Tenpin bowling has a rich history that can be traced back to ancient Egypt. Many iterations of the game have evolved since then, but the job of the bowler has not changed: bowl a ball and knock down as many of the pins as possible. In this webinar, we will review the history of tenpin bowling and learn why throwing the perfect strike is the goal and what goes into achieving it. We will look at how the sport has changed over recent decades and advances in technology that have changed the strategy and technique that bowlers use. We will touch briefly on the constant battle in the sports industry between equipment manufacturers who want maximum performance, and governing bodies who want to maintain the integrity of the sport.
To bowl the perfect strike, the ball must hit the pins in an area of just a few centimeters. That requires a great deal of accuracy from a bowler, given that the pins are located 60 feet (18.29 m) away from where they release the ball. There are, however, methods that the bowler can implement that maximize the size of target that will yield a strike. To that end, we will finish the webinar by reviewing recent ball tracking data and mathematical models that suggest how to increase the size of the target region that yields a strike.
Attendee learning outcomes:

• How to bowl the perfect strike in tenpin bowling
• What the optimal strategy for a given bowler looks like
• How governing bodies maintain the integrity of sports with advances in technology

Who Should Attend:

• Anyone interested in tenpin bowling or sports technology in general
• Data analysts in sports
• Mathematical modelers
• Tribologists

About the Physics Today Editor’s Choice Webinar Series:
Hear from innovative researchers addressing real-world challenges in this bespoke series from Physics Today. The Editor’s Choice webinar series runs throughout the year and comprises a range of popular topics hand-selected by the Physics Today editorial team based on their alignment with our audience’s diverse interests.
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