Ten-pin bowling duckpin bowling (conceived in 1895), popular in the Northeast United States, as well as Canada's own sport of five-pin bowling, all three of which use smaller diameter, lighter weight bowling balls when compared to tenpin bowling, without the necessity for finger holes in them. The , lane is bordered along its length by semicylindrical channels called "gutters", which are designed to collect errant balls. The overall width of the lane including the channels is . The narrow lane prevents bowling a straight line at the angle required to consistently carry (knock down) all ten pins for a strike. Most skillful
Bowling ball finger holes are arranged on the ball surface changes how the bowling ball moves down the lane. The drilling configuration is determined by the positions of the finger holes relative to the markings on the surface of the ball, and may also be positioned relative to the axis of rotation of a particular bowler. The axis is typically identified according to the Positive Axis Point (PAP), which marks the axis before axis migration has begun. In the United States, most bowlers only use holes intended for the middle and ring fingers of the dominant hand, as well as the thumb