When most people bowl for amusement, they do not usually concentrate on bowling a strike or spare, they just bowl for fun. Professionals however, focus on bowling a strike or spare as often as possible through the course of their games.

Bowling a strike or spare requires the bowler to focus completely on the movements leading up to the delivery of the ball. A strike is when all ten pins are knocked down with the delivery of the first ball. A spare is knocking down most of the pins with your first shot and knocking down the remaining pins with your spare (second shot). Most professional bowlers prefer to pick up spares because of the increase in points you are able to accumulate.

When bowling a strike or spare, keep in mind the lane conditions. Whether they are oily or dry effects the type of ball you should use, how you should approach, and how you deliver the ball. On dry floors, the floor seems 'sticky' or 'catchy' and oily floors allow for more smooth bowling, but can be tricky when trying to control the ball.

Practice makes bowling a strike or spares a habit. Visualize yourself bowling a strike or spare, feel the movements when bowling a strike or spare and remember them. Repeat these motions frequently to make them more natural and familiar. By visualizing the movements, your mind accepts them as natural and learns to perform them more quickly.

A good bowler knows that bowling a strike or spare requires a plan. Remember which board you stood on for bowling a strike or spare, where is it compared to where your shot needs to go? Will a hook ball work? These are only just a couple of questions to ask yourself before bowling a strike or spare.

Keeping a correct tally of the points throughout a game, can be difficult in reference to bowling a strike or spare. It has gotten easier over the years with automated systems, but even the computers can miscalculate the totals for bowling a strike or spare. A couple of terms used when bowling a strike or spare consecutively, is turkey for three strikes in a row, and chicken for three spares in a row. Regardless of nick names, bowling a strike or spare repeatedly (preferably a strike) has the possibility of raising your game scores noticeably.

Try to throw straight balls when bowling a strike or spare, keep the wrist relaxed, and do not over do the spin. A plastic ball is probably your best choice for bowling a strike or spare since it tends to go straighter than a reactive-resin ball. While many bowlers might disagree with this choice, a plastic ball is much cheaper, and much easier to control in diverse lane conditions, and is generally the best for beginners, and those people who bowl at many different centers and on many different lanes.

Once you are well grounded in the basics, bowling a strike or spare will soon become second nature and you will find your game averages increasing as well as your skill as an accomplished bowler. Try not to limit yourself to one set or style of bowling habits. Learn what works for you, and challenge yourself often.