Rules and Policy
Bowling
Bowling Rules
SPIRIT POINTS: An integral part of all the sports that the Moncton Sport & Social Club offers. It is based on the primary focus of the MSSC, which is sportsmanship and to have FUN...NOT on competitive and aggressive sport.
1. Equipment/Field Set-Up: All Bowling equipment shall be provided at the Bowling Lanes (Shoes, Balls, etc).
2. Game Time/Default: Please arrive 15 minutes early so that you can get the proper equipment and start your games on time. Games are 2 hours in length, and a maximum of 3 games are to be played in that time. Please agree on one person to act as timekeeper.
Teams are comprised of five (5) players; however a team can play with a minimum of three (3) players. If there are only three players, a score of 60 plus the players handicap will be given to the absent players in each game.
There are no gender requirements for bowling, however we strongly encourage teams to be co-ed. A default will occur if any team cannot field the minimum requirement of players by 15 minutes after the official start time. Captains may agree to waive the rules regarding minimum players, and should be decided before the game starts. IF IT IS AGREED THAT THE GAME COUNTS, IT COUNTS!
3. General Rules:
- Before game begins, captains will either do a coin toss or play "rock-paper-scissors" to determine which team has choice of lanes. Each team with then bowl in their respective lanes, and must have one person bowling for each team at all times. (Note: Bowlers on the right always go first).
- GAME (string): A game shall consist of ten frames (boxes) in each of which three balls shall be rolled, except when a player scores a strike or spare, called marks.
- One player from each team bowls on their provided lane at the same time. Players alternate taking shots. Once that pairing is had bowled their box, the next set of teammates go. This continues until every player has bowled 10 boxes.
- STRIKE: A "strike" occurs when ten pins are downed with the first ball. To score a strike, the bowler receives ten plus the number of pins downed by the next two balls rolled by that bowler.
- SPARE: A "spare" occurs when ten pins are downed with the first two balls. To score a spare the bowler receives ten plus the number of pins downed by the next ball rolled by that bowler.
- NO MARK: When three balls are rolled, the bowler receives credit for the total number of pins knocked down in the frame.
- TWO CONSECUTIVE STRIKES: Scores as follows:
- Frame in which first strike is made: Score 20 plus the number downed by the first ball rolled in the second following frame.
- Frame in which second strike is made: Score 10 plus the number downed by the first two balls in the next following frame.
- THREE CONSECUTIVE STRIKES: Score as follows:
- Frame in which first strike is made: Score 30
- Frame in which second strike is made: Score 20 plus the number downed by the first ball rolled in the second following frame.
- Frame in which third strike is made: Score 10 plus the number downed by the first two balls in the next following frame.
- CONSECUTIVE STRIKES OVER THREE: Score as per explanation in rule #6 above.
- MARK IN FRAME 10: A bowler scoring a strike or a spare in the tenth frame shall immediately roll one or two balls, as necessary, to complete that frame. The frame must be completed on the same lane on which the strike or spare is bowled.
- SCORING: The score sheet, telescore and/or automatic scorer shall remain visible to all players at all times. No unfair tactics will be tolerated.
- RECORDING INDIVIDUAL SCORES: Except for addition errors, it is the bowler’s sole responsibility to see that his/her score is recorded properly FRAME by FRAME.
- SCORES ARE OFFICIAL: When records are turned in (to the secretary/statistician) by the captain or official, corrections cannot be made after points are awarded
- Throwers must release the bowling ball before the foul line.
4. Foul Rules:
1. Foul Line Rule: A player in delivering the ball must not let his action cause him to slide over, step on or over the foul line, nor permit any part of his body or clothing to come in contact with the lanes, gutters, ball returns, division boards, walls, uprights or floors which are beyond the foul line, at any time after the ball passes over and beyond the foul line, nor until he shall have picked up a ball and completed his succeeding delivery, under penalty of foul. (See foul line and lob line penalty).
a. Any object which falls from the pocket or person of a bowler shall not constitute a foul.
b. Bowlers are not allowed beyond the foul line under any circumstances.
c. When a bowler, while in possession of a ball accidentally fouls while taking a practice slide, the bowler will lose that ball. The penalty is the same as the foot foul rule.
2. Lob line rule: Bowling is a game of rolling, not throwing balls. Any ball that does not, in its forward motion, touch the playing area before the lob line, shall be considered a lobbed ball and shall suffer the foul penalty. See FOUL LINE AND LOB LINE PENALTIES BELOW. Note continuous infractions of this rule will result in disqualification.
3. Foul line and lob penalties are the same as for gutter balls.
4. Cleared Gutters: Both gutters must be cleared of any pins or balls before the first ball is delivered in any frame. The penalty is the same as if the first ball is a foul.
5. Deliberate Fouls:
a. Any bowler who deliberately rolls two balls simultaneously will score a zero for the frame.
6. Bowler abusing the equipment or premises shall be warned and if a second offense occurs, the bowler shall be removed from the league.
7. Pinsetter in Motion: No ball shall be delivered before the setting machine has completed its cycle. Penalty shall be the same as GUTTER BALLS.
8. Foot Fouls: In any case where an electric foul light unit becomes inoperative, the scorekeeper shall also act as the foul line judge.
4. Team Scoring: All
players and teams will receive scratch scores and Handicap scores. Scratch
scores are the actual amount of pins that a person knocks down in a given game.
A Handicap score consists of the amount of pins knocked down added to the
person’s Handicap. A Handicap is figured by taking a person’s average and
subtracting that average from 120. A person’s handicap is updated and changed
each week after the results from the previous match are tallied (your handicap
always reflects how you are doing over the course of the entire season). 120 is
the Handicap score base used for all bowlers.
Individual Handicap Score: Base – Average player score = Handicap added to
their pin count
Handicap Example: Bowler’s Average = 75;
Handicap = 120-75=45
If above bowler bowls a 77, the handicap score is 122 (45 added to pins)
If above bowler bowls a 70, the handicap score is 115 (55 added to pins)
Teams will play against another team for three games each night. After each
game, teams will add up their scores (including handicaps) to determine the
winner of each game. The team with the highest pin count wins. Each game of the
night will be worth 2 points to the winning team based on total team handicap
scoring. If two teams have combined handicap scores that tie they will each
receive 1 point. Defaults result in a -1 point for the team.
For the first game of the season, and for new bowlers who are substituting, Every
player will have their handicap computed based on their average score of the games
that they bowled that evening and their handicap will also be added in to the
teams overall score.
4. Tie Breaker rules (for Playoffs)
If a playoff game ends in a tie at
the end of regulation time, a tie breaker will be played to decide a winner.
The tie breaker will be as follows:
- Every player from each team will bowl a single ball. The total number of pins
knocked down by each team will determine the winner.
5. Have Fun!