Intro:
Before you begin
Step 1:
Select your equipment
Step 2:
Understand the lane
Step 3:
Take your stance
Step 4:
Begin your motion and roll
Step 5:
Think about special shots

Have a bowl!

To bowl or not to bowl? Since long before Shakespeare's time, that's been the question. Balls and pins were recently found in ancient Egyptian burial sites that date back to 5200 B.C., but bowling wasn't introduced to America until the 1600s, when Dutch settlers played lawn bowling in an area of Manhattan still known as Bowling Green. The game evolved into the ten pin game we know today in the mid-1800s, when bowlers had to find a way around an anti-gambling law that prohibited the then-popular nine pin version.

Today, bowling is a popular sport among all age groups--probably because it's so easy to learn and fun to do. And just so you don't feel like a bowler from 5200 B.C. who's suddenly been inserted into a modern bowling facility, we'll give you the basics to get you ready for your next outing at the alley.

Like most sports, bowling is best learned through experience. That is, by actually going to a bowling alley and doing it. Perhaps the best piece of advice for the beginning bowler is: just try to hit the pins. It might help, though, to understand some general things about the sport.

As you may already know, the main goal is to knock down as many pins as possible. You get two chances per frame to knock down all ten pins, and there are ten frames per player per game. Usually, you bowl one frame, your score is recorded on a special score sheet, and then someone else takes a turn.

The best score possible is 300. To earn this, you'd have to get a strike (knock down all ten pins with the first ball thrown) in every frame--obviously a rarely accomplished feat. A score of 200 is also considered extraordinary. For beginners, a score of 100 would be impressive, although the average score can range anywhere from 50 to 120.

Regardless of your score, bowling can be a good way to get together with friends and have a fun time. Since most bowling alleys have restaurants and bars, and some play music and have special theme nights, bowling can be one of the more social sports.

Select your equipment

You'll have to rent bowling shoes from the cashier. The shoes are a requirement. They have smooth, solid leather soles that enable you to slide on the polished, wooden bowling lanes. Some bowling alleys ask you to leave one of your own shoes with the cashier as a deposit. They'll give it back when you return their shoes. The cashier will also assign you and your friends your own lane. Usually, a maximum of four people can fit on a lane. If there's more in your party, the cashier will usually try to provide an adjacent lane.

Most bowling alleys provide shelves full of balls that you can use. The process of selecting your ball is part of the fun of bowling. Here are some basic things to consider. The bowling alley's pro shop can offer further suggestions.

Weight. Is the ball too heavy or too light for you? The weight of the ball should be roughly ten percent of your body weight. Since you probably won't have a scale handy, you'll just have to pick the ball up and judge if it feels comfortable.

The holes. Do your fingers fit smoothly into the holes? Are the holes too far apart or close together? Remember that you'll be rolling this ball quickly down the lane, so you want to make sure your fingers won't get stuck inside or slip out too easily.

Condition. Does the ball have any dents or bumps? If so, choose another.

Superstition. Some people feel lucky with a particular color or make. You'll have to experiment with different balls to see if this matters to you.

Understand the lane

• A bowling lane, from the foul line (where the actual lane begins) to the ten pins, is 60 feet long.
  
  
• Less than an inch before the foul line are seven dots. Their purpose is to help you with aim and direction. You can look at these dots, instead of at the pins, when deciding where to begin rolling the ball. The center dot is positioned directly across from the center pin. If you roll the ball in a straight line starting at this dot, it will hit the center pin. If you find that your balls are starting off straight, and then drifting to the left or right of center, you may want to consider beginning your roll at one of the dots to the left or right to compensate for this movement.
  
  
• Seven arrows, positioned 15 feet down the lane from the foul line, function basically in the same way as the dots. Since they're closer to the foul line than the pins are, it may be easier to aim for the center arrow instead of the center pin.
  
  
• The part of the lane before the foul line is called "the approach." The purpose of the approach is to give you room to walk three to six steps and gain momentum before you release the ball. The approach is 15 feet long.
  
  
• The beginning of the approach, the area the farthest away from the foul line, is marked by five dots. Three feet forward are another five dots. While these sets of dots represent points from which to begin your approach, bowlers are free to find a spot to begin where they feel most comfortable.
  
  
• To the left and right of each lane are the gutters, which carry the ball past the pins without contact. If your ball ends up in a gutter, you've scored a zero for that turn.
  
  
• The pins are arranged in a triangle. The pin farthest forward and directly centered, called the "number 1 pin," stands alone. Diagonally behind it are the number 2 and 3 pins. Behind them are numbers 4, 5, and 6. Behind them are numbers 7, 8, 9, and 10.
  
  

Take your stance

You've been cheering for your friends as they knock down pins, and all of a sudden, it's your turn. You approach the ball rack and locate your ball. Now what?

• Take a second to use the little fan on top of the ball rack. It's there to help keep your hands dry from perspiration, as moisture might make your fingers stick inside the ball.
  
  
• Grip the ball by placing your thumb in the single hole, and your middle and ring fingers in the two coupled holes. Keep your other fingers flat against the ball's surface.
  
  
• Stand facing the pins, in-between the two sets of dots at the start of the approach.
  
  
• Now, lift the ball so it's held in front of your chest, with the palm of your hand facing you. Place your free hand on the ball's underside for support. In this position, both your elbows will be pointed toward the ground.

Begin your motion and roll

It's fairly common for beginners to forego the approach and just start right at the foul line. You can roll from there until you feel comfortable enough to start back a little farther. Spend a few minutes watching other bowlers to see how they do it. How many steps do they take to reach the foul line? What does their motion look like? How hard are they rolling the ball? Take a few frames to experiment with different forms until you develop one that works for you. Here are some basics to think about:

• From your position at the start of the approach, it should take between three and six steps to reach the foul line, depending on your stride. Experiment to see how many steps work best for you.
  
  
• Some people prefer to look at the pins as they make their approach. Some find it easier to look only at the seven dots before the foul line.
  
  
• Your knees should be slightly bent and your back arched slightly forward, toward the pins. As you get closer to the line, speed up.
  
  
• Leave the ball positioned in front of your chest until you get two or three steps from the foul line, depending on your comfort level. As you step forward, smoothly let your arm drop and swing the ball back behind yourself until it's a little below shoulder level.

• Bring your arm forward in a smooth, swinging motion, and release the ball down the alley, simultaneously sliding your opposite leg forward until the foot reaches the foul line. The other knee is bent toward the floor. Your fingers and thumb should come out of the ball at the same time. Keep your palm facing up as you continue the swinging motion, now without the ball. Don't twist your wrist.
  
  
• Lean forward, into the roll, with your opposite knee pointed toward the pins. Most of your weight is now on this leg.
  
  
• Follow-through is important. Your arm should end up completing a semicircle, and finish with your elbow adjacent to your cheek and your wrist slightly above your head.

Think about special shots

You'll no doubt face tricky situations where one or more pins are left standing at different spots and angles after your first ball. For instance, if there's only one pin left and it's standing in the extreme left-hand corner, you'll have to conduct some experiments to determine where on the foul line you should roll from, and what angle to use.

Some people prefer to stand directly across from the pin and roll a perfectly straight shot right along the edge of the lane. Others prefer rolling from the opposite corner of the foul line, attempting a ball that cuts across the lane at the correct angle. Use the dots and arrows to help with your aim, and make adjustments accordingly.

Now, what are you waiting for? To bowl or not to bowl is no longer a question for you. It's time to phone a friend and jump right into the bowling action.

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