Urethane
A plastic blend that is normally softer and more porous than polyester. A very popular coverstock before the introduction of reactive resin.

[Pinboy]

Vertical axis line
A line perpendicular to the midline that passes through the bowler’s positive axis point and the negative axis point when extended completely around the ball. Separates top of ball from bottom of ball on the bowler’s axis of rotation. Also known as midplane.

[Pinboy]

Weak tenpin
The first ball leaves a solid ten and pin six is lying in the gutter right of pin ten. This is caused by a deflective ball without enough finish on the pins.

Weight block
Traditionally, the dense part of material found in the interior of a bowling ball designed to help create ball reaction.

Weight hole
See balance hole.

[Pinboy]

X
The symbol for a strike.

XXX'ed out
See 'all the way'.

[Pinboy]

Zero in
Find the right strike line or spot.