49 bowling terms defined, including turkey, buzzard, kegler and Brooklyn, in a plain glossary you can scan in a minute.
Bowling terminology is one of those vocabularies that sounds like code from the next lane over: scoring words, lane words, and the nicknames league bowlers hang on things nobody else has a name for. The list below runs through the words related to bowling that come up in a normal game, and the bowling glossary after it adds the words associated with bowling that the ten frames alone will not teach you, from kegler to buzzard.
Must-Know Bowling Terms, Phrases and Slang:
- Alley
- Approach
- Frame
- Gutter
- Lane
- Pin
- Spare
- Split
- Strike
- Turkey
- Baker format
- Ball return
- Brooklyn
- Clean game
- Dead wood
- Foul line
- Handicap
- Hook
- Mark
- Open frame
- Perfect game
- Sandbagging
- Scratch
- Series
- Sleeper
- Spare ball
- Spot bowling
- Tap
- Ten-pin
Bowling Glossary: Every Term A to Z
| Term | What It Means |
|---|---|
| Alley | The building where you bowl, and by extension the lanes themselves. Bowling center is the term the industry prefers. |
| Anchor | The last bowler in a team's lineup, usually the steadiest one, because the closing frames decide most matches. |
| Approach | The run-up area behind the foul line where the bowler takes their steps before letting go of the ball. |
| Arrows | The seven triangular markers set into the lane a few feet past the foul line. Spot bowlers aim at these rather than at the pins. |
| Bagger | A run of consecutive strikes, counted by the number in front: four-bagger, five-bagger, six-bagger. |
| Baker format | A team format in which the players take turns bowling alternate frames of one shared game. |
| Ball return | The machine that carries the ball back from the pit to the rack beside the approach. |
| Bedposts | The 7-10 split, two corner pins standing alone at the back of the deck. The hardest common leave in the game. |
| Bowler | Anyone who bowls. The old-fashioned word, still used in leagues and crosswords, is kegler. |
| Brooklyn | A strike that crosses to the wrong side of the head pin for the bowler's hand, so a right-hander hitting the 1-2 pocket. Counts the same, and gets teased about. |
| Bumpers | The padded rails that can be raised in the gutters so a wayward ball stays on the lane. Standard for children's parties. |
| Buzzard | Three splits in a row. The unwanted mirror image of a turkey, and league bowlers keep count of it just as carefully. |
| Clean game | A game with no open frames, meaning every frame closes with a strike or a spare. |
| Dead wood | Knocked-down pins left lying on the lane or in the gutter. They have to be cleared before the next ball. |
| Double | Two strikes in a row. Three is a turkey, four and beyond get counted as baggers. |
| Foul line | The line at the head of the lane. Crossing it during delivery is a foul and the pins knocked down do not count. |
| Frame | One of the ten divisions of a game, each giving the bowler up to two rolls at ten pins. |
| Gutter | The channel on each side of the lane. A ball that drops into it is out of play for that roll. |
| Gutter ball | A roll that drops off the lane into the gutter and knocks down nothing. |
| Hambone | Four consecutive strikes. The word came out of televised bowling commentary and stuck. |
| Handicap | Points added to a bowler's score based on their average, so bowlers of different standards can compete in the same league. |
| Head pin | The number 1 pin at the front of the rack. Most strikes start with the ball hitting it slightly off centre. |
| Hook | The curve the ball takes down the lane. A strong hook lets the ball enter the pocket at a better angle. |
| Kegler | A bowler. From the German Kegel, and still the standard crossword answer for the word. |
| Lane | The oiled wooden or synthetic surface the ball travels down, sixty feet from foul line to head pin. |
| Lane oil | The oil pattern laid on the front part of the lane. It decides where the ball skids and where it grips, and it changes as the night goes on. |
| Loft | How far past the foul line the ball lands. Too much loft costs control and bruises the lane. |
| Mark | A strike or a spare, that is, any frame in which all ten pins fall in two rolls or fewer. |
| Open Frame | A frame that ends with pins still standing. Open frames are where scores leak away. |
| Perfect Game | Twelve strikes in a row for a score of 300, the highest possible in a single game. |
| Pin | One of the ten wooden or synthetic targets at the end of the lane, set in a triangle. |
| Pin deck | The flat section at the end of the lane where the pins stand. |
| Pinsetter | The machine behind the pin deck that clears fallen pins and resets the rack. |
| The gap the ball wants to enter for a strike: between the 1 and 3 pins for a right-hander, the 1 and 2 for a left-hander. | |
| Ramp | A sloped frame that a ball can be pushed down, used by young children and by bowlers who cannot swing a ball. |
| Revs | Rev rate, the number of times the ball rotates on its way down the lane. More revs generally means more hook. |
| Sandbagging | Deliberately bowling below your standard to keep your average low, so the handicap works in your favour later. |
| Scratch | A score with no handicap added, that is, the pins you actually knocked down. |
| Series | A set of games bowled back to back, normally three, with the pinfall added together. |
| Sleeper | A pin hidden directly behind another one, easy to miss because you cannot see it from the approach. |
| Spare | All ten pins down using both rolls of a frame. |
| Spare Ball | A plastic or polyester ball with little hook, kept for shooting straight at leftover pins. |
| Split | A leave with a gap between the standing pins, so one ball cannot easily take them all. |
| Spot Bowling | Aiming at the arrows or dots on the lane instead of at the pins, on the principle that a nearer target is easier to hit. |
| Strike | All ten pins down with the first ball of a frame. |
| Tap | A good pocket hit that still leaves one pin standing. Bad luck rather than bad bowling. |
| Ten-pin | The standard worldwide form of the game, ten pins and a large ball, as opposed to five-pin, candlepin or duckpin. |
| Turkey | Three strikes in a row. |
| Washout | A leave with the head pin still standing plus pins on both sides, such as 1-2-10. It looks like a split but is not scored as one. |
#1 Alley
In bowling, an “alley” refers to the entire establishment or the area where the lanes are located where the sport is played. It’s synonymous with a bowling center or bowling alley, where enthusiasts gather for both casual and competitive play.
#2 Approach
The “approach” is the area just before the foul line where bowlers take several strides to gain momentum before releasing the ball. It’s a critical space for bowlers to perfect their timing and technique for an effective roll.
#3 Frame
A “frame” is one of ten divisions of play in a game of bowling, during which a player has up to two chances to knock down all ten pins. The score of a game is the total number of pins knocked down over these ten frames.
#4 Gutter
The “gutter” is a channel on either side of the lane that catches errant balls that don’t stay on the lane. A ball that lands in the gutter is out of play and does not score any points for knocking down pins.
#5 Lane
The “lane” is the long, narrow path on which the ball is rolled toward the pins. Made of wood or synthetic materials, it is treated with oil patterns that affect the ball’s movement, making lane conditions a crucial part of the sport.
#6 Pin
In bowling, a pin is one of the ten slender, tall objects arranged in a triangular pattern at the end of the lane. The objective is to knock down these pins with a bowling ball to score points.
#7 Spare
A spare is scored when a player knocks down all ten pins with two consecutive rolls in a single frame. Achieving a spare allows the player to add the pins knocked down in their next roll to that frame’s score.
#8 Split
A difficult situation in bowling where two or more pins remain standing after the first ball of a frame, with a gap between them that makes it challenging to knock all remaining pins down with the second ball.
#9 Strike
When a bowler knocks down all ten pins with the first ball rolled in a frame, achieving the most desirable result in a single roll. This action not only earns maximum points but can also lead to scoring multipliers in subsequent frames.
#10 Turkey
A term used in bowling to describe when a player rolls three strikes in a row. It’s a significant achievement that often boosts a player’s score substantially and showcases consistent high-level performance.
#11 Baker format
A team bowling format where members alternate frames to complete a single game, emphasizing teamwork and strategy. The name originates from the creator of this method, Frank K. Baker, intending to balance individual and team contributions.
#12 Ball return
An automated machine that delivers the bowled ball back to the player at the approach area. It allows for seamless and efficient play by returning the ball after each roll.
#13 Brooklyn
A strike that’s achieved by hitting the pins on the opposite side of the head pin from the bowler’s handedness (a left-hander striking from the right and vice versa). It’s often considered a lucky break as the ball crosses over the center.
#14 Clean game
In bowling, a clean game is achieved when a player does not leave any open frames, meaning they score a spare or strike in every frame. This is a sign of consistent performance throughout the game.
#15 Dead wood
Refers to pins that have been knocked down and lie on the lane or in the gutter but are not cleared away before the next ball is rolled. Dead wood can affect the path and behavior of subsequent rolls.
#16 Foul line
The line at the beginning of the bowling lane that players must not cross when delivering the bowling ball. If a player’s foot crosses this line during delivery, it results in a foul and the pins knocked down do not count.
#17 Handicap
Bowling handicaps level the playing field by adding extra points to a bowler’s score based on their average, allowing players of varying skill levels to compete fairly. It’s an added score to give novice players a chance to win against more skilled opponents.
#18 Hook
The hook refers to the curve a bowling ball takes as it travels down the lane, caused by the bowler’s spin. A strong hook can be advantageous, increasing the chance of striking the pins in the pocket for maximum pin action.
#19 Mark
A mark is achieved in a frame if a bowler knocks down all ten pins within the allotted two attempts, resulting in either a strike or a spare. It’s a vital component of scoring, as consecutive marks can greatly increase a bowler’s final score.
#20 Open Frame
An open frame occurs when a bowler fails to knock down all ten pins in a given frame, missing the mark. It’s a situation often avoided, as it can lead to lower overall scores and decrease the chance of winning.
#21 Perfect Game
A perfect game in bowling is the pinnacle of achievement, where a player scores 300 by rolling 12 consecutive strikes in one game. It’s a rare feat that requires skill and a bit of luck, showcasing a bowler at their best.
#22 Pocket
The ideal target area between pins for a strike, typically between the 1 and 3 pins for right-handed bowlers, and the 1 and 2 pins for left-handed bowlers. Hitting the pocket maximizes the chances of knocking all pins down.
#23 Sandbagging
A tactic in some bowling competitions where a player intentionally plays below their capability to manipulate their average score, often to gain a strategic advantage in handicap-based tournaments.
#24 Scratch
Refers to a score achieved without any handicap; essentially, it is the actual number of pins knocked down by a player. In professional and amateur leagues, scratch scores represent a bowler’s true skill level without adjustments.
#25 Series
A series is typically a set of three games bowled consecutively, with the total pinfall determining a player’s or team’s score. In tournament or league play, the series score is crucial for standings and averages.
#26 Sleeper
Sleeper describes a pin positioned directly behind another, often not easily seen, making it more challenging to hit. These pins pose a risk for leaving pin(s) standing, as they are harder to knock down due to their hidden placement.
#27 Spare Ball
A spare ball is a bowling ball with minimal hook potential, often made of plastic or polyester, used specifically to convert spares. Because of its straighter trajectory, bowlers use it to accurately target remaining pins without worrying about lane conditions affecting its path.
#28 Spot Bowling
Spot bowling is a targeting technique where bowlers focus on specific marks or arrows on the lane rather than aiming directly at the pins. This method helps maintain consistency in shots since it is easier to hit a closer target than one further away.
#29 Tap
In bowling, a tap occurs when a well-thrown ball hits the pocket but leaves one pin standing, often unexpectedly, due to slight misalignment or pin action.
#30 Ten-pin
The version of bowling most commonly played worldwide, where the objective is to knock down ten pins arranged at the end of a lane using a large bowling ball. The term distinguishes it from other forms of bowling like five-pin or candlepin.
FAQ
What is a buzzard in bowling?
A buzzard is three splits in a row. It is the counterpart to a turkey, which is three strikes in a row, and league bowlers track it with the same enthusiasm and rather less pride.
What is the term for three strikes in a row in bowling?
A turkey. Two in a row is a double, four in a row is often called a hambone, and from there bowlers count in baggers: five-bagger, six-bagger and so on.
What is it called when you get all the pins down in two attempts?
A spare. Knocking all ten down with the first ball is a strike instead. Either result is called a mark, and a game with a mark in every frame is a clean game.
What is it called when you knock down no pins?
If the ball drops off the lane it is a gutter ball. If it stays on the lane and misses everything, the frame is scored as a miss, and any frame that leaves pins standing after both rolls is an open frame.
What do you call a good bowler?
Kegler is the general word for any bowler. A bowler who competes without handicap points is a scratch bowler, and that is the usual shorthand for someone who is genuinely good.
What is a round of bowling called?
One of the ten divisions of a game is a frame. The full ten frames make a game, sometimes called a line, and three games bowled back to back make a series.
The bowling vocabulary splits into scoring (strike, spare, turkey, mark, open frame, perfect game), the lane itself (approach, foul line, gutter, pocket, arrows, lane oil) and the pins (head pin, split, bedposts, sleeper, dead wood). The glossary above lists them all alphabetically.
What are some Bowling terms for beginners?
“Alley,” “Frame,” and “Gutter” are some Bowling terms beginners should start with. These are basic concepts essential to understanding the game and its scoring system.
What are some funny Bowling terms?
“Brooklyn,” “Turkey,” and “Dead wood” are some funny Bowling terms that add character to the sport, each with a unique backstory relating to gameplay and scoring quirks.
What is a famous Bowling phrase?
“Let’s roll,” is a famous Bowling phrase, often used to rally players to start their game or as encouragement, highlighting the camaraderie and action-packed nature of bowling.
