YES, REALLY: Bowling Seeks to Become Olympic Sport
Bowling is a fun way to blow a couple of hours with your friends. But would you consider it a true test of athleticism, one that the ancient Greeks might have aspired to master? Probably not.
Earlier this month at the World Bowling Tour Finals in Las Vegas, the Professional Bowler’s Association tested a new scoring system, hoping to grab the attention of the International Olympic Committee.
The trial scoring system actually draws from golf, emphasizing the “frame” as analogous to a hole-by-hole score in match play golf. It is designed to be simpler and less confusing for spectators and to quicken the pace to increase suspense and excitement.
- A match will involve 12 frames.
- In each frame, each player will throw one shot.
- If Player A gets a higher pin count than Player B, he/she will win the frame.
- If both players strike, the frame will be tied.
- If neither player strikes, but each has the same pin count, each player will try to convert the spare. If both successfully convert their spares, the frame will be a tie. If one player has a higher pin count than the other after two shots, that player will win the frame.
- Scoring for the match will reflect who has won the most frames (example, 1 up, 2 up, etc. All-square means the match is tied.)
- At the point one player has won more frames than frames remain (example: 3 up after 10 frames), he/she will be declared the winner.
- If a match is “all-square” after 12 frames, the tie will be broken using the single-frame format described above until the tie is broken.
RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
MOST POPULAR
YES, REALLY: Bowling Seeks to Become Olympic Sport
Bowling is a fun way to blow a couple of hours with your friends. But would you consider it a true test of athleticism, one that the ancient Greeks might have aspired to master? Probably not.
Earlier this month at the World Bowling Tour Finals in Las Vegas, the Professional Bowler’s Association tested a new scoring system, hoping to grab the attention of the International Olympic Committee.
The trial scoring system actually draws from golf, emphasizing the “frame” as analogous to a hole-by-hole score in match play golf. It is designed to be simpler and less confusing for spectators and to quicken the pace to increase suspense and excitement.
- A match will involve 12 frames.
- In each frame, each player will throw one shot.
- If Player A gets a higher pin count than Player B, he/she will win the frame.
- If both players strike, the frame will be tied.
- If neither player strikes, but each has the same pin count, each player will try to convert the spare. If both successfully convert their spares, the frame will be a tie. If one player has a higher pin count than the other after two shots, that player will win the frame.
- Scoring for the match will reflect who has won the most frames (example, 1 up, 2 up, etc. All-square means the match is tied.)
- At the point one player has won more frames than frames remain (example: 3 up after 10 frames), he/she will be declared the winner.
- If a match is “all-square” after 12 frames, the tie will be broken using the single-frame format described above until the tie is broken.