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Your coworkers keep inviting you to a bowling game, but you keep declining because you’re afraid to face the ugly truth – you don’t know how to bowl. Why would you embarrass yourself in front of people you see every day at least a third of your life? But what if we told you it can be learned easily? In this little guide, we will tell you everything you need to know about bowling so you can go ahead and be the star in your company (and beyond). Grab a pencil and take notes.
Bowling Lane and Pins
First off, let’s talk about the setting. Obviously, you need to know a little bit about the bowling alley, lanes, and pins so you wouldn’t be surprised when you get there. Confidence is the key to every game so the same applies to bowling. Once you get there, you’ll see a bowling lane and some pins at its end. In order to access this sacred ground, you’ll need a special pair of shoes. Professional players carry their own but there’s no shame in renting a pair at the spot. The bowling lane is 60 feet long and the approach line is 15 feet ending with a foul line you mustn’t cross. There are two gutters left and right of the lane, taking the ball out of the game if you miss. There are 10 pins formed in a triangle, with the first pin facing the bowler. The rest of them are numbered from left to right, row after row.
Bowling Terms
Obviously, the whole point of the game is to knock out as many pins as possible in a single turn. There are 10 frames in total and you get two throws within a frame. If you don’t knock down all pins in those two tries, you simply move on to a next round. Now, for some bowling terms. If you manage to wipe out all the pins in a single try, it’s called a strike. If you need two tries to get all the pins, it’s called a spare. Anytime you knock down the middle pins but leave those on the side standing, it’s called a split. These are extremely hard to wipe out so you should say it in a woeful tone. Now that you know all these terms you’ll seem like an extreme pro.
How to Bowl
Of course, now we need to actually teach you how to bowl. Once you put on your special bowling shoes, you need to pick the right ball. You will be using your thumb, middle and ring fingers to grab it, so try them out and see which ball fits you best. Your bowling hand should be right below the ball, while the other hand supports it from the side. Lean down a bit and lift the ball right in front of your face. Close one eye and aim with the ball in front of you. When you actually throw the ball, try to keep it as straight as possible and heading towards the middle pin. As you get better in time, you’ll learn to spin the ball so that it would move in an arch and achieve a better result.
Pro Tips
If you want to learn how to bowl a strike, you need to know some pro tips so here they are. The first tip anyone can give you is to familiarize yourself with the game as much as possible. Watch the game on TV, go to live events and pick up some of the moves you find interesting. Remember not to bend the wrist when throwing the ball. It needs to be as straight as possible. Also, try to release the ball at the ankle’s height to minimize the bounce. Make sure you always use the same throwing position, as the consistency is one of the most important things in bowling. Finally, remember to keep the eyes on the pins at all times.
Now that you know how to bowl like a (semi) pro, it’s time to go out there and give it your best shot. If you happen to have any other tips you think should be in the article, let us know in the comment section.
