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How To Keep Score In Bowling

A Article On How To Score Bowling

Scoring a game of bowling is fairly easy. You will need some basic math skills to learn how to keep bowling score. After you read this article you should be able to keep score in ten pin bowling.

Here Are Some Terms Used In Bowling.

1. A Strike = knocking all 10 pins down on the first ball rolled in a frame.
2. A Spare = knocking all the remaining pins down on the second ball rolled in a frame.
3. A Mark = filling the frame with ether a strike or a spare.
4. A open = when a bowler dose not mark. Or pins are left standing after 2 balls rolled.
5. A Double = 2 strikes in a row.
6. A Turkey = 3 strikes in a row.
7. A Foul = when a bowler cross over the foul line.
8. A Split = when the is a gap between pins on a spare.
9. A Gutter Ball = when a bowler rolls the ball in the channel.
10. A Frame = A place where you keep score on a score sheet there are 10 of them in a bowling game.

 

Here Are Some Scorekeeping Fundamentals In Bowling.

A game of bowling consists of 10 frames. In a frame a bowler gets 2 chances to knock down all 10 pins.
When a frame is bowled there are 5 things that can happen.

1. Strike - All 10 pins are knocked down on the first ball bowled.
2. Spare - All 10 pins are knocked down after 2 balls bowled.
3. Open - There are pins left standing after 2 balls bowled.
4. Gutter Ball - A bowler get no pins for that ball once the ball goes in the gutter. Even if the ball bounces back out and goes back onto the bowling lane. A zero is counted.
5. Foul - A bowler gets no score when any part of his body goes over the foul line. This is after the bowling ball is released.

The way a bowling game is scored a bowler can get rewarded for bowling strikes or spares.

Here is an example.

1. A strike is worth 10 plus the reward of the next 2 balls bowled.
2. A spare is worth 10 plus the reward of the next ball bowled.

An open does not give the bowler any reward of the next frame. The bowler only gets credit for the pins knocked down in the frame they are in.

The Score Sheet.


The game is scored on a score sheet that’s looks similar to the illustration below.


Illustration Showing A Sample Score Sheet


In bowling some times a game is referred to as a line of bowling. Notice that there are 10 boxes or squares. These boxes represent the 10 frames in bowling that makeup a game. Also notice that in the right-hand corner there is a smaller box inside the first 9 frames. And in the 10th frame there are 3 smaller boxes. This is because the 10th frame is scored differently then the first 9 frames. The 10th frame is also the last frame in bowling.

 

Basic Symbols In Bowling.

1. Strike = X = In the small box
 2. Spare = / = In the small box
3. Miss = - = the minus sign is used to indicate that no pins were knocked down.
 4. Split = O = A circle around the number of pins left on the first ball means a split.
 5. Foul = F = the letter F is used if the is a foul a foul get a zero in bowling.



Illustration Shows a Sample Frame.

In the first 9 frames the space to the left of the smaller box is where you write down the pins knocked down in the 1st ball bowled. In the smaller box to the right is where you write down the 2nd ball bowled. This is also where you would mark a strike, spare or miss. In the bottom of the box is where you keep the bowlers running total.

 

Scoring a Game Of Bowling .

Now I am going to concentrate on scoring the first 9 frames.

A Open Frame - A bowler knocks down 7 pins on the first ball. Then on the 2nd ball the bowler knock down 2 pins. Your score would look like this.
(Shown in the illustration below).



Illustration Showing A Open Frame

A Strike Frame - A bowler knocks down all 10 pins on the first ball bowled. Your score sheet would look like this.
(Shown in the illustration below). there is no total scored yet. This is because a strike is worth 10 plus the next 2 balls bowled. So the bowler must bowl 2 more balls in order to add up the score.


Illustration Showing A Strike Frame

 

A Spare Frame - A bowler knocks down 7 pins on the first ball bowled. Then on the second ball, the bowler knocks down the remaining pins. This is a spare, your score sheet would look like this.
(Shown in the illustration below). Like the strike frame there is no total yet. This is because a spare is worth 10 plus the next ball bowled. So the bowler must bowl the next ball to add up the score.


Illustration Showing A Spare Frame

 

A Miss Frame - A bowler misses all the pins with the first ball bowled. Then knocks down 7 pins on the 2nd ball bowled. Your score sheet would look like this (Shown in the illustration below to the right).
Now if a bowler knocks down 7 pins on the first ball bowled and misses all the remaining pins the 2nd ball bowled your score sheet would look like this
(Shown in the illustration below to the right).


Illustrations Showing A Miss Frame

A Gutter Ball - A bowler rolls there ball and after delivery the bowling ball enters the gutter on the sides of the bowling lane. The bowler receives a zero for that ball bowled. When the ball goes into the gutter it is out of play. Also if the bowling ball bounces back out of the gutter and onto the lane. In this event if any pins are knocked down they are out of play and do not count.

If this happens on a first ball there must be a new full set of pins set and roll the second ball. The first ball is counted as a zero.

 

A Foul - A bowler delivers there ball and a part of there body goes over or touches the foul line. The ball is disqualified and a zero is counted for that ball bowled. A (F) is placed in that frames score sheet (Shown in the illustration below). The (F) could be put in a 1st or 2nd ball depending on which ball the foul was rolled on.


Illustrations Showing A Foul Frame

 

A Split - A bowler has left a split. some score keepers will circle the number next to the small box in that frame on the score sheet. (Shown In the illustration below)
The circle just lets bowlers know that they left a split for that frame. A circle has no bearing on the bowlers score.


Illustrations Showing A Split Frame

That was the first 9 frames in scoring a game of bowling

 

Now I am going to concentrate on the 10th frame in score a game of bowling.

The 10th Frame - If you look at the illustration below. The 10th frame is scored differently then the first 9 frames. The 10th frame you can have chance to bowl up to 3 balls. This is why there are 3 small boxes and not just 1.


Illustration Of A Sample 10th Frame

The reason the 10th frame has 3 small boxes and not just one is to allow the bowler enough balls to finish the game. This is in case the bowler bowls a strike or a spare.

 

Basic Rule Of Thumb For the 10th Frame In Bowling

1. Strike on the first ball = bowler gets 10 pins plus the pins knocked down on the next 2 balls.
2. Spare on the second ball = bowler get 10 pins plus the pins knocked down on the 1st ball bowled.
3. Open Frame = bowler get an open frame or does not get a strike or a spare. The bowler will get credit for the pins knocked down and the game is over.

Examples of the 10th frame.

Strike On First Ball = the bowler has a score of 140 in the 9th frame. Then the bowler bowls a strike in the first ball of the 10th frame. Now the bowler has the opportunity to bowl 2 more balls. The next ball the bowler knocks down 8 pins and then has an open on his next ball. (Shown in the illustration below) the bowlers ending score will be a 158.
This is because the 10th frame is added up like this. 10 plus the next to balls bowled for a strike. this is how it is added up à (140+10+8=158).



Illustration Of A 10th Frame Strike On The First Ball

 

Strike On The First And Second Ball = the bowler has a score of 140 in the 9th frame. Then the bowler bowls a strike on the first ball. Then because the bowler has the opportunity to bowl 2 more balls. The next ball the bowler bowls another strike to make a double and then has an 9 count. (Shown in the illustration below) the bowlers ending score is a 169. This is because the 10th frame is added up like this. 10 plus the next 2 balls bowled for a strike. This is how it is added up à (140+10+10+9=169).



Illustration Of A 10th Frame Strike On The First And Second Ball

 

 

Spare In the 10th Frame = the bowler has a score of 140 in the 9th frame. Then the bowler knocks down 8 pins on the first ball of the 10th frame. Then on the 2nd ball of the 10th frame they spare. A spare is 10 plus the next ball. so the bowler gets another ball. On this next ball they knock down 9 pins. (Shown in the illustration below) There ending score would be 159. This is because the 10th frame is added up like this. 10 plus the 1st ball for a spare. This is how it is added up à (140+10+9=159).



Illustration Of A 10th Frame Spare

 

Open In The 10th Frame = the bowler has a score of 140 in the 9th frame. Then in the 10th frame the bowler knocks down 6 pins on the 1st ball and on the 2nd ball knocks down 3 pins and has an open frame. The bowler did not have a strike or spare so there is no bonus balls. And the score would be like this (Shown in the illustration below). There ending score would be 149. This is how it is added up à (140+6+3=149).



Illustration Of A Open In The 10th Frame

 

 

Scoring A Whole Game Of Bowling

Now that we have the basics we can run through a sample game. This will allow you to see how it is scored. In the next few steps is everything I have shown you. If you are able to follow these steps frame by frame then this should be easy for you to score your own game.

The First Frame. - On your first ball the bowler knock down 7 pins and they get there spare (Shown in the illustration below). This is how it would look. (note: these are just examples).


Illustration Of The First Frame

Note - You can not add up the frame because this is on a spare ball. A spare is worth 10 plus the next ball.

 

The Second Frame. - On your second frame you bowl a strike. Because you had a spare in the first frame you add 10 from your strike plus the 10 pins from the spare in the first frame. This is how it is added up (10+10=20) Also (Shown in the illustration below).


Illustration Of The Second Frame

 

Note - You can not add up the second frame because this is on a strike ball. A strike is worth 10 plus the next 2 balls.

 

The Third Frame - On your third frame you knock 9 pins down on your 1st ball and then you miss the remaining pins on the 2nd ball and get a open frame. on the score sheet you would fill in the “9“ and the “--” as (Shown in the illustration below). Now you can add up the 2nd frame after the strike and you would add this up like this. (20+10+9=39) in the second frame. Then add the “9” from the 3rd frame and would look like this (39+9=48) so you would have a score or 48 in the 3rd frame.


Illustration Of The Third Frame

 

 

The Fourth and Fifth Frames - On your fourth and fifth frames you get 2 strikes in arrow And have a double. Your score sheet would look like this (Shown in the illustration below). You would put an “X” in the small boxes and you will get a 10 for both the 4th and 5th frames. But you can not add these up yet - because a strike is worth 10 plus your next to balls bowled.


Illustration Of The Fourth an Fifth Frames

 

The Sixth Frame - On your 6th frame you knock down 8 pins on the first ball and spare the second ball. You would put the “8” beside the small box and the “/” in the small box
(Shown in the illustration below). Now you can add up the double that you had in the fourth and fifth frames and the “8” count of the sixth frame. It would add up like this. (48+10+10+8=76) in the fourth frame. Then you can add up the fifth frame and you can now add the spare from the 6th frame remember the spare = 10 and would add up like this (76+10+10=96). Once again you can not add up the 6th frame - because a spare is 10 plus the next ball bowled.


Illustration Of The Sixth Frame

 

The Seventh Frame - On your 7th frame you knock down 7 pins on the first ball and miss to get a open frame on the second ball. Your score sheet would look like this (Shown in the Illustration below). Now you can add up the spare from the sixth frame plus the 7 pins of the first ball in the seventh frame. You would add it up like this (96+10+7=113) goes in the sixth frame. You would add up the 7th frame like this (113+7=120).


Illustration Of The Seventh Frame

The Eight and Ninth Frames - On your eighth and ninth frames you get 2 strikes in arrow And have a double. Your score sheet would look like this (Shown in the illustration below). You would put an “X” in the small boxes and you will get a 10 for both the 8th and 9th frames. But you can not add these up yet - because a strike is worth 10 plus your next to balls bowled.


Illustration Of The Eight and Ninth Frames

 

The 10 Frame - On your first ball you knock 6 pins down. You may now add up the 8th frame and it would look like this (120+10+10+6=146). A “146” would go in the 8th frame. Then you bowl a spare on your second ball of the 10th frame. You can now add up the 9th frame and would be scored like this. (146+10+10=166). And now you bowl a strike on your last ball of the 10th frame. (Shown in the illustration below). You would add it like this (166+10+10=186).


Illustration Of The 10th Frame.

 

 

A Perfect 300 Game - The perfect 300 game is the high game that can be bowled in bowling.

It consists of 12 strikes in a row starting in the first frame.
(Shown in the illustration below is a Sample 300 game).
By examining the score below you can see how the game is scored.


Illustration Of A 300 Game!

A Printable Bowling Score Sheet



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