Pretty much everyone asked will admit that they enjoy a game or two of bowling from time to time. It’s a sport that’s relatively new, it’s only been around forty years or so, but it is one of the most popular sports around. Why is that? Well, for starters, it’s a game for anybody. It is fun for everyone, from people who play once every few years to people who play competitively.
Bowling is a relatively inexpensive sport to play, and is hard to beat in terms of fun per dollar invested. There are many ways to play, from family games to tournaments. For a family or a group of friends there are multiple ways that they can play. Depending on the skill level of bowler, the number of people, or if the bowlers like to take their time, there are multiple ways to pay. Bowlers can rent lanes by time, paying for blocks of time. This can be good for fast bowlers or larger groups, especially useful if a large group of people are scheduling a bowling outing. In addition to renting lanes based on time, people can also pay per game bowled. Also, if children come bowling with parents, most alleys feature bumpers that rise out of the lanes, causing gutter balls to be a thing of the past. Some alleys even have a feature now where the bumpers will come up based on the bowler selected, so adults and children can play on the same lane.
In addition to being an individual / small group sport, league play is a huge part of bowling. Bowling leagues are a great way for large groups of people to meet each other and play competitively. Some leagues meet once a week, some once a month, and any variation in between. Leagues are usually based around a common interest, from church leagues, to beer leagues, to charity leagues. Competitive leagues often have large numbers of teams competing for trophies / prizes / etc. Leagues are also a way to get a lot of bowling in for a relatively cheap price. Some leagues can be as cheap as $10 per person, including a pitcher of beer / soda, and a pizza for each individual team. Most league games pit one team against another for three competitive games, with the winner determined by average score.
Whether an individual looking to blow off steam or a group of people looking to get involved in some serious competition, bowling is a sport that should be looked into. With so many options and such a low price point, bowling is a great way to spend an afternoon with a family or a night with the guys from work. Bowling is game that anyone can pick up, few can master, but everyone can have fun.