Why don't more people Bowl?

[DGS49]

I have bowled in a number of leagues, and casually, for many years. It is a fun thing to do, and even a bit beneficial.

• ANYONE can bowl. It is simple, elemental, and requires very little skill to participate. And improving from being terrible at first to being better is not difficult.
• It is a good social activity. You can find leagues of men, women, couples, and non-couples. You can find leagues that bowl any time...morning, afternoon, evening, and night, weekdays and weekends. You always meet new people, and often they end up being friends, because you have at least one thing in common, and probably many more things in common.
• Bowling can be as competitive or as un-competitive as you like; just join the right league.
• ANYONE can be competitive at bowling with the standard handicapping system. A 120 bowler can "beat" a 210 bowler simply by bowling a 140 (usually). I once belonged to a couples league (mixed) where a couple of young "challenged" women won all the marbles (about $500), despite bowling against teams with combined averages over 400. It can happen when handicaps are applied.
• Bowling is a mild form of exercise, more than most older people get in their normal activities.
• No matter how bad you are, there will be games when you bowl well and lead your team to a win. It is inevitable.

And yet, many leagues are struggling to find new and replacement bowlers. Some are actually folding down due to lack of bowlers, especially with the CV concerns.

I understand that in the summer months, many people think it's a waste to go to a dark bowling alley to recreate, but most leagues bowl from September to April (or May), leaving the summer months open.

I don't understand why more people don't bowl. It's fun and inexpensive.

 

[gulfman]

Bowling is considered a blue collar persons sport.Mostly hillbillies at the bowling alleys.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

I have bowled in a number of leagues, and casually, for many years. It is a fun thing to do, and even a bit beneficial.

• ANYONE can bowl. It is simple, elemental, and requires very little skill to participate. And improving from being terrible at first to being better is not difficult.
• It is a good social activity. You can find leagues of men, women, couples, and non-couples. You can find leagues that bowl any time...morning, afternoon, evening, and night, weekdays and weekends. You always meet new people, and often they end up being friends, because you have at least one thing in common, and probably many more things in common.
• Bowling can be as competitive or as un-competitive as you like; just join the right league.
• ANYONE can be competitive at bowling with the standard handicapping system. A 120 bowler can "beat" a 210 bowler simply by bowling a 140 (usually). I once belonged to a couples league (mixed) where a couple of young "challenged" women won all the marbles (about $500), despite bowling against teams with combined averages over 400. It can happen when handicaps are applied.
• Bowling is a mild form of exercise, more than most older people get in their normal activities.
• No matter how bad you are, there will be games when you bowl well and lead your team to a win. It is inevitable.

And yet, many leagues are struggling to find new and replacement bowlers. Some are actually folding down due to lack of bowlers, especially with the CV concerns.

I understand that in the summer months, many people think it's a waste to go to a dark bowling alley to recreate, but most leagues bowl from September to April (or May), leaving the summer months open.

I don't understand why more people don't bowl. It's fun and inexpensive.

Unfortunately age and wear have relegated me to a 195 average bowler. This lefty Cranker is now left with so many heartbreaking 7 pins now.........so many...many...many

My prime was in my Brunswick Edge days. I hit around 203-205

 

[petro]

I don't know about inexpensive.
Some alleys here are charging six bucks a game, and shoe rental adds another five.

Love bowling myself and used to league bowl.
One guy in the league had a two handed delivery that was devastating. Saw him roll at least six perfect games in one season. His average was 240.

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

I have bowled in a number of leagues, and casually, for many years. It is a fun thing to do, and even a bit beneficial.

• ANYONE can bowl. It is simple, elemental, and requires very little skill to participate. And improving from being terrible at first to being better is not difficult.
• It is a good social activity. You can find leagues of men, women, couples, and non-couples. You can find leagues that bowl any time...morning, afternoon, evening, and night, weekdays and weekends. You always meet new people, and often they end up being friends, because you have at least one thing in common, and probably many more things in common.
• Bowling can be as competitive or as un-competitive as you like; just join the right league.
• ANYONE can be competitive at bowling with the standard handicapping system. A 120 bowler can "beat" a 210 bowler simply by bowling a 140 (usually). I once belonged to a couples league (mixed) where a couple of young "challenged" women won all the marbles (about $500), despite bowling against teams with combined averages over 400. It can happen when handicaps are applied.
• Bowling is a mild form of exercise, more than most older people get in their normal activities.
• No matter how bad you are, there will be games when you bowl well and lead your team to a win. It is inevitable.

And yet, many leagues are struggling to find new and replacement bowlers. Some are actually folding down due to lack of bowlers, especially with the CV concerns.

I understand that in the summer months, many people think it's a waste to go to a dark bowling alley to recreate, but most leagues bowl from September to April (or May), leaving the summer months open.

I don't understand why more people don't bowl. It's fun and inexpensive.

So you remember when the Yellow Dot revolutionized bowling. I loved that ball. When the pins were 3 lbs 2 oz, that ball spinned those pins. Light strikes would blow the 5 pin everywhere

 

[Desperado]

If you are not on a league it is almost impossible to get a lane,

 

[Hang on Sloopy]

I don't know about inexpensive.
Some alleys here are charging six bucks a game, and shoe rental adds another five.

Love bowling myself and used to league bowl.
One guy in the league had a two handed delivery that was devastating. Saw him roll at least six perfect games in one season. His average was 240.

I've seen guys in the high 30s. God they are machines. That is like 7 or 8 strikes a game.

Some of those guys were one house dwellers and didn't quite pull those numbers in other houses.

But everyone has their favorite scoring house

 

[petro]

Unfortunately age and wear have relegated me to a 195 average bowler. This lefty Cranker is now left with so many heartbreaking 7 pins now.........so many...many...many

My prime was in my Brunswick Edge days. I hit around 203-205

Corner pins on either side are my specialty.
I keep an old Black Beauty for my spare ball and can roll a straight line cross alley diagonally.

I have only a slight curve on my first ball.

 

[petro]

If you are not on a league it is almost impossible to get a lane,

A couple lanes around here offer a buck a game on Sunday mornings between 9am and noon. But most evenings there is a waiting list.
Leagues are guaranteed income for alleys though.
Haven't gone since Covid though as I was not going to wear a mask while bowling.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

I bowled in leagues in my 20s as well as "money bowling" on weekends.
In those days I averaged 200+ up to avg 220 in leagues.
When I got married...kids... I stopped. And didn't bowl for decades.
Recently Bonzi and I went bowling and I barely broke 100. I remembered where I threw the ball... but it didn't go where it use to go.

 

[petro]

Ever try Wi bowling?
My real average ended up being identical to my video average.
We used to play it at a buddies garage tv when drinking.

 

[iamwhatiseem]

My ball of choice was the Columbia Yellow Dot 300. Set me back quite a bit at that time. It was areal one, not a remake.

 

[gipper]

We gave up bowling back in the late 80s because too many people smoked. I miss it now. I always enjoyed the game and friendly interaction.

 

[22lcidw]

A couple lanes around here offer a buck a game on Sunday mornings between 9am and noon. But most evenings there is a waiting list.
Leagues are guaranteed income for alleys though.
Haven't gone since Covid though as I was not going to wear a mask while bowling.

I remember Sundays in the late 60's early 70's. I believe it was 35 cents a game then. Bowling is actually a good group experience for people. It was good enough for "the dude" also.

 

[petro]

Mccracken!!!

 

[iamwhatiseem]

We gave up bowling back in the late 80s because too many people smoked. I miss it now. I always enjoyed the game and friendly interaction.

Holy crap you are right with that.
THE reason why we went to one location the most was that it had a series of these large charcoal ceiling vent things.
Waay better.

 

[HereWeGoAgain]

I used to enjoy bowling until my hip died.
In fact I was bowling when I finally decided to have my hip looked at.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

I have bowled in a number of leagues, and casually, for many years. It is a fun thing to do, and even a bit beneficial.

• ANYONE can bowl. It is simple, elemental, and requires very little skill to participate. And improving from being terrible at first to being better is not difficult.
• It is a good social activity. You can find leagues of men, women, couples, and non-couples. You can find leagues that bowl any time...morning, afternoon, evening, and night, weekdays and weekends. You always meet new people, and often they end up being friends, because you have at least one thing in common, and probably many more things in common.
• Bowling can be as competitive or as un-competitive as you like; just join the right league.
• ANYONE can be competitive at bowling with the standard handicapping system. A 120 bowler can "beat" a 210 bowler simply by bowling a 140 (usually). I once belonged to a couples league (mixed) where a couple of young "challenged" women won all the marbles (about $500), despite bowling against teams with combined averages over 400. It can happen when handicaps are applied.
• Bowling is a mild form of exercise, more than most older people get in their normal activities.
• No matter how bad you are, there will be games when you bowl well and lead your team to a win. It is inevitable.

And yet, many leagues are struggling to find new and replacement bowlers. Some are actually folding down due to lack of bowlers, especially with the CV concerns.

I understand that in the summer months, many people think it's a waste to go to a dark bowling alley to recreate, but most leagues bowl from September to April (or May), leaving the summer months open.

I don't understand why more people don't bowl. It's fun and inexpensive.

It would be nice to see it replace the three main corruptbsports the mlb,nba and nfl especially the nfl that’s fir sure.

 

[LA RAM FAN]

We gave up bowling back in the late 80s because too many people smoked. I miss it now. I always enjoyed the game and friendly interaction.

You would have problems now with smoking,the gestapo us government took away that freedom of Americans back in the 90,s so if smoking is the only thing that stopped you you should have been bowling the last 20 years or so.lol

 

[iamwhatiseem]

You would have problems now with smoking,the gestapo us government took away that freedom of Americans back in the 90,s so if smoking is the only thing that stopped you you should have been bowling the last 20 years or so.lol

Absolutely not.
Smoking in public is an act of selfishness. Sorry, but it is and I did my share of it in my youth.
Smoking stinks, forces non smokers to withstand the stench and choking atmosphere.
I am all for protecting individual rights ---- as long as it doesn't infringe the rights of others.