Bowling Etiquette 101

Nice manners don’t just start and finish at the dinner table. With October being National Safe Work Month, it’s time to introduce something just as important: Bowling Etiquette. No, it doesn’t mean being able to send a ball down the lane while balancing a book on your head, but it does mean you’ll have a fun and safe time when you next hit the lanes at ZONE BOWLING.  

Here are the four ways to being a better, safer bowler.

 

 

Choose the Right Shoes

At ZONE BOWLING, we start from the ground up and that means the first thing you need to do is grab a pair of shoes that fit nice and snug. We’ve got all the sizes you’ll need with our infamous bowling shoes aka the most photographed item of all time at ZONE BOWLING… Getting the perfect fit ensures you stay on your feet while you bowl, because these shoes are more than a loud fashion statement – they’re designed to slide safely when you bowl and make sure your ankles and feet stay safe.

 

Getting the Right Rock

It’s what you’ll be using to outscore all your friends and family but choosing the right ball is more than just picking out your favourite colour. You have to grab a ball that your fingers fit nice and comfortably into- but not so tight that they get stuck! It’s a balance and it pays to try a couple of different sized holes so that you’re comfortable and ready to roll.

Once you’ve let your fingers do the talking, you have to make sure that it’s just the right weight. And there’s a super simple way of doing this: first, hold the ball in the palm of your hand and bend your arm to a 90-degree angle. If you can hold it comfortably, then that’s the ball for you. If you’re tossing it in the air, try a heavier ball and if your arm slumps to the floor, find a lighter rock.

Don’t Foul Up - The floor is lava beyond the foul line

Your eyes might suddenly be locked on all those pins at the end of the lane that you’re about to slay, but there’s an important line you need to take note of. It’s the black line at the start of the lane, called the foul line. Make sure you know exactly where it is, because should you cross it, not only will your turn not count but the lanes are oiled and incredibly slippery!

Many Happy Returns

Patience is a virtue in life as it is in bowling. And it’s why you should wait until your ball returns all the way from the end of the lane and stops back in the rack before you grab it and set up for your next bowl. Not only will you have more time to think of your next strategic move to knock over the last two pins, you will stop your fingers getting squashed between your ball and the one you didn’t see immediately behind Ouch, save yourself the pain!  

A bit of bowling decorum goes a long way and staying safe means you’ll enjoy slinging the ball down your lane even more. So book your lane today and test out your etiquette skills on the lane!