Bowling for Beginners

  • Blog
  • Bowling 101
  • Basic Equipment
  • Oil Patterns
  • Scoring
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Blog
  • Bowling 101
  • Basic Equipment
  • Oil Patterns
  • Scoring
search icon
Homepage link
  • Blog
  • Bowling 101
  • Basic Equipment
  • Oil Patterns
  • Scoring
×

Home » What Is a Good Bowling Score for Beginners to Professionals?

What Is a Good Bowling Score for Beginners to Professionals?

Published: Jun 16, 2022 · Modified: Nov 27, 2023 by Kira Byrd · This post may contain affiliate links ·

If you are wondering what a good bowling score is. Good average bowling scores depending on your skill level.

After bowling their first game, many new bowlers wonder how they did. The answer isn’t always very clear. There’s a lot to familiarize yourself with when it comes to bowling scores, and we’re here to help. This article will look at what makes a good bowling score and help you determine a good bowling average you should strive for. 

Contents

  • 1 What Is a Good Bowling Score?
    • 1.1 For Beginners/First-Time Bowlers
    • 1.2 For Casual Bowlers
    • 1.3 For Intermediate Bowlers (Non-league)
    • 1.4 For Professional Bowlers  
  • 2 How Scoring Works in Bowling
    • 2.1 What’s a Perfect Score in Bowling?
  • 3 The Bowling Average
    • 3.1 Bowling Averages to Strive For
    • 3.2 Beginner/First Time Bowler Average
    • 3.3 Casual Bowler Average
    • 3.4 Good Bowler (Non-league bowler) Average
    • 3.5 College Bowler Average
    • 3.6 Professional Bowler Average 
  • 4 Related Articles

What Is a Good Bowling Score?

A good bowling score varies depending on your experience level and whether you are a beginner, casual, intermediate, or professional bowler. It’s a lot of information to digest, so we’ll break things down below. 

For Beginners/First-Time Bowlers

For first-time bowlers, a score of 50 to 70 is considered good. While some will score lower on their first few games, it’s rare for anyone to bowl less than a 50 consistently.

Don’t worry about it if you don’t score well at first. Instead, focus on getting used to the feeling of playing and improving your rolls.

For Casual Bowlers

After their first few games, most bowlers fall into the casual or recreational category. Casual bowlers have had a little practice and time to develop their technique.

A good average bowling score for casual bowlers is 70 to 100 points, although some may score higher or lower depending on how often they’ve played. 

For Intermediate Bowlers (Non-league)

You'll need to consistently score between 130 and 170 to be considered a good intermediate bowler. Good bowlers are moderately skilled and are comfortable with their form and technique.

When you reach this level, you start to see a rise in strikes and spares, which helps contribute to an overall higher score. 

For Professional Bowlers  

A professional bowler is someone who makes a living by bowling. They’re dedicated, experienced, and considered the best in their field. Professional bowlers should look to score at least 200 to 250 points per game, although the higher the score, the better.

In addition to being more skilled, professional bowlers tend to score higher because they invest in specialized balls, shoes, and accessories. 

How Scoring Works in Bowling

A bad average score is no score at all. Scoring in bowling happens when a bowling ball is thrown at ten pins down a lane.

Bowling has a simple, straightforward point structure. There are ten frames during a game of bowling. For each frame, you’ll have two opportunities to knock down as many bowling pins as possible with a bowling ball.

The more pins you knock over, the higher your score. Every pin you knock down earns one point, but you can also earn bonus points by getting strikes and spares. 

For anyone unfamiliar with bowling terms, a spare is when you knock down all ten pins after throwing two bowling balls. After getting a spare, you’ll be awarded 10

points plus the total from your next shot.

On the other hand, a strike is when you knock all the pins down on your first try. If you get a strike, you’ll get 10 points plus the total from your next two shots. 

Your score will be recorded on a scorecard. Various symbols and numbers indicate how many pins you knocked down during each roll. 

  • An “X” denotes a strike.
  • A “/” shows that you got a spare. 
  • A “-” shows that you didn’t hit any pins during the frame. 
  • Other symbols include “F” for foul, “O” or “S” for a split.

What’s a Perfect Score in Bowling?

Although a game of bowling is comprised of only ten frames, getting a strike in the last round earns you two more shots for a total of 12 shots.

If you play a perfect game and get a strike in all twelve rounds, you'll reach the maximum score of 300 points. It's the highest possible score in a game.

If you were wondering, the highest score you can achieve in a game without getting any strikes is 190. 

Getting twelve strikes in a row is difficult. It takes both a high level of skill and luck. While twelve strikes is a perfect game, there are other terms for getting a series of strikes in a game.

The name depends on the number of consecutive strikes you get in a row. We’ll break them down below. 

  • One strike - Strike 
  • Two strikes in a row - Double
  • Three strikes in a row - Turkey or triple
  • Four strikes in a row - Hambone or four-bagger
  • Five strikes in a row - Yahtzee or five bagger
  • Six strikes in a row - Six pack or Wild Turkey 
  • Seven strikes in a row - Front seven or seven bagger
  • Eight strikes in a row - Front eight or eight bagger
  • Nine strikes in a row - Front nine or nine bagger
  • Ten strikes in a row - Front Ten or ten bagger
  • Eleven strikes in a row - Front eleven or eleven bagger
  • Twelve strikes in a row - A perfect game 

The Bowling Average

The Secret to Higher Bowling Scores! Simple But Very Effective!

You can calculate average scores by adding up the scores from all of your games and then dividing that number by the total number of games you played. Your bowling average helps determine your handicap, which is how league bowlers will match you against other players.

When you join a bowling league, your average will be calculated weekly. That means every game you play in a season counts towards your overall bowling average. 

Bowling Averages to Strive For

Now that you know what a bowling average is and how to calculate it, you’re probably wondering what makes a good one. This section will discuss the bowling average each skill level should aim for. 

Beginner/First Time Bowler Average

Don’t worry about your average too much when you first start bowling. The United States Bowling Congress won’t even recognize a player's bowling average until they’ve played a minimum of twelve games. Once you’ve got a few games under your belt, aim for a bowling average of at least 70 points. 

Casual Bowler Average

After you’ve started bowling more often, you should see your bowling average increase. As the fundamentals become second nature, try to strive for a bowling average between 100 and 130 points.

Just keep practicing, and your score should continue to improve with each game. You can also watch professional bowlers and try to pick up tips on form.

Good Bowler (Non-league bowler) Average

Once you’ve played many games, you should start to get the hang of things. By this point, your posture and technique have improved, and you might even start investing in some personal bowling equipment.

At this point, you should try to maintain an average of 140 to 175 points. Try to increase the number of strikes and spares you earn during each game, and your bowling average should continue to rise.

College Bowler Average

The competition on the collegiate level is fierce. It takes a tremendous amount of dedication, self-work, and teamwork to make the season a success. To stay on par with the competitiveness of our team and other schools, you should strive to maintain a college bowling average of 169 to 180 points.

Professional Bowler Average 

Professional bowlers have perfected their rolling technique and form and spend significant time practicing their craft. To stay competitive, professional bowlers should try to maintain a bowling average of 200 to 250 points.

Anything above 200 is considered excellent, so that should be your minimum goal. Once you consistently get 200+ points per game, you’ll have a much easier time earning sponsorships, endorsements, and business opportunities. 

Related Articles

  • How to Pick up Spares in Bowling?
  • Professional Bowler Average

We hope this article answered all your questions and helped explain what makes a good bowling score. To sum things up, there is no universal score that’s good for everyone. It depends on your experience level, and the more you play, the better you’ll score.

If you only bowl casually, the most important thing to do is have fun. If scoring high is important to you, practice as much as possible. You’ll be bowling like a pro in no time! We wish you the best of luck! 

Img 8242
Kira Byrd( CEO )

Kira Byrd, a Certified Fraud Examiner, holds a B.S. in Accounting from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. With a passion for bowling from her childhood, Kira has poured her expertise and personal experiences into creating and nurturing Bowling For Beginners. Kira's mission is to meet new bowlers where they are and guide them toward consistently achieving higher scores. With a focus on skill development and strategic techniques, she empowers readers to take control of their game and unlock their true potential.

Bowling For Beginners embodies strict editorial integrity, ensuring reliable and unbiased information. Kira's commitment to delivering valuable insights and practical strategies is reflected in every article. Here's an explanation of our editorial policy and how we get money.

More Bowling Tips

  • The bowler with a purple bowling ball crosses the foul line and heads toward the dangerous pin-setting machine.
    12 Bowling Etiquette Rules, Do’s & Don’ts for Beginners
  • Three bowling balls showing the conventional drill 3 finger holes for bowling
    Semi-Fingertip Grip Bowling: Mechanics, Thumb Usage, and More
  • Gift vouchers or gift certificates on white wood background, wrapped in brown paper with a white bow are great gift ideas.
    Best Gifts for Bowlers: Coaches, Teams, Leagues, and Parties
  • Knowing the terminal velocity of a bowling ball is important information for a bowler.
    What Is the Terminal Velocity of a Bowling Ball? Easily Explained
Bfb about me wlogo2

Welcome!

Since 2018, Bowling for Beginners understood the importance of clear, concise, and organized content needed in the bowling space. That’s why we have carefully structured our platform to provide you with a step-by-step approach to mastering the fundamentals of bowling.

More about us

Recent Posts

  • Best bowling shoes for beginners
    The Best Bowling Shoes for Beginners, Sliding, Toe Draggers, & Wide Feet
  • What is Scratch Bowling; Everything You Need to Know
  • Montreal oil pattern by wtba
    Montreal Oil Pattern: WTBA, Strategy, and Which Ball to Use
  • A ten pin bowling lane where the head pin was knocked down and if the spare is cleared, that is referred to as a killer shot.
    What Is a Split Ball in Bowling and What’s the Hardest Split
  • Lawn bowling and bocce ball similiarities and differences on bowling for beginners. Com
    Lawn Bowling vs. Bocce: Is Lawn Bowling the Same as Bocce?
  • A female without her own bowling equipment is preparing to rent shoes to try bowling alley floors in her hometown.
    Why Is Bowling So Expensive Now? Learn How to Save Money

Popular Posts

  • Learning the types of bowling ball with the most hook.
    Bowling Balls With the Most Hook: Our Top 8 Aggressive Balls
  • The best bowling shoes available for rental at the local bowling alley require you to wear socks since they're shared.
    What Shoes Can You Wear Bowling? Can You Wear Regular Shoes?
  • Pink bowling ball on lane butcher alley wax
    How to Use Bowling Alley Wax and What Is It and How to Apply
  • These five friends are leaning against white wall reading bowling books
    12 Best Selling Bowling Books & Beginner Friendly Books
  • A green bowling ball, ten pin and bowling shoes are on bowling lane.
    Bowling Rules for Beginners: Basic Rules and Regulations
  • Yellow urethane bowling balls on synthetic lanes at the bowling center
    Why Do Bowling Alleys Oil Lanes? 6 Unknown Reasons You Need to Know

Recommended Reading

  • Bowling Oil Patterns Explained (Finally a Newbie Friendly Guide)
  • How to Hold a Bowling Ball (and Finally Increase Your Score)
  • Bowling Ball Sizes and Weights (How to Choose Bowling Ball Size)

Footer

↑ Back to Top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • About

Contact

  • Contact
  • Blog

Legal Information: The information on this site is provided for educational purposes only. We may have an affiliate relationship with certain goods that we recommend. We may receive compensation if purchases are made using our affiliate links at no extra cost to you. Bowlingforbeginners.com is a participant in the Amazon Associates Program. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

COPYRIGHT © 2018–2022 BOWLING FOR BEGINNERS
4614 Hwy 280 #1123 Birmingham, AL 35242 | 1 (844) 424-BOWL