In this glossary, we define many of the common terms associated with the sport of bowling. Use this page as a reference while reading some of our other articles. If there's a term you'd like us to add, or a definition you'd like us to clear up, leave a comment below!

Angular

• Describes the shape of motion seen in a ball

Approach

• Area extending from the pit to the foul line
• Movement a bowler takes getting to the release at the foul line 

Armswing

• Movement of your bowling arm from the pushaway to the release

Arrows

• Triangular markers on the lane used for aiming/targeting

Asymmetric

• Not identical on both sides of a central line

Backend

• The end of the lane closest to the pins where most of the balls’ performance takes place
• Term used to describe how much hook a ball has at the end of the lane (ex. The Radical Results has a lot of backend)

Benchmark

• Typically the first ball of the bag. Its purpose is to let the bowler know what to expect from the lane, especially when the pattern is unknown. Smooth, predictable motion

Board

• Individual strips of wood, pieced together to form a bowling lane. Bowling lanes consist of 39 boards. These can also be used for targeting.  Modern lanes are not constructed of individual boards anymore.  Most are a synthetic material

Breakpoint

• Area where the ball begins to hook back towards the pocket

Brooklyn

• Shot that crosses over the head pin opposite of the side it was thrown. A Right handed Brooklyn strike would hit the 1-2 pocket

Carrydown

• Lane oil that’s been pushed down lane due to a repeated number of shots

Conventional

• Type of grip where you put your middle and ring fingers in the holes down to the second knuckle

Core

• The inside of bowling ball containing a symmetric or asymmetric weight block

Coverstock

• The outer shell of the bowling ball

Differential (Diff)

• Mass property of a core.  The lowest RG axis subtracted from the highest RG axis will yield RG differential.  Commonly describes the flare potential of a bowling ball 

Fingertip

• Type of grip where your put your middle and ring fingers in the holes down to the first knuckle

Flare

• Migration of the ball’s track from the axis at release to the axis at impact

Hook

• Technique where the ball curves down the lane as opposed to rolling straight

House Ball

• Communal balls provided by the bowling center

Hybrid

• A combination of a solid color and a separate pearl color in one ball

Layout

• A measurement used to orient a core relative the the bowler’s PAP to optimize performance 

Mass Bias

• Also referred to as PSA, or highest RG axis, this is the axis the core would stabilize around if rotational energy were constantly being applied 

Pancake

• Flat weight block often used in polyester balls

Pattern

• Distribution of Lane oil 

Pearl

• Pigment used is coloring bowling balls 

Pitch

• The angle at which the thumb and finger holes are drilled into the ball

Polyester

• Plastic coverstock commonly used to throw at spares because of it’s low friction characteristics 

PSO

• Pro Shop Operator

Reactive Resin

• Coverstock that produces more friction with the lane than Urethane and Polyester

Revs

• Number of times the ball rolls over its circumference on the lane

RG

• Radius of gyration

Skid

• Reaction of the ball as it first makes contact with the lane

Solid

• Coverstock lacking pearlescent pigment

Span

• The distance between the thumbhole and fingerholes

Spare

• Knock down all remaining pins on your second shot

Spare Ball

• An additional ball that bowlers use to convert certain spares. Typically  they’ll want this ball to go straight (polyester, urethane)

Split

• A gap between two or more pins after your first shot

Strike

• Knock down all 10 pins on your first shot

Symmetric

• Core that is in equal proportion about a central line

Track

• Portion of a thrown bowling ball that makes physical contact with the lane surface

Urethane

• Coverstock that produces more friction than polyester