Spare Combinations
The Bedposts
What is "The 7-10?"
When your foot goes over the line.
What is "A Foul?"
The main pattern a bowling alley uses.
What is "A House Shot?"
This type of bowling does not require every single pin to fall.
What is "No-Tap?"
The 1-3 or the 1-2 depending on which hand you use.
What is "The Pocket?"
This spare consists of 4 pins huddled up together on the same side of the lane.
What is "A Bucket?"
There are 39 of these.
What are "Boards?"
When you want a bowling ball that won't hook as much, it's a good idea to have one of these in you're bag.
What is "Eurethane?"
No Handicap
What is "Scratch?"
The 4-6-7-10.
What is "The Big Four?"
The corner pin for a left hander's dominant hand.
What is "The 7 pin?"
This term refers to a loose pin in the gutter or on the lane.
What is "Deadwood"?
Hitting the pocket opposite of the hand you use.
What is "A Brooklyn?"
The first bowler in the team.
What is "The Leadoff?"
The pin closest to the foul line.
This term for a combination involving the 1-2-10 and potentially other pins.
What is "A Washout"?
Any game where you make every spare.
What is "A Clean Game?"
When you toss the bowling ball so it doesn't hit the lane immediately.
What is "Loft?"
Usually there are 7 of these, one for each 5 boards.
What are "Arrows?"
A pattern characteristic where you cannot miss left or right at all.
What is "Flat?"
Sometimes referred to as a Lily.
What is "A 5-7-10?"
My favorite term, it means four in a row.
What is "A Hambone?"
Strikes in even numbered frames, spares in odd numbered frames, and Strike Spare in the 10th.
What is "A Dutch 200?"
When 5 bowlers bowl in the same one game.
What is "Baker?"
Any time there is a pin directly behind another one, and they are the only two pins up.
What is "Double Wood?"