The secret to bowling the perfect strike, according to scientists

Independent

16-04-2025

Bowling 's elusive perfect strike may no longer be a matter of intuition and experience.
A team of researchers from premier world institutions have developed a new physics-based model that can predict the precise conditions needed to knock down all ten pins in a single throw.
The study, published in AIP Advances, outlines how a set of six differential equations—based on Euler's equations for rotating rigid bodies—can be used to simulate a bowling ball's trajectory with exceptional precision. The equations describe the rotational motion of a rigid body in three-dimensional space.
The model, developed by researchers from Princeton, MIT, the University of New Mexico, Loughborough University and Swarthmore College allows them to plot the ideal placement and path of a bowling ball to achieve a strike under various conditions.
Curtis Hooper, one of the authors of the paper, said: 'The simulation model we created could become a useful tool for players, coaches, equipment companies and tournament designers.' He added, 'The ability to accurately predict ball trajectories could lead to the discoveries of new strategies and equipment designs.'
Bowling remains a highly popular sport in the United States, with more than 45 million participants annually and millions of dollars in prize money across professional tournaments.
Yet, despite its global reach and competitive stakes, a comprehensive model that accurately captures how a bowling ball behaves under different lane conditions has long remained out of reach.
Existing methods for predicting shot outcomes typically rely on statistical analysis of bowlers' past performances. However, such approaches often fail when there is even slight variation in an athlete's throw, and they rarely consider the physical dynamics of the ball and lane.
In contrast, the new model accounts for critical and often overlooked variables, such as the layer of oil applied to bowling lanes.
These oil patterns—intended to reduce friction and guide the ball—vary greatly in shape and thickness across tournaments, influencing how the ball curves and behaves. As this oil is rarely spread uniformly, bowlers often must adapt their strategies to suit each unique pattern, a challenge the model directly addresses.
'Our model provides a solution to both of these problems by constructing a bowling model that accurately computes bowling trajectories when given inputs for all significant factors that may affect ball motion,' said Mr Hooper.
'A 'miss-room' is also calculated to account for human inaccuracies which allows bowlers to find their own optimal targeting strategy.'
Creating the model was not without difficulty.
Researchers had to mathematically capture the motion of a bowling ball that, although nearly spherical, is slightly asymmetrical. An even greater challenge lay in translating the model's complex physics into practical guidance for athletes and coaches—using terms and measurements compatible with existing bowling accessories and tools.
The research team plans to refine the model further by including additional variables such as lane irregularities and by collaborating with industry professionals to tailor its application to real-world play.