Bowling As A Beginner

bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 11/1/2012; Updated: 8/27/2021

Bowling as a beginner requires following a few key steps when you arrive at your local bowling center. You will need some help to get started when you are bowling as a beginner.
If you have heard the term “open bowling” then you should know it is a commonly used term that refers to bowling in non-league or non-organized event games (such as tournaments, fund raisers, etc.). Open bowling is simply bowling for practice by yourself, for fun with family or friends, or in competition. Your scores are not recorded for USBC (United States Bowling Congress) sanctioned averages or for competitive standings.
You will need a few tips for bowling as a newcomer to the game so let’s start when you first arrive at the local bowling center.
1. Check in at the central control desk usually located near the front entrance of the center. The control desk is your most important connection when getting ready to bowl. Desk personnel will help you prepare to bowl by first assigning you a lane. Information about prices and lane availability are easily accessed at the control desk.
2. Once you are assigned a lane, you will need rental House Shoes since the center management does not allow use of street shoes on the bowling approaches. House Shoes typically run about one-half size larger than street shoes. So, be ready to try them on to ensure a comfortable fit.
bowlingball.com recommends everyone purchase their own bowling shoes in the nearest pro shop for sanitary purposes as well as style, comfort, and sliding stability.
3. Select a House Ball from the available inventory provided by the bowling center. Usually, you will find the House Balls located near the lanes on special racks. House Balls range from 6 lbs. to 16 lbs. maximum allowed weight.
House Balls are drilled with two finger holes and a thumb hole. The largest hole intended for use of the thumb. We highly recommend purchasing your own bowling ball and having it custom fitted to your hand. This will reduce the likelihood of hand discomfort or possible injury caused by use of House Balls randomly drilled for the public.
4. Control desk personnel can assist you in entering your name or names of all bowlers in your party into the automatic scorers. The bowling center personnel are always happy to show you how to use the scorers in setting-up to bowl. They will also help if there is a scoring error or other problem during your session on the lanes.
5. Contact the control desk personnel if there is a mechanical failure with the automatic scorer, the pinsetter, or the ball return unit. The control desk is your central point of communication while you are bowling.

It is easy to prepare to bowl and fun to spend recreational time with family and friends. Many people who get accustomed to open bowling elect to join a bowling league and compete for fun in an organized team environment.
Check with your local bowling center for details about joining a bowling league suited to your experience level in the game. Some bowling centers offer free beginner bowler instructional clinics to acquire a few physical game fundamentals before getting too far along in the game.
If there are no free clinics available, then inquire at the control desk or in the pro shop about private or group professional instructional programs. You can get some coaching and learn the basics of making a good approach and swinging and delivering the bowling ball accurately. Coaching can be inexpensive and fun while learning how to develop your own delivery style.
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