<P> Ten - pin bowling is a sport in which a player (called a "bowler") rolls a bowling ball down a wood - structure or synthetic (polyurethane) lane and towards ten pins positioned at the end of the lane . The objective is to score the highest pinfall by knocking down as many pins as possible . Three finger holes are drilled into a traditional bowling ball, and weights vary considerably to make the sport playable for all ages . Generally, the heavier the ball, the more pins that will topple on two equivalent shots . The pins are arranged in a triangular position by an automated machine . While professional ten - pin bowling tournaments are held in numerous countries, the sport is commonly played as a hobby by millions of people around the world . </P> <P> In Canada, the United States, United Kingdom, Ireland and Australia, the game is commonly referred to as just "bowling". In New England, "bowling" is usually referred to as "ten - pin bowling" or "big - ball bowling", because of the smaller diameter, lighter weight ball used in the Worcester, Massachusetts - conceived sport of candlepin bowling from 1880, and the similarly "small - ball" sport of duckpin bowling (conceived in 1895), popular in the Northeast United States, as well as Canada's own sport of five - pin bowling, all three of which use smaller diameter, lighter weight bowling balls when compared to tenpin bowling, without the necessity for finger holes in them . </P> <P> The 41.5 - inch - wide (105 cm), 60 - foot - long (18 m) lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels called "gutters", which are designed to collect errant balls . The overall width of the lane including the channels is 60 ⁄ inches (153 cm). The narrow lane prevents bowling a straight line at the angle required to consistently carry (knock down) all ten pins for a strike . Most skillful bowlers will roll a side spinning (hook shape reaction) ball to overcome this . A foul line is marked at the seam of the start of the lane and end of the approach . If any part of a bowler's body touches the line itself or beyond (anywhere on the actual lane surface or any adjoining areas including walls and other lanes) after the ball is delivered, the bowl is a foul and any pins knocked over by that delivery are scored as zero (0). The bowler is allowed one shot at a new rack of ten pins if s / he fouled on the first roll of a frame, and if all ten pins are knocked down on this shot, it is scored as a spare . Behind the foul line is an "approach" approximately 15 feet (5 m) long used to gain speed and leverage on the ball before delivering it . 60 feet (18 m) from the foul line, where the lane terminates, it is joined to a roughly 36 - inch (91 cm) deep by 41.5 - inch (105 cm) wide surface of durable and impact - resistant material called the "pin deck", upon which each rack of pins is set . </P> <P> The bowler is allowed 10 frames in which to knock down pins, with frames one (1) through nine (9) being composed of up to two rolls . The tenth frame is composed of up to three rolls: the bonus roll (s) following a strike or spare in the tenth (sometimes referred to as the eleventh and twelfth frames) are fill ball (s) used only to calculate the score of the mark rolled in the tenth . If neither a strike nor a spare is achieved in the tenth frame, no bonus roll is awarded . </P>

What happens when you cross the line in bowling