Just like any sport, bowling has its own word bank. Many of the words can be confusing to new bowlers. I’ve listed a few words below that are common in bowling that may help you understand the sport more when bowlers talk.
Greek Church – This when you leave the 4, 6, 7, 8, 10 or 4, 6, 7, 9, 10 on your first ball. It’s difficult to pick up.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYMNT4eZWsc
Big Four – that is when you leave the 4, 6, 7, 10 on your first ball.
Carry Down – There is oil on the lanes to protect the lanes and to be the “invisible” course. When your ball rolls over the oil it carries it down the lane and deposits it down further on the lane. When the ball leaves some oil on the part of the lane that doesn’t have oil (the last 20 feet usually of the lane). When your ball rolls through or over that area and your ball doesn’t hook anymore that’s considered carry down.
Fresh – When the lanes have just been oiled.
Baby split – when you leave the 3-10 or 2-7 on the first ball.
Stuffed – when you throw a great shot and something is left standing. Usually a pin in the back row like the 7, 8, 9 or 10 pin.
Messenger – when you hit the pins and one pin goes from one side of the lane to the other. Sometimes the messenger knocks down a pin or pins.
Run - when you have multiple strikes in a row. Usually 5 strikes in a row or more.
Pocket - The part of the pins that you want to hit on the first ball. For right handers it is between the headpin and 3 pin and for left handers it’s between the headpin and 2 pin.
Tap / Tapped – when you throw the first ball and one pin is left standing.
Turkey – when you throw three strikes in a row.
Transition – when the oil on the lanes has been bowled on a lot and the condition changes. The oil is being carried down and moving around on the lane to force you to move left or right to strike. This usually happens in game 2 or 3 and can continue to transition throughout the set.
Surface - when you sand or scuff the surface of your bowling ball. This makes the ball grittier therefore rolling earlier and hooking more.
Over Under – When the oil has moved around on the lane and when you throw your ball to the right of your mark (if you’re a right hander) and it doesn’t hook and when you miss your mark to the left and it hooks a lot.
Hang / Hang Spot – When you throw your ball and it should be making a motion to the left and it hits a patch of oil (that you can’t see) on the lane and forces your ball to go straight or further to the right instead of left (all if you’re a right handed bowler).
Break Point - the invisible point down the lane when your ball starts to make a move left towards the pocket (if you’re right handed). Usually between 40-50 ft down the lane.
High / Go High – when you hit too much of the pocket. The ball is more on the headpin than between the 1 and 3 pin (for right handers).
Flush – when you hit it square in the pocket and it strikes.
High Flush - when it’s slightly high on the head pin but still strikes.
Face / Going Thru the Face – is when you hit the head pin straight on, on your first ball.
Chop - when you have a multiple pin spare in a cluster and you knock over only a few pins, leaving some standing.
Ball Reaction - When the ball goes down the lane, the ball makes a motion, usually with a slight curve. You can see the ball skidding, hooking and rolling. Reading ball reaction is important to know and realize to make sure you have the right ball in your hand and you’re playing the right part of the lane.
Series – you score when you add up your games in one set. Usually a series in league consists of 3 to 4 games. In a tournament it could be more.
Triplicate – when you have a series of all the same games (ex. 175, 175, 175).
Plus or Minus – when someone asks you “What are you plus?” this means what does your score add up to based on 200. In bowling par is 200. So if you shoot a 210 then you’re plus 10. If you shoot 185 then you’re minus 15.