Ten-pin bowling

Ten-Pin Bowling is a sport with a simple aim—knock down as many targets as possible by rolling a ball down a wooden pathway. The game is made more difficult by gutters which run along either side of this pathway (called the "lane"). If a ball falls into this gutter, no targets will be hit, and therefore no score will be acquired.

Regulations

The regulations listed here are generally based around regulations set by the United States Bowling Congress (formed by the merger of the American Bowling Congress and the Women's International Bowling Congress). These rules are followed by all sanctioned leagues and events, such as tournaments.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Lane Dimensions

The bowling lane is 60 feet (18.28 metres) from the foul line to the head pin (1-pin); of that distance, there are 15 feet (4.57 metres) from the foul line to the guide arrows. The lane is 42 inches (106.7 cm) wide and normally consists of 39 wooden boards or a synthetic material. The bowling lane has two sets of approach dots; from the foul line back to the first set of approach dots is 12 feet (3.65 metres) and to the second set of approach dots is 15 feet (4.57 metres) (an additional 3 feet/91 cm).

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ball Regulations

For competition bowling, a ball must be made of a completely solid material and its weight must be distributed evenly. The circumference of the ball must not be more than 27 inches (68.6 cm), and the ball cannot weigh more than 16 pounds (7.26 kg). The ball must have a smooth surface over its entire circumference except for holes or indentations used for gripping the ball, identification letters and numbers, and general wear from normal use.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~