How to Easily Keep Score in Bowling

While electronic scoring largely has replaced manual scoring at most bowling alleys across the country, it remains useful to know how to keep score in the sport. Each game is divided into 10 frames; each bowler gets up to two attempts to knock down all 10 pins in each frame. If a bowler accomplishes this in the 10th frame, he gets to roll again.

Things You'll Need

  • Bowling Score Sheet
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Instructions

    • 1

      Record the number of pins toppled with each roll. Each bowling scoresheet includes a line for each player's score. Each line is split into 10 boxes, one for each frame. Within each frame's box are two smaller boxes. Record the number of pins knocked down on the first roll in the small box on the left. Record the number of pins knocked down with the second ball in the remaining small box.

    • 2

      Add the two numbers recorded in the small boxes to get a total for the frame. For example, if the bowler knocked down seven pins with her first roll and two pins with her second roll, she scored 9 for the frame. Record the total in the large box for the frame.

    • 3

      Add the total from each frame to the total from the previous frame. For example, if a bowler has a 48 after three frames and knocks down nine pins in the fourth frame, add 48 and 9 to get 57. Record 57 in the box for the fourth frame.

    • 4

      Record a strike -- knocking down all 10 pins on the first roll -- with an "X" in the first small box for the frame. Leave the area of the frame for the total score empty. A player rolling a strike receives 10 points plus the points from the following two rolls so the total for the frame can't be determined until the next frame. For example, a bowler with a score of 18 rolls a strike in the third frame and follows with an 8 and a 1 in the fourth frame. Add 10, 8 and 1 to get 19. Add 19 to his total from the second frame -- 18 -- to get 37 and record it as his total in the third frame. Add 8 and 1 to get 9 and add that to 37 to get 46 -- his total after four frames.

    • 5

      Record a spare -- knocking down all 10 pins with two rolls in the same frame -- with a "/" in the second small box for that frame. Leave the area for the total score blank. A player rolling a spare gets 10 points plus the pins from her next roll. For example, a bowler with a score of 89 after six frames knocks down seven pins with her first ball and three with her second for a spare and topples seven more on her next roll. Credit her with 10 for the spare plus seven for her next roll for a total of 17. Add that to 89 for a total of 106 in the seventh frame.

    • 6

      Record the 10th frame as you would all other frames. However, if the bowler rolls a spare, he gets a third shot; if he rolls a strike he gets two additional rolls. The scoresheet has three small boxes to record each roll. Record the first roll in the box on the far left and continue to the right until the player completes the frame.

    • 7

      Record other occurrences during the game of bowling with special symbols. Write "-" in the appropriate small box if a bowler knocks down zero pins on a roll. If a bowler gets a split -- leaving pins on opposite sides of the lane -- place a circle around the number of pins toppled on that shot. If a bowler commits a foul by sliding over the delivery line, place an "F" in the corresponding small box; the bowler receives no point for the pins toppled.