Bowling: Five Great Tips for Rookies
Bowling is one of the fastest growing sports in the United Kingdom. As well as being fun, healthy and competitive, it bears the patina of Americana, lending a slightly exotic veneer to an evening’s entertainment. The general nature of the sport and its rules are fairly familiar but, if you are a bowling beginner, here are some tips to enhance your success and enjoyment when you first get involved:
Bowling Etiquette
All sports have their points of etiquette and seasoned bowlers are no exception, they follow certain protocols for their own and others’ benefit. This may seem rather obvious but people do occasionally commit a bowling alley faux pas and distract other players when they are taking their turn, using other players’ bowls, shouting profanities due to frustration at their own mediocrity or another’s excellence or spilling food and drinks near the lanes. There are some excellent guides to good form available online – consult them!
Learn the Rules
While beginners usually know the fundementals of bowling, they should take time to familiarise themselves with the rules of the sport in order to avoid confusion, quarrels on points of sporting law and interrupting the game by asking for explanations and clarifications. Compliance with the regulations of any game is, of course, the soul of good sportsmanship.
Wear Correct Footwear
Wearing the prescribed bowling shoes is essential. Not only are your outdoor shoes unlikely to provide the support, flexibility and grip necessary to play a fun and effective game of bowling, they can damage bowling areas and deposit dirt and debris which can be unsightly and hazardous.
Use Gloves
Another requirement along sartorial lines is that you wear sturdy bowling gloves. These vital accessories are flexible, improve your grip, support your wrist and generally enhance the comfort and quality of your bowling. Available in a wide variety of colours and fabrics, you can review a selection of bowling gloves here among others.
Don’t Be Too Competitive
While competition is, by definition, part of the great sport of bowling, it is entirely possible to take it too far. This can ruin your and others’ enjoyment of what should be a fun experience and it can put you under counterproductive pressure and damage your performance. Mind your manners, learn the rules and dress appropriately and you will have a fabulous, fun time.
