As a bowler, we all dream of that glorious moment – knocking down strike after strike and earning the coveted turkey. Three strikes in a row! But once you’ve picked up that turkey the real fun begins. Now the momentum has built, and the stakes feel higher. What comes next after a turkey? Can you keep the hot streak going and maximize your score?
In this complete guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about strikes spares scoring, and lingo after bowling a turkey. You’ll learn the key terms, scoring concepts, and pro tips to build on your turkey and thrive through the rest of the game.
Scoring After a Turkey
First, let’s recap how strikes are scored in bowling. A strike occurs when you knock down all 10 pins with the first ball in a frame. Rather than just 10 points, a strike earns you the 10 pins, plus the total pins knocked down in the next two rolls.
This unique scoring makes strikes especially valuable. So when you’ve bowled three strikes in a row, the excitement ramps up. Here are the common scenarios after a turkey and the bowling lingo used:
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Four-bagger or Honey Pot – This refers to 4 strikes in a row after a turkey. You’ll earn at least 60-70 points.
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Five-bagger or Golden Turkey – 5 consecutive strikes are called this. You’re guaranteed 90-100 points minimum.
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Six-pack – 6 strikes in succession earns you this title. At this point, you’ll have at least 120-130 points just from strikes.
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Wild Turkeys – Any streak of 7+ strikes is considered wild! While it doesn’t sound as cool as a turkey, the scoring potential is massive.
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Split – The dreaded 7-10 or other tricky split can follow turkey euphoria with disappointment. Spares still earn points but slow momentum.
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Spare – Leaving a single pin or any other spare isn’t terrible. But it opens the door for more standard frame-by-frame scoring vs strikes.
The key is always maximizing strikes when you’re hot to build up your score.
Should You Keep Bowling for Strikes?
Once you’ve made the turkey, should you keep gunning for more strikes? Or play it safer with spares? It depends on factors like:
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Your current score – If you have a solid lead, protecting it with spares could be smart.
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Frames remaining – With enough frames left, spare leaves can catch up, so risk could pay off.
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Your split susceptibility – For bowlers prone to splits, forcing strikes could backfire.
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Confidence and focus – Feeling locked in? Ride the hot hand while you have peak focus.
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Opponent skill – Weaker opponents warrant running up the score with strikes.
Evaluate the scenario, your bowling style, and equipment consistency. Then aim for the ideal risk-reward balance.
Other Key Bowling Terms and Scoring Concepts
Beyond various strike streak labels, here are other useful bowling terms to know:
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Spare – Knocking down all pins left on the second throw in a frame. A spare earns 10 points plus the next ball roll.
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Split – When the first ball knocks down just the headpin, leaving two or more separated pins. Splits can cripple scores.
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Open frame – A frame without a strike or spare. You just get points for pins knocked down.
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Foul – Stepping over the foul line. A foul gives you zero points for that throw.
Mastering scoring techniques and bowling vocabulary helps you fully capitalize on every frame.
Tips to Make the Most of Your Turkey
You’ve earned the turkey – great job! Now here are some key tips to build on your accomplishment:
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Stay focused after the turkey and make adjustments for the ideal strike shot.
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Keep a consistent speed – avoid major speed changes that disrupt accuracy.
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Adjust your strike target to keep hitting different pin pockets.
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Visualize smoothly throwing more strikes to boost confidence.
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Take deep breaths and brief pauses when feeling anxious or distracted.
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Celebrate spares too – they still earn valuable points.
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Have fun and feed off the thrill of chasing strikes!
With the right mindset and smart adjustments, you can maximize scoring after starting hot with a turkey. Don’t let the pressure overwhelm your talents.
Improving Your Overall Bowling Scores
While chasing the turkey provides excitement, excelling at bowling requires mastering fundamental skills like:
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Perfecting proper bowling form through repetition.
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Identifying your ideal strike target.
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Investing in a custom bowling ball fitted for your game.
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Learning hook techniques to expand strike targeting.
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Drilling corner pin spares to convert more spares.
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Analyzing stats to diagnose weaknesses.
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Watching instructional videos and applying pro tips.
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Competing often to stay sharp.
Persistently honing all aspects of bowling leads to big turkeys and scores in the future.
Enjoy the Thrill of Bowling After a Turkey
The feeling of converting a turkey as teammates erupt in cheers is electrifying. With your adrenaline pumping, the temptation to chase more strikes can be irresistible.
But don’t let the pressure get to you. Stay cool, focus on each frame, and keep your form. With this complete guide to strikes, spares, lingo, and tips, you’ll be ready to thrive after turkey time.
After bagging the big bird, take a deep breath, visualize sinking more strikes, and watch your score soar. Achieving a turkey means your skills are elevating to the next level. Now build on your momentum and become the league’s top turkey hunter!
BALANCE (AS APPLIED TO A BALL)
The weight of a bowling ball is not always evenly distributed in the sphere. USBC rules allow a ball to vary 3 ounces from the drilled top half to bottom half of a ball, and one ounce from the left to right side. Before resin balls, these weights were used to subtly change the roll pattern of a ball. A ball that has negative balances tends to be influenced to turn away from the pins; a ball with positive balance will be influenced to turn into the pins.
BALANCE (AS APPLIED TO A PLAYER)
A player is in balance if, at the point of release, they are able to complete their follow through without falling off to one side; generally means that the release and slide are simultaneous.
As a general rule, if you take a bowling ball and place the label in front of you and then exactly dissect the ball into two equal halves, a right and left side, the gross weight of each half would be the same. However, if you dissect the ball off center, a greater portion of the weight block will be on one side of the ball, possibly making that half of the ball too heavy vis-a-vis the other half; also, modern high tech balls and their asymmetrical cores can be drilled in such a manner as to be in violation of the maximum tolerances allowed by the USBC for side to side weight (which is a one ounce differential); to get the ball back to legal compliance an extra, non-gripping hole may be drilled to remove the excess weight. This extra hole is the balance hole. The balance hole can also be used to increase or decrease a balls reaction and/or to fine tune a more subtle change in ball reaction.
The physical part of the equipment upon which the ball sits after being sent back to you after a delivery.
A machine that is used to spin a ball in a container so that the user can apply ball polish or sand the ball down more quickly.
- The area of the lane where most balls are thrown;
- the area on a ball where the ball rolls; most balls will show scratches and wear in this area after several games.
The nose; the center of the head pin.
Describes the type of shot where a player stands inside and tosses it to the outside in the hopes it returns to the pocket for a strike.
When a league bowler is “blind” and cant find his/her way to the league that evening, the bowlers average is simply used (as if he/she just bowled that score) when figuring the teams total for each game.
A miss or an error failing to convert a spare other than a split.
The practice of allowing a team player to complete their game by bowling more than their scheduled turn at one time; allowed as a courtesy to a player that has other time commitments; league and tournament rules can prohibit the practice.
A lane consists of 39 strips of wood, each called boards; they are usually numbered by the player and used as targeting terms; i.e., I was throwing the 5th board; in synthetic lanes there are no boards as such, but usually the synthetic overlay has a pattern that resembles natural wood lanes.
Movements and contortions of the body intended to steer the ball as it travels down the lane.
A big hooking ball; a person that throws a big hooking ball.
The weight of a bowling ball is not always evenly distributed in the sphere. USBC rules allow a ball to vary 3 ounces from the drilled top half to bottom half of a ball, and one ounce from the left to right side. Before resin balls, these weights were used to subtly change the roll pattern of a ball. A ball that had higher top weight would tend to go longer before hooking; a ball with bottom weight would tend to roll earlier. Although still used in ball drilling layouts, it is less important with the modern ball.
The portion on the lane where the thrown ball begins to hook back to the pocket. Finding the proper breakpoint (called “breakpoint management”) is critical to the modern game. A ball that hooks too early or one that hooks too late will make it very difficult for a player to be consistent. Breakpoints can be adjusted by making changes in alignment, target, ball, ball surface and ball speed.
Refers to a ball that crosses over to the other side of the head pin opposite the side it was thrown (i.e. a Brooklyn strike hit the 1-2 pocket for a right-hander).
A diamond-shaped, four-pin cluster, e.g., the 2-4-5-8 or 1-2-3-5. Some claim it to be the 2-4-5-8 for right handers, the 3-5-6-9 for a lefty.
The oil conditioner on the lane does not soak into the boards, it sits on top. As balls are thrown, the oil is subtly moved…it may be pushed left and right, or, it may be moved farther down the lane (carried down). Usually, but not always, a house with a lot of carrydown will not allow a ball to hook as much on the back ends and scores will be lower. In some houses and oil patterns, the initial pattern is too much over/under and carry increases as the carrydown effect takes place. Carrydown is invisible to bowlers and cannot be seen. A top professional can anticipate carrydown and make adjustments accordingly.
Why is Three Strikes in a Row in Bowling Called a Turkey?
FAQ
Is there anything after turkey in bowling?
What’s more than a turkey in bowling?
What are 5 strikes in a row called?
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