regulations not being agreed on until nearly the end of that century. After the development of automated mechanical pinsetters, the sport enjoyed a "golden age" in the mid twentieth century. Following substantial declines since the 1980s in both professional tournament television ratings and amateur league participation, bowling centers have increasingly expanded to become diverse entertainment centers.

Tenpin bowling is often simply referred to as bowling. Tenpin, or less commonly big-ball, is prepended in the English-speaking world