Basic Bowling Tips, Bowling Tips & Coaching Articles
What Are the Most Common Bowling Spares for Beginners?
What Are the Most Common Bowling Spares for Beginners?
Learning to bowl is exciting, but one of the biggest challenges for new bowlers is dealing with spares. Strikes feel amazing, but most games are won or lost by consistently converting those tricky second shots. So, what are the most common bowling spares for beginners, and how can you pick them up? Let’s break it down.
Why Spares Matter for Beginners
While strikes grab attention, spares are the foundation of a high score. Beginners often leave open frames because they don’t know the best way to attack certain pin setups. Understanding which spares show up most often—and how to approach them—will instantly improve your game.
The Most Common Bowling Spares for Beginners
Here are the spares you’re most likely to see when starting out:
1. The 10 Pin
-
Pin Number: Far right corner
-
Why It Happens: A ball that hooks too much or doesn’t carry the corner.
-
Beginner Tip: Move left on the approach and throw straight at it with less hook.
2. The 7 Pin
-
Pin Number: Far left corner
-
Why It Happens: The mirror image of the 10 pin—usually from light hits.
-
Beginner Tip: Move right on the approach and aim directly at the pin.
3. The 2–4–5 Combination
-
Pin Numbers: Left side cluster
-
Why It Happens: Hitting the headpin lightly on the right.
-
Beginner Tip: Aim for the middle of the cluster, keeping your ball straighter.
4. The 3–6 Combination
-
Pin Numbers: Right side cluster
-
Why It Happens: Hitting the headpin lightly on the left.
-
Beginner Tip: Adjust your starting position slightly and throw your strike shot.
5. The 1–2 or 1–3 (Headpin + One Side)
-
Pin Numbers: Headpin plus either the 2 or 3
-
Why It Happens: Missing your strike shot slightly to one side.
-
Beginner Tip: Focus on hitting the headpin straight-on.
6. The 5 Pin
-
Pin Number: Middle of the lane
-
Why It Happens: A light hit or a ball that deflects too much.
-
Beginner Tip: Don’t overthink it—just roll straight at the center.
Beginner-Friendly Spare Shooting Tips
Learning spares takes patience. Here are some quick tips:
-
🎯 Use a spare ball if possible – Plastic or polyester balls go straighter.
-
👣 Move your feet, not your target – Small adjustments help you line up better.
-
🧘 Stay calm – Don’t let a missed strike frustrate you. Focus on the spare.
-
🔁 Practice common spares – Spend extra time on 7s, 10s, and easy clusters.
Final Thoughts
So, what are the most common bowling spares for beginners? You’ll often see the 7 and 10 pins, simple 2–4–5 or 3–6 clusters, and the headpin plus one side. Mastering these early will give you confidence, raise your scores, and make every game more fun.
👉 Remember: Strikes win cheers, but spares win games.
recommended Bowling gear
more bowling articles you may enjoy
Storm Tropical Surge Bowling Ball Review: Two New Scented Colorways for 2026
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs on this page are verified against Storm’s official [...]
Jun
Roto Grip hyped UP! Bowling Ball Review: Hyped UP Core + V-R1 Hybrid Coverstock
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs on this page are verified against Roto Grip’s [...]
Jun
Roto Grip Transform Pearl Bowling Ball Review: Morph-Wing Core + MicroTrax Pearl Coverstock
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs on this page are verified against Roto Grip’s [...]
Jun
Redemption in Allen Park: EJ Tackett Wins a Historic Fourth Straight PBA World Championship
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team | Published June 2026 Two months ago, on the [...]
Jun
Motiv Sigma Tour Pearl Bowling Ball Review: Sigma Core + Atomic Propulsion Pearl Coverstock
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs on this page are verified against Motiv’s official [...]
Jun
Roto Grip and 900 Global Drop 4 New Bowling Balls for June 2026
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team | Published June 2026 Roto Grip and 900 Global, [...]
1 Comment
Jun
900 Global Vengeance Returns Bowling Ball Review: Blast AI Core + RB 91 Hybrid Coverstock
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs on this page are verified against 900 Global’s [...]
Jun
900 Global Viking Conquest Bowling Ball Review: Strobe AI Core + RB 94 Solid Coverstock
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs on this page are verified against 900 Global’s [...]
Jun
Roto Grip Hustle VP Bowling Ball Review: Hustle Core + VTC Pearl Coverstock
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs on this page are verified against Roto Grip’s [...]
Jun
Roto Grip Hustle SOS Bowling Ball Review: Hustle Core + VTC Hybrid Coverstock
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs on this page are verified against Roto Grip’s [...]
Jun
Motiv Covert VIP EXJ Bowling Ball Review: EJ Tackett’s Limited-Edition Vanquish-Core Weapon
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs verified against Motiv’s official Covert VIP EXJ release [...]
Jun
Motiv Venom Hysteria Bowling Ball Review: Gear Core + Propulsion MXV Pearl Coverstock
By Brian Halstrom, BowlersMart Editorial Team. Specs verified against Motiv’s official Venom Hysteria release data, [...]
Jun
Balls
Shoes
Bags
Accessories
Apparel
Deals
Many spares are equally challenging. The exception is the 4,5,7 and the 5,6,10 when you bowl on the silly rope pin lanes. It seems almost impossible when compared to the normal pin setters.