Bowling Alley
Bowling is a leisure activity in which a player rolls a bowling ball down the bowling alley with the aim to strike all the bowling pins staged at the end of the alley. The game includes two or more teams and the aim is to strike more pins than the opposite team to win.
Candlepin Bowling
The balls are small and the pins are thin and candle-like in appearance. These pins are frustratingly hard to trip over.
The ball: These are the smallest bowling balls, weighing 2 pounds at max., 7 ounces, having a diameter of about 4.5’.
The pins: In this type of bowling, the fallen pins aren’t cleared between frames, adding another layer of difficulty. Their formation triangular-shaped, just like 10-pins.
Number of frames (commonly referred to as “boxes”) in a game: 10
Number of turns for each frame: 3
Duckpin Bowling
It is the middle way between 10-pin and candlepin; it maintains 10-pin’s pin setting and basic rules while adopting candlepin’s lighter and smaller ball and three-ball frames. It’s easier to get a spare or strike than in candlepin as its pins are short and stout.
Benefits of Bowling
- Increases muscle strength.
- Improves flexibility.
- Burns anywhere from 150 to 300 calories.
- It is a low-impact exercise.
5 Types of Bowling
10-Pin Bowling
In this type of bowling, 10 bowling pins are arranged in a triangular formation. The formation is known as a “frame”.
Number of frames in one game: 10
Number of turns given to strike each frame: 2
9-Pin Bowling
There are no individual scores in this type of bowling game. There are supposed to be six players on each team, and each player is given two turns. Unlike the 10-pin bowling games, the pins in 9-pin are not reset after each player has taken their strike. Instead, the next player picks up where the previous player had left off till all the pins are knocked down, after which the pins are re-set.
Another interesting twist in 9-pin is that the pins are set in a diamond formation All the pins are white, except for the red central pin, which is called a “12-pin” or a “redhead.” If a player strikes every pin down in one turn, then they are awarded 9 points. However, if they manage to strike down all the pins but the redhead, they are awarded 12 points, as it is a much harder feat and requires skills.
The pins: The pins are set in a diamond shape, with the red pin in the middle. All games of 9-pin are set manually: by a human pin-setter.
Number of frames in each game: 6
Number of turns for each frame: 2
5-Pin Bowling
5 pins are set in a V shape, and each pin is worth a different number of points. Players roll a hand-sized ball down the alley, trying to hit the central pin for 5 points and cause a domino effect to gain 15 total points.
The ball: They do not have finger holes because of their small size.
The pins: Smaller than 10-pins.
Number of frames in a game: 10
Number of turns for each frame: 3