Bowling Glossary

LANE: The actual playing area, which is 42 inches wide and 62 feet, 10 3/4 inches long. The gutters and the approach are not part of the lane. "Lanes" can be used to describe the entire center.

LATE 10: Said of the 10-pin when it is the last to fall on a strike, usually after a moment's hesitation.

LATE TIMING: When your release of the ball occurs slightly after the slide begins (or in the extreme case, when the slide is over or nearly over); often referred as the "plant and throw" release; if your body is "planted" it allows you to use more upper body and arm strength to whip the ball through the release adding more lift and power. Taught by some coaches as the ideal release. One way to try get late timing is by holding/carrying the ball a tinge longer in your approach before executing the push-away. If you are consistently coming up light, you may be suffering from a case of late timing. One cure is to start your pushaway earlier as this will tend to produce earlier timing. See also "early timing".

LATERAL PITCH: Angling of the thumbhole and/or finger holes to the left or the right. Used to assist in the exit timing of the ball (i.e. how fast or easily it comes off your hand); improper lateral pitch can cause blisters or sore spots on your thumb or finger.

LEFT FIELD: Area left of head pin: (and RIGHT FIELD - area right of head pin).

LENGTH: Length is an evaluation of how far a ball will travel before it begins to hook. Length does not include skid produced by lane conditioner, additional fine sanding, or the use of "liquid sandpaper" polishes. BTM uses the Danger Zone as a control ball and it has an assigned length value of 2 on a scale of 10.

LEVERAGE: Refers to a balance position at the foul line such that you are able to come through the ball with power; to increase leverage you can have slightly late timing.

LEVERAGE DRILLING: A method of drilling the ball so that it tends to skid farther and finish harder (go long .. hit hard). A balance hole is needed to bring the ball back into compliance with ABC rules in such a drilling. It is a drilling pattern with both the pin and the cg located 3-3/8" from the bowler's P.A.P., usually requires an extra balance hole.

LEVERAGE POINT: A point on the ball surface located 3 3/8" from the bowler's positive axis point (P.A.P.).

LIGHT: A hit on the pins that is not full; too much right or left of center.

LIGHTS OUT: Two distinctly different meanings: (1) when a player shoots incredible high scores; "He shot lights out."; or, to indicate a breakdown in your game; "The lights went out."

LIND'S: Lind Shoe Company; one of the makers of premium bowling shoes. See also "Dexter's"

LINE: (1) The path the ball takes; one game of bowling. (2) Dated synonym for a game of bowling.

LOAFING: Delivering the ball without sufficient lift, which usually results in its rolling off to the right (for a right-handed bowler).

LOB: To toss the ball over the lob line which is 10 feet from the approach side of the foul line.

LOFT: The distance the ball travels between time of release and the time it hits the lane. A bowler often needs to adjust the loft somewhat to increase or decrease rotation.

LOFTING: Throwing the ball onto the lane well beyond the foul line; can cause damage to the lane if excessive; can be used to "shorten" the lane which may help with lanes that hook too much for your normal shot.

LOGS: Heavy pins that are often used for practice, since they generally require more precise hits to achieve good scores. Pins that fall with difficulty; very heavy pins.

LONG OIL: Condition in which the lane conditioner is applied from the foul line farther than normal. There is no magic standard, but 35-40 feet or more of application is often considered long oil. It can be a more difficult condition in that there will be less backend to generate pocket entry angle.

LOOP/LOOPING THE BALL: A slow big hook. Also, the act of bringing your throwing hand behind your back in your armswing as it "loops" from out to in; generally not desirable. See also "armswing", "inside out armswing" and "outside in armswing".

LOOSE HIT: A hit low in the pocket, more on the 3-pin for a righthander and the 2-pin for a leftie, than on the head pin. Also known as a low hit.

LOSE THE BALL: The dropping of the ball off your hand early; the ball slipping out of your hand.

LOSE THE SHOT: When you start missing the pocket after several frames of being consistently in the pocket.

LOVE TAP: A very light on one pin from another that just barely knocks it down.

LOW AT THE LINE: Refers to your body position at the point of release. Many coaches suggest that the optimum body position for balance is to be slightly bent at the waist with a deep knee bend. This puts your body in a well balanced position and aids leverage/power; if you rear up at the line during the release you will lose accuracy and tend to pull the ball too high.

LUSTER KING: A machine that applies a wax like substance to the surface of a ball; it promotes less hook.