Bowling Glossary

Sandbagger
A bowler who cheats by bowling badly on purpose and keeping his average low during league in order to take advantage of a high handicap used in tournaments based on that league average.

Sanding A Ball
To change the surface of the coverstock in order to create more friction and hook. This is typically done on a ball spinner.

Scotch Doubles
A format of play where the two bowlers on each team play alternate shots throughout the game.

Scratch
No handicap added to the scores.

Second Arrow
The second arrow from the gutter which is the tenth board.

Semi-Roller
The typical type of ball roll in today's game. The track is slightly outside of the thumb and finger holes.

Semi-Spinner
A track that is lower that normal and which means the axis tilt is pointing more up and down which creates more of a spinning type of roll.

Series
The set of games in whatever you event you are bowling. Normally series means three games of league but can refer to any set of games.

Settee
The area behind the lanes where people can sit down between shots and where the scoring machine is located.

Setting The Ball Short
This is when the ball is not projected out onto the lane very well. It is usually a shot without much power because of lack of leverage.

Shadow Ball
A practice ball rolled on a lane without pins.

Short Oil
A lane oil pattern that doesn't go very far down the lane. Creates a lot of hook on the back end.

Sidewalls
Boards on the sides of the lanes at the pit end. The create pin action by having the pins bounce off of them.

Sixpack
Six strikes in a row.

Sixth Arrow
The sixth targeting arrow when counting from gutter.

Skid
The skids through the front part of the lane before making it's move to the pocket on the back end.

Sleeper
A pin that is behind another. Sometimes overlooked by beginners.

Slide
The last step of the delivery where the bowler slides.

Slug
An insert into one or more holes that can be drilled into. They can be used to change a grip or just to create a consistent feel from ball to ball.

Snap
A hard hooking ball on the back end of the lane. Can be caused partly by very clean and dry back ends and partly be the ball and released used.

Solid
A type of coverstock that is not made with any pearlized element.

Span
Distance from the thumb hole to the finger holes.

Spare
Knocking all the pins with two balls.

Spare Ball
A ball used for making spares. Higher average bowlers will use the polyester type of coverstock for making spares because it hooks less and is more predictable.

Spinner
A type of ball roll that has a very low track.

Splice
This is where the pine meets the maple in a wood lane.

Split
A leave in which the head pin is down and the remaining pins are spaced more than one pin apart

Static
The weights in the ball when weighing one half against the other. Includes finger or thumb, positive or negative, and top or bottom weight. This cover the three ways to weigh the ball in relation to the grip.

Stepladder
A format used at the end of an event where the lowest qualifying bowler plays a match against the qualifier above and the winner goes on to play the next highest qualifier until the top qualifier bowls and an ultimate winner is determined.

Stone
The leaving of a pin on a flush and powerful shot.

Straight Player
A player goes for accuracy instead of power usually a more consistent looking type of bowler.

Strike
The object of the game. Knocking ten pins down on the first ball. .

String
Strikes in a row, the more the better.

Strip The Lanes
Taking all the oil off the lanes before oiling them with a fresh pattern.

Stroker
A type of player that tries to utilize accuracy more than power.

Suitcase Grip
Type of release not used much. simulates holding the handle of a suitcase and creates little hook.

Sweeper
A type of tournament. Usually very short, only a couple of games and held before a main event.

Swing Area
The area a bowler creates to the area outside of the optimum line. Room for error.