According to the entire entity of the bowling game, there are some common facts and terms that every player has to face. The split ball is one of them. If you are well known about the bowling game and played a lot, you are surely related to this factor even without knowing its actual name. This topic will seem helpful enough for most people as it will briefly describe what is a split ball in bowling.
What is a Split Ball in Bowling?
Knowing about the split ball for the bowling game is very much essential if the intention is to win the game. A split ball is mainly a situation that the players have to face after putting down some particular pins.
As we all know that, the scores get counted in the bowling game by hitting the bowling pins, they get gathered in a triangular shape at the end of the bowling area terminal.
Starting from the front, the first pin called the headpin stays alone. Coming to the second row, numbers two and three of pins get placed and the third row comes with 3 pins. Finally, the last one contains the pins of 4 pieces. This is how the pins get aligned.
The split ball gets held for the majority of the 10 pin bowling where the headpin gets knocked down but the second and third pins stay to remain. It can be the same for other pins too. Sometimes, the split shot can even take down the headpin only by leaving all 9 of the pins behind. So this one also can be considered as the split ball.
Though the split shot defines a different meaning than the above, majority of the bowlers count it as the split even if there is no allowance or approval for the closer pin shots. It means having more than 2 pins at different areas of position which are separated by several tiles. While hitting the pins by the ball, if there are two or more two pins that stay left on the surface at a distance, it will be called the split.
Types of Splits
As the splits get count by having the 10 pin bowling, there are some types and categories available in it. They are different from each other in terms of placing and depending on the headpin. Some of the common types of splits have been given below that are available in the bowling game. They are:
- Bedpost: It is a split where the 7th and 10th pin remains
- Baby split: whenever all the pins get knocked down except 2, 3, 7, and 10, it is called the baby split
- Big four: Like the name, four of the pins(4,6,7 and 10) standstill even after hitting
- Fast eight: Bowler knock down all the pins except the set of 4 and 7 or 6 and 9
- Tap: only one of the pins left to knockdown
- Greek church: A unique type of split that left with three pins for a single sided area and two pines for the other area. But the majority of the times, there is no fixed numbered pins stay available.
- Sleeper: double numbered pins stay at the same line by one after another. 1 and 5 or 3 and 9 are some of the common types of splits.
What is a split ball in bowling
Steps to follow to knock down the splits
Knocking down a large numbered split by a single hit is a little bit difficult task to perform. As some pins take place in some distances, putting them down at the same hit becomes critical enough to perform by most of the bowlers.
Every bowler will love to knock down all 10 of the pins with a single shot for having the score. But sometimes, luck doesn’t support either the performance. As a result, the first attempt at bowling Ball bag can go for the split most of the time.
Whenever it converts into the split, then it is time for hitting the spear shot. The spear shot comes in the second where the player tends to knock down all the rest of the pins at one hit. A spare shot can easily deliver ten points to the bowler with the knocked down pins during the earlier shot from the bowler.
In terms of having a spare shot, there are some must needed requirements which are:
- A minimum of a single number of a pin must have to remain after the first shoot.
- More than one pins required to stand with the minimum distance ratio
Unique Splits in Bowling
As all the splits have been described individually in this topic, some unique types of splits can be considered as the difficult ones too. In order to make these splits possible by a spear shot, even the professional bowlers also face enough difficulties.
One of the most unique and difficult splits in bowling is the Greek church, where 4 of the closest pins stay still even after the first hit.
As every bowler apply enough speed and pressure in the first shot for knocking down all the pins at the same time, if 4 of the pins (4,7,6,9 and 10) still remain the same in the position, it indicates as the Greek church has a chance of 17% only to knockdown in the second attempt.
It means the Greek Church split requires an expert hand and also the proper serving for getting the exact fall down of all the pins at the same time. Without having enough spins in the bowling while throwing, there are very few chances of scoring for sure.
Split that is Quite Impossible to Perform
Though the Greek Church split is difficult, but it can be broken down with expert hands and great spins in the bowling ball. But there are some impossible types of splits that require a lucky spear or shot for completing the scoring.
This type of split doesn’t contain any particular names as they are quite impossible to perform. In terms of these splits, the pins remain on a horizontal surface with a great distance. For example, if there are 7 and 10 pins remain for having the shoot, it becomes almost impossible to perform within a single shot.
At that time, there is nothing but only luck that can support the performance of the score. But if it is done, the player has great luck for sure in the game.
Splits in the bowling game are a common fact with their different categories and versions. They even get counted with great attention as it also helps to express the skill and performance of a player. While hitting the headpin, if there are some of the pins get left in a different position, it is time to hit them and knock them down by the second attempt to make every shot a valuable count.