Bowling is a sport wherein players are expected to topple down pins by rolling a bowling ball along a flat surface towards the target.
There are different types or variations of bowling which can be distinguished by playing it indoors and outdoors.
The origin of bowling can be traced back to ancient Egypt in 5200 BC when artifacts similar to the bowling ball and pins were found in the tomb of an ancient Egyptian boy.
If you are interested in taking bowling as a hobby or a sport you have to learn the basics of playing and techniques to be able to score well.
The development of the bowling game started out during the 3rd and 4th centuries when German parishioners used to roll or throw an object towards a pin as a religious ritual for avoiding doing acts of penance.
However, bowling was banned in Europe in the 14th century due to its popularity which made people neglect practicing archery.
This was crucial since archery was the necessary national defense during the 100 year war.
In 17th century, the Dutch colonists brought bowling to the United States wherein the game consisted of nine pins set in a triangle.
However, towards mid-19th century bowling was banned in the most states because of rampant gambling.
Due to this and since bowling was played outdoors, an indoor variation was created but this time using ten pins.
The following are the different variations of bowling developed throughout the history of this sport: INDOOR BOWLING

• Ten-pin bowling - the balls used have two or more drilled holes used for inserting the fingers and gripping the ball.
  
• Candlepin bowling - uses double-ended pins which are considered to be the highest of pins used in bowling.
  
• Duckpin bowling - uses small, squat pins measuring about 9 3/8 inches while the ball used doesn't have any finger holes.
  
• Bumper bowling - ten-pin bowling usually played in children's parties and uses barriers to avoid gutters.
  

OUTDOOR BOWLING

• Lawn Balls - this is played by rolling a ball towards a smaller white ball.
  
• Bocce - usually played in an oyster shell court and the objective of the game is to be able to roll the ball towards a smaller ball.
  The player who was able to roll the ball nearest the smaller one receives a point.
  
• Petanque - this is played by standing with the feet together in a small circle and throwing metal balls as close as possible to a small wooden ball.
  
• Irish road bowling - this is played by throwing the ball along a country road course of up to 4 kilometers long.
  The player who throws the farthest with the fewest throws wins the game.
  

To play a good game of bowling, there are several things you have to take note of, such as:

• Bowling equipment - make sure that your bowling ball has the correct weight for the game of your choosing.
  You should also wear a good pair of bowling shoes which you can use for different lane conditions.
  
• Delivery - learn and practice to improve your bowling stance and finish position.
  This will help you become a good bowler.
  
• Bowling lane conditions - make necessary adjustment for different bowling lane conditions which include dry, medium and oily lanes.
  
• Mental game of bowling - make sure that you are prepared mentally before and while playing bowling.
  
• Consistency - this is an important characteristic of a good bowler to be able to score high in a game of bowling.