10 Pin Bowling

Bowling Ball - All bowling balls are the same size, the only differences are weight, holes and colours. My bowling ball weighs in at 13 pounds.
Bowling Bag - Saves a lot of hastles carrying everything around, will hold a bowling ball, pair of bowling shoes (up to size 12), mobile phone, chalker, clothes, and a couple of other things that might be used.
Bowling Shoes - Getting comfy shoes can be crucial for your gameplay, they take a little getting used to at first though as they generally slide more than house shoes.
Chalker - Something I am so glad I bought! Basically its a bag full of chalk, and when tapped onto your bowling hand, places chalk to ensure your hands are dry and gives good grip and slip where needed.
Cloth - Hmmm, yep its a cloth! You should always try to keep your ball clean while playing, though some players prefer a tacky/gripped ball compared to a sliding one, each to their own.

NOTE : All the kit you see cost me less than Ł100!

The basic idea of the game is you start off with 1 game, consisting of 10 sets to which you have 2 shots (3 shots on set 10 depending on your shot, explained later). You can usually have 1 to 6 players in one alley, can't say I've seen any more than that in one alley as it would be a little crouded! Each player gets 2 attempts to knock down 10 pins in each set, if the player gets all the pins down with the first shot (a "strike") then they don't have any more pins to knock down, so it moves to the next player. If you don't get a strike then you use your remaining shot to try to clear the remaining pins, if you clear all the pins on the last shot, its called a "spare", and then its the next persons shot. This continues throughout the game until the last set, this is where you can finish off big style, if you get a "strike" on the first shot, you gain 2 extra shots, so you can get an additional 2 "strike"'s, making a total of 3 "strike"'s in the last set, additionally, if you get a "spare" on the second shot, you get one additional shot for a bonus "strike" to finish. Another part I won't go into is the points system, its a headache and only a few actually can understand and work it out in real time, but the computers keep the scores so thats a bonus, but simply the person with the most points accumulated at the end of a game is the winner.

Terminology
Strike - is when a player gets all the pins down with their first shot, this allows for additional points to be added and gained from shots in the next set.
Spare - is when a player gets all the pins down using their second shot, again allowing for additional points to be added from the next set.
Split - Only seen this marked on the computers at Kascada Bowl, a split is where you have 2 pins that aren't next to another adjacent pin ie. the most nasty is the 7-10 split as these pins are the furthest from each other and near impossible to get both with 1 shot, unless you get one pin to bounce around hard enough to catch the other somehow, VERY RARE! Smaller splits like a 7-9 aren't impossible but still tricky to get.

There are other things but are only generally used in competition, and aren't necessary to mention to general bowlers.

10 pin bowling is a great sport to play, its sociable and friendly (unless theres sore losers!), great for fitness (those balls get heavy after a lot of games!), and just about anyone can play. I started bowling from about 7 years of age, back when I lived in canada, I used to go about once a week, but at the time, being a small lad, I could only really play 6 pin bowling, its a smaller version of 10 pin just with smaller and less pins with additionally smaller ball sizes (½ of normal size). Like computers, I enjoyed bowling, but when your young, sometimes you simply find better things to do with your childhood where possible, so bowling was forgotten. In my 20's, I went on the odd occasion, when all my friends fancied a night out somewhere, I really enjoyed all that, but this time round everyone else got married or whatever and we simply lost contact and the bowling disappeared once again. Now, at 34, I had a chance to go with friends to bowling, and I was this time well hooked, my technique seemed to click and I was able to win a lot of matches, after going a few times, I've decided I want to stick in with 10 pin, so I've gone all out and got kitted up as well as bumping into a really brilliant guy from Durham who teaches people how to bowl properly.

The guy I'm refering to is called Norman Ewan, who runs a pro shop within Kascada Bowl in Durham. He is the man to know if you're starting bowling, can even teach us old dogs new tricks, no shit! When you go to him, don't be shocked by him, he's done bowling for a good 40 years and knows everything he needs to so that you get the right stuff, you can walk through the door and he'll tell you what weight you should be using before you even pick a ball up, yep he's that good! Before I went to Norman, I was using 10 pound house balls, when I went to Norman I ended up with a 13 pound ball, the funny thing is that the 13 pound ball felt about the same as a 10 pound ball, this will be explained later.

I think Norman is brill and I have the utmost respect for him, not only does he make the ball up to fit you, but also will check to ensure you know how not to throw the ball etc. and throwing a house ball isn't the same as throwing a ball made for you! Right I'll try to explain the reasons for the difference of using your own ball...basically, a bowling ball should fit you like getting a pair of gloves to fit, you need the right distance between thumb and finger holes, diameter of finger holes are crucial and angle etc. Most people that have used house balls and gone to their own ball find its tricky to loose the "claw" hold that you develope for throwing balls that aren't measured up, the claw hold is no use in a person ball, so you need to literally start from scratch in regards to your ball release.

People seem to think its a case of simply throwing the ball, so many people cannot get the technique right, if you master the technique, there is no reason why you should get at least a spare on each round unless you get a "split" in which case its tricky to finish on a spare. I'm not going to go into the technique of throwing a ball as there are so many websites out there that give you a general idea of how to bowl, but if you're in in the North East of the UK, give Norman a visit and he'll certainly give you the best advice I've found anywhere. Details of how to contact Norman will follow later on.

There are other accessories you can purchase, but the kit I have in the picture is the basics of what you need if you want to take it to the next level beyond the usual player. One thing to mention is wrist supports, these are a godsend to anyone that has a limp wrist, its not a professional thing at all so don't be put off by getting one if you feel your wrist is not allowing you to keep the stroke of your ball straight, professionals apparently use them to give them extra support for heavy balls and the spinning of the ball. Some people throw better with a heavy ball but find their wrist gives up on them, get a wrist support, you aren't a dork for wearing one, but you are if you need to and don't bother!

FACTS
You DO NOT need to put spin on a ball like a professional to get a "strike" and any good teacher will not tell you to in the first place.
Technique IS crucial to getting those illusive "strike"'s in each set, though some people are just born lucky!
Drinking DOES NOT make you play better, and its a pity some people have to drink too much and ruin it for others.
House balls are NO GOOD for most people, and are probably hindering your real capabilities, especially left-handed people, ALL house balls are RIGHT-HANDED!
Getting your own kit makes a BIG difference!

Below is a list of bowling centres in the North East along with comments in regards to that bowling centre.

NAME	CENTRE INFORMATION	COMMENTS
AMF Bowling (Newcastle)	Newcastle Bowl, Westgate Road, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. NE4 8RN Tel: 0191 2730236 Get Directions	Haven't played here but I did have a good look at the lanes and their house balls were in a VERY BAD state, not somewhere to take your kit, only 10 lanes as well, very poor by AMF standards.
AMF Bowling (Washington)	The Galleries Leisure Park, Washington Centre, Washington, Tyne and Wear. NE38 7SB Tel: 0845 6581286 Get Directions	Haven't personally visited here yet but been told its reasonably maintained, so anyone that uses this place send me some feedback please.
Kascada Bowl	Walkergate, Durham, County Durham. DH1 1SQ Tel: 0191 3830300 Get Directions	The best place I've bowled so far. An excellent place to bowl, fast lanes and very well maintained, includes a pro shop (run by Norman Ewan, respect!), arcade, restaurant and bar.
MegaBowl	1 Garden Walk, The Metro Centre, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear. NE11 9XY Tel: 0871 5501010 Get Directions	Well, visited this place, and decided after 2 games that there is no way I could carry on playing there, the balls are in very bad condition and if very limited size differences, the lanes are dryer than the Sahara Desert and are also in bad condition, general appearance is very shabby, simply not worth going to if you want a good game of bowling. Can't believe the standard of the place considering its letting the Metrocentre respect down.
Star Bowl	Rotory Way, Royal Quays, North Shields. NE29 6DA Tel: 0191 2962906 Fax: 0191 2962610	This is well awsome, lanes are very well oiled, clean and tidy, and some great value time can be had.
The Dunes Bowl	The Dunes Amusements, Sea Road, South Shields, Tyne and Wear. NE33 2LD Tel: 0191 4555255 Get Directions	Not visited yet, had no comments, so anyone that goes here, can you please send me some feedback.
Whitley Bay Ice Bowl	Hillheads Road, Whitley Bay, Tyne and Wear. NE25 8HP Tel: 0191 2911000 Get Directions	From past experience, I know this place isn't maintained very much at all, even Fred Flintstone's ball is rounder!
XS Super Bowl	Whitley Road, Longbenton, Newcastle Upon Tyne, Tyne and Wear. NE12 9SR Tel: 0191 2150901 Get Directions	I slated this place a while back but finally someone out there has apparently bought out a few bowling alley and are revamping the whole lot of them, installing new computer systems, resurfacing the alleys etc. which is something this place has needed for a while, great to go there now and saves having to travel all the way to durham for a decent game.

Anyone got information about any of the above bowling centres or even one I haven't mentioned, please feel free to send information/feedback to me.