An automatic scorer is the computerized scoring system introduced into bowling alleys in the 1970s. The use of automatic scorers took away the task of keeping score by hand. This also introduced new bowlers to the game that otherwise would not participate. Most modern systems not only tally the score of a game, but also keep track of handicaps and the scores of league players. Brunswick Corporation

Brunswick Corporation

The Brunswick Corporation , formerly known as the Brunswick-Balke-Collender Company, is a United States-based corporation that has been involved in manufacturing a wide variety of products since 1845. Brunswick's global headquarters is in the northern Chicago suburb of Lake Forest, Illinois...

 and the AMF Bowling Center

AMF Bowling Center

AMF Bowling Centers, Inc. is the world's largest owner and operator of bowling centers, employing more than 10,000 people. The centers offer multi-lane Ten-pin bowling for all ages, support league play, and local events such as Dollar Mania and Late Night College Fest as well as Xtreme Bowling...

s are leaders in the research and development of computer systems for bowling alleys for score keeping and other related business (i.e. finance bookkeeping, payrolls, account receivables, account payables).

Automatic scoring equipment is considered as a cornerstone of the bowling center and is marketed as such by capital equipment manufacturers. Today's systems offer advanced graphics, advertising, and marketing features and can also support scoring non-traditional games such as no-tap.

Automatic scorers detect electronically a bowling pin

Bowling pin

Bowling pins are the target of the bowling ball in various bowling games including tenpins, five-pins, duckpins, and candlepins. In the US, pin specifications for standard tenpins are set by the United States Bowling Congress. Pins are 4.75 inches wide at their widest point and tall...

 with a wood core and an ionomer

Ionomer

An ionomer is a polymer that comprises repeat units of both electrically neutral repeating units and a fraction of ionized units...

 cladding. The pin has a fluorescent coating on the outer surface usually in the neck portion. The reason for this is so that electronically it can be detected if still standing or it has been knocked down. This is done with an ultraviolet light detecting system.

Many bowlers didn't trust automatic scorers when they were introduced in the 1970s. Many continued to keep score using the traditional method on paper score sheets to verify the accuracy of the automatic scorers. Today, however, automatic scorers are found in most modern bowling centers. A 16-lane bowling center in Chicago installed the first Automatic Scorer in 1967 by Brunswick Corporation.

In some installations, the automatic scoring is connected directly to the pinsetter circuitry with results sent electronically to the scorer. On string-based pinsetting (used in five pin and some ten pin facilities) scores are determined by identifying which pin strings were tugged. Automatic scoring can also be directly connected to a Brunswick GS series pinsetter, which lowers the pin table after each ball.

The automatic scoring is directly connected to the foul detection unit so that foul line violations are automatically scored.