You may already know some of the more
common bowling terms, like strikes and spares, but what
about a Barmaid? And what's a Portsider? For the more
curious-minded among you, here are a few of the bizarre phrases
used around the world, in Tenpin bowling.
A Barmaid- that's a pin you can't see, because
it's hidden behind another pin.
A Burner- ever had a pin stay standing even
after it's been hit by the ball or another pin? That's a
burner.
Dump- when the ball lands loudly on the lane,
after it's been thrown in the air. We're all guilty of this at some
point.
Do you bowl with your left hand? Here's a heads-up, a
left-handed bowler is known as
a Portsider.
You've probably heard of
a Turkey before (that's 3 strikes in a
row), but the dinner-related words don't stop there. You can also
score a:
Hambone- 4 strikes in a row.
Ham-turkey dinner- 7 strikes in a row (that's a
turkey and a hambone added together).
Golden Turkey- 9 strikes in a row.
Turkey Sandwich- that's when you get a spare, a
turkey and then another spare.
Luckily, the food-related terminology stops here. In terms of
strikes, you can also get a Strike Out, when
you manage to get 3 strikes in a row on the very last frame.
If you should happen to get eleven strikes in a row, (well done,
if you do!) then you're 'one day from retirement'.
What does that mean? Well, if you get one more strike (twelve
strikes is the most you can get in one game) then you've achieved
the highest score you can get. In other words, you're one strike
away from a Perfect Game.
So there you have it, just a few of the odder phrases you'll
hear in a bowling alley. You could even try slipping them into
conversation next time you go bowling!
