How much room do you have to make a single pin spare?

Answer 1

Assuming a straight shot:

width of the ball + width of the pin + width of the ball:

8.59" + 4.77" + 8.59" = 21.95"

In reality making a 10 pin (edge of the lane) or making a 5 pin (middle of the lane) have the exact same window to be converted. The problem comes for bowlers who hook the ball and may stray to the right of the window hoping to hook back but instead ending up in the gutter. The moral of the story is to throw a straight ball at all single pin spares for the most consistent chance of make these.