Have any of you ever been bowling?

I love bowling. I used to bowl in a league every week. It really helps to get your own ball and shoes. I am also a lefty.

We have a really cool retro bowling alley nearby. Small, 8 lanes. Cheap beer and great french fries. I suck at it, too. But it’s fun.

The only bowling in my hometown, was candlepin bowling. I have never been kingpin (regular) bowling before. If I had to guess – I’d say that I would suck at regular bowling. But bowling is a sport you can suck at & still enjoy.

@rpmpseudonym What is candlepin? Did you like it? I suppose I can google it. Never hear of it.

Candlepin uses small balls (no holes) and mostly-straight, candle-like pins.

Ten Pin uses big balls with holes and hourglass-shaped pins.

Candlepin is the norm here in New England. And I love bowling.

@Frenchfry…What @cprevite said. & To answer your other question, yes. I love it

Wow, I haven’t bowled since I was a teen, but I remember loving it. I wasn’t any good at it—but once in a while I got lucky with a strike or spare. I doubt this is done anymore, but in those days you rented shoes. Besides never fitting right, they probably weren’t all that sanitary, but we didn’t think about that then—it was just part of the experience. I went through a brief period of wanting my own custom-drilled bowling ball, but the $100 or so bucks they cost might as well have been a million for a kid in those days. Ah, bowling… hadn’t thought about it in a long time. Thanks for the question, @Frenchfry.

@cprevite So what country has ten pin? Candlepin is England.
@Austinlad I have not been bowling in years!! I must say it is more expensive then I thought. We did drink beers as well. They still rent shoes. They spray them if that helps any. LOL I had so much fun though might become a regular. They have specials. Go on certain days, cheaper. We went when it was not a special.

Yes…I have. I onced joined a team as a replacement for a woman that left mid season.I brought their team down from first to last place in record time! I am that good! XD

I love bowling and am fortunate to have as a mentor and good friend retired hall of famer Carmen Salvino teach me a thing or two!

There is a bowling alley about 3 blocks from my house. I love to go bowling.. but I am absolutely terrible. I think my average score is something like… 85ish? :) It’s fun, so I don’t really care how poorly I play.
My husband is actually really decent, but I swear he is going to break something one of these days. He practically launches the ball in the air, and it usually lands somewhere halfway down the lane before rolling. Scary, but entertaining.

I’m not a great bowler, but I do enjoy it from time to time.

I was doing it socially last year and developed a problem with my right shoulder (my bowling arm). So I started doing it left-handed and surprised myself with how well I did. (I sucked, really, but I was still able to throw the occasional strike, and pick up some spares.)

Another Southpaw here who likes to bowl. I got talked into joining a league one year. Investing in a bowling ball was worth it. Mine was bright melon-pink with an etched Mickey Mouse on it.

Despite a personal ball and shoes, I still stunk. I did get the “Most Improved” award that year, which meant breaking 100 more consistently. And the last time I went, I got a small trophy. It was for “Most Considerate”, as I helped a friend up off of her backside on the alley while everyone else stood around and laughed.

I have been but not for a long time. It’s fun when I get there but it’s not something I would choose to do myself (usually I go when invited by other people).

Well, It’s hard to grow up a redneck without having been in a bowling ally or two.

Not my first choice of recreational activity, but certainly fun once and awhile.

Yeah every now & then with the wife & kids. I’m not bad but i’m very competitive. Sod letting the kids win, I don’t bloody think so matey!! Here in England they call those places Hollywood Bowl, or something similar. Wow, we’re sooooo classy XD

Bowling is great!

When beer is involved.

Yes we go periodically. I am not that great but we have a good time.

They recently opened a new lane (which also has an arcade, food court, and karaoke booths) nearby. I haven’t bowled there yet, but my brother says the rates are terrific. The last time I bowled was almost a year ago. I’m not very good at it, but that’s okay with me.

My brothers are fairly good. They joined a league with my dad a few years ago and won Star wars bowling balls as a prize for participating (I don’t know where they placed.)

@Frenchfry: It exists in the US, but it’s mostly regional. I’m not sure if other countries bowl Ten Pin. I know there are “World Tournaments” for Ten Pin, so that certainly implies countries other than the US.

I love bowling. It’s one of my favorite things to do. I have my own ball, shoes, and bag. I used to bowl with my dad in a league a few years back and it was a whole lot of fun. My average was around 160. Now, it may be a bit lower, but I do go from time to time. I am also a lefty and have recently been working on a better curve. I think it will benefit me in the future as I plan on joining a league again.

last time i went bowling, about 8 years ago, we paid, between the shoe rental, and two or three games, $20 per person. I was thinking that bowling used to be a working class sport, but at $20 per person it was actually not that cheap.

I love bowling, especially in an older, smaller, slightly seedy place. I’m lucky to have one within a few blocks of my house. I must also recommend getting your own ball. Wait til some sports place is having a sale and pick one up. I got a nice ball for $30, and $5 for a bag at a garage sale. It saves time at the alley, and can save your knuckles by having properly-fitted finger holes. I’m also a lefty, so I had a hard time finding alley balIs not cut for right handers. It’s weird, because people think you must be serious or good if you have your own ball. I have a set of golf clubs too, but that doesn’t make me Tiger.

Onced??what the hell?? XD

I’m not a great fan of bowling!

No I haven’t been bowling yet

@lucillelucillelucille perhaps you meant “oncet” (pronounced “wunst”).

@CyanoticWasp -LOL! I think I meant chocolate cake!

Once, at least 2 decades ago, maybe more. Once was enough to convince me I will never do it again. I didn’t manage to hit a single pin, it was utterly humiliating.

@lucillelucillelucille of course. I feel like an idiot. That’s what I meant to say as well.

I was in a league when I was little and I’ve gone a few times a year since then. It’s fun. I’m terrible at it. I do enjoy watching really good bowlers, though. They are so precise!

I’ve been bowling several times, there’s an alley near my school/house, but sadly, I’m not very good. At all. D:

For those of you in the 10K mansion, maybe you can put in a suggestion to have a bowling alley installed. Oh, and a request for several lefty bowling balls, should some of us ever make it there.

Love to bowl or at least I did. Arthritic fingers make it hard.

My brother in law took me when I was twelve. I liked the sounds. The End.

I like the IDEA of bowling but I am a total flop with balls of any kind. lol

I am a left handed spaz with no aim whatsoever.

I hope I never have to catch or throw anything life altering like a baby from a highrise! lolol

My family and I bowl occasionally and we like playing on the Wii. We went a couple of months ago and that’s when I realized I’m actually fairly decent at sports if I play left-handed.