How to Keep Score in Bowling

Even though most bowling alleys have a computer that does the automatic scoring for you, you really should know how to keep score yourself. Chances are you may find yourself in an older bowling alley that has not been updated with the latest technology. Even with the automatic scoring system, you should know how to do the scoring with the paper and pencil system of years ago in case you need to dispute a score. Computers are like humans; they are not perfect and can make mistakes too.

As a refresher, a game of bowling consists of ten frames where you have two chances to knock down all ten pins in a frame. In the last frame you have the chance to bowl three strikes. There are several symbols you should know where recording your score. An X means that you bowled a strike. A slash (/) is marked when you bowl a spare. A dash (-) shows that you did not knock down any pins. This is when you bowl a gutter ball or do not hit any pins. An F indicates that you had a foul, such as crossing over the foul line.

From the beginning of the game, you add the number of pins that you knock down during each frame. You mark the pins down after your first roll and after the second. You get bonus points for when you bowl a strike or a spare. For example if you bowl a strike in the first frame, you get bonus points for the pins you knock down with your next two balls. So in the second frame if you knock down five pins on the first ball and nine on the second, your score on the first frame will be nineteen. If you bowl a spare, then you get bonus points on the pins you knock down on your next ball. In the above example, if you bowled a spare instead of a strike in the first frame, then your score for the first frame will be a fifteen.

It is sometimes hard to keep accurate score as you are playing, not only that it is considered to be bad luck. If a you keep getting strikes and spares, you will have to wait for several frames before you can start adding. Unless if you are very good at the math, it is better to wait until the end of the game to add up the final score. You sometimes have to jump back and forth between frames if people keep bowling strikes and spares. Below is a sample game:

In the Frame 1 you get a spare. You score is ten. In the second frame, on the first roll you knock down 6 pins. Your score for Frame one is 16.

In the Frame 2 you knock down 5 pins on the first roll, and 3 on the second. You have nine points. Add this to to your score in Frame 1. Your score for Frame 2 is 24..

In Frame 3, you knock down eight pins. Add this score to your Frame 2 score. Your score for Frame 3 is 32.

In Frame 4 you bowl a strike. You earn ten points for the strike plus the amount of pins you knock down on your next two balls. In Frame 5 you bowl a strike. On the next ball you knock down 5 pins. You have 25 points for this frame. Add this score to your Frame 3 score. Your score for Frame 4 is 57.

In Frame 5 you bowl another strike. Once again you get ten points for the strike plus the amount of balls you knock down on your next two balls. In Frame 6 you get a spare, by knocking down five balls with each turn. You have 20 points for this frame. Add this score to your Frame 4 score. Your score for Frame 5 is 77.

In Frame 6, you get a spare. You get ten points plus the pins you knock down on your next ball. On your first ball in Frame 7, you kncok down 4 pins. You have 14 pins in Frame six. Add this score to your Frame 5 score. Your score for Frame 6 is 91.

In Frame 7, you knock down nine pines. Add this score to your Frame 6 score. Your score for Frame 7 is 100.

In Frame 8, you knock down 9 pins. Add this score to your Frame 7 score. Your score for Frame 8 is 109.

In Frame 9 you get a spare. On your first ball in Frame 10, you knock down 9 pins. You get nineteen points for this frame. Add this score to your Frame 8 score. Your score for Frame 9 is 128.

In Frame 10, you get a spare. Since you get an extra ball on this frame, you get a strike. You get 20 points for this frame. Add this score to your Frame 9 score. Your score for Frame 10, and the game, is 148.

Who knows if you will ever need to keep score in bowling. However, it is a handy thing to know how to do. Some day you might be on a quiz show such as Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? and one of the questions may have to do with keeping score while bowling.