Bowling Term Glossary

• DOUBLE: Two consecutive strikes within a single game.
• FRAME: One of three scoring units constituting a game, each including one or two bowls (two or three in the 3rd frame) depending on the number of pins knocked down. (Each game in Bowling Crew consists of 3 frames).
• GUTTER: One of two trough-shaped structures surrounding a lane to catch errant bowls.
• HAMBONE: Four consecutive strikes within a single game.
• LANE: The game's playing surface.
• OIL: The lubricating conditioner applied to some parts of the lane. The oil zones are marked in blue.
• OIL PATTERN: The quantitative pattern of distribution of oil on the lane, having a major effect on ball motion. The oil zones are marked in blue.
• OPEN (FRAME): A frame in which neither a strike nor spare is achieved.
• PERFECT GAME: FIVE consecutive strikes with a resulting score of 90.
• POCKET: The area on the pins a bowler aims at to get the best chance of a strike: between pins 1 and 3, or 1 and 2.
• SPARE: When the last of the ten pins is/are knocked down on the second bowl of the frame.
• SPLIT: When two or more pins remain standing with a gap between them, making it very difficult to complete a SPARE.
• STRIKE: When all ten pins are knocked down on the first bowl.
• TURKEY: Three consecutive strikes within a single game.