Your Neighborhood Bowling Alley

By Riley Hendersen

The bowling alley is a popular entertainment center for people of all ages. No matter where you are, in the modern day, it is difficult to drive very far without passing a bowling alley. The sport of bowling has steadily increased in popularity over the past century, which has, in turn, increased the demand to support this game.

Although the sport of bowling has been traced back to 3200 BC Egypt, standardization of the game did not come into play until the late-19th century. In the primitive stages of the game people set the pins at the end of each lane after each player bowled. These pinsetters were later replaced by a mechanical pinsetter that would automatically set the pins after each bowl. This efficiency was the dawn of technology in the bowling alley, and helped to spur even more interest in bowling. The mechanical ball return also did the same for the game.

With bowling organizations for all groups of people "men, women, and children" bowling has become a sport oriented to families as well as people of all ages. In many cases, a bowling alley will offer special attractions geared toward all age groups, including video games, table games, and snack bars. At night, many turn down the bright lights, turn up the black lights, and employ the use of fluorescent colored pins and decorations in conjunction with popular music to add to the entertainment factor and draw a young, hip crowd. Additionally, it often will provide space to accommodate children's birthday parties and community fund raising events.

The term "alley" has often carried the connotation of a dark, dingy, smoky lair of gambling and other crooked affairs. It was this same connotation that caused all early ninepins alleys to be outlawed in Connecticut in the mid-19th century, which in turn, created the common tenpins played in North America. It is increasingly popular for a bowling alley to be referred to as a bowling center. This helps to promote the more positive and friendly environment for which bowling has truly come to be known. It is also a more realistic representation of what is in store for those who enter the doors of their local bowling "establishment."

At first glance, one may argue that each bowling center is the same. Dozens of bowling lanes, countless bowling balls lined up on tiered racks for bowlers to utilize, multi-colored bowling shoes for rent, the arcade, and the snack bar are all common. However, it is the character of each bowling alley that is so alluring. Some are old, some are new; some are smaller and some are quite large; some are decorated with trophies; and some decorated with colorful artwork and murals throughout. But the charm of the atmosphere is never the same from one to the next. Decades of evolution have fashioned it into an indoor entertainment center in which families and friends of all ages can take pleasure.

Your Neighborhood Bowling Alley

By Riley Hendersen

The bowling alley is a popular entertainment center for people of all ages. No matter where you are, in the modern day, it is difficult to drive very far without passing a bowling alley. The sport of bowling has steadily increased in popularity over the past century, which has, in turn, increased the demand to support this game.

Although the sport of bowling has been traced back to 3200 BC Egypt, standardization of the game did not come into play until the late-19th century. In the primitive stages of the game people set the pins at the end of each lane after each player bowled. These pinsetters were later replaced by a mechanical pinsetter that would automatically set the pins after each bowl. This efficiency was the dawn of technology in the bowling alley, and helped to spur even more interest in bowling. The mechanical ball return also did the same for the game.

With bowling organizations for all groups of people "men, women, and children" bowling has become a sport oriented to families as well as people of all ages. In many cases, a bowling alley will offer special attractions geared toward all age groups, including video games, table games, and snack bars. At night, many turn down the bright lights, turn up the black lights, and employ the use of fluorescent colored pins and decorations in conjunction with popular music to add to the entertainment factor and draw a young, hip crowd. Additionally, it often will provide space to accommodate children's birthday parties and community fund raising events.

The term "alley" has often carried the connotation of a dark, dingy, smoky lair of gambling and other crooked affairs. It was this same connotation that caused all early ninepins alleys to be outlawed in Connecticut in the mid-19th century, which in turn, created the common tenpins played in North America. It is increasingly popular for a bowling alley to be referred to as a bowling center. This helps to promote the more positive and friendly environment for which bowling has truly come to be known. It is also a more realistic representation of what is in store for those who enter the doors of their local bowling "establishment."

At first glance, one may argue that each bowling center is the same. Dozens of bowling lanes, countless bowling balls lined up on tiered racks for bowlers to utilize, multi-colored bowling shoes for rent, the arcade, and the snack bar are all common. However, it is the character of each bowling alley that is so alluring. Some are old, some are new; some are smaller and some are quite large; some are decorated with trophies; and some decorated with colorful artwork and murals throughout. But the charm of the atmosphere is never the same from one to the next. Decades of evolution have fashioned it into an indoor entertainment center in which families and friends of all ages can take pleasure.

The Retro Bowling Shirt Strikes Back

By S. Taylor

Retro bowling shirts are now topping many lists of sport goods best sellers, and there's a good reason for that - they look great! An item with a classic 'American' feel to it, it now sells around the world, so what's the history of the bowling shirt, and why is the retro style so popular..?

The bowling shirt originated as something which was efficient for bowlers to wear. The short sleeves and box design meant that the material didn't interfere with the bowling action, and it wasn't so tight that it hindered it either. The cotton blend of the material meant that it was comfortable to wear, airy to allow perspiration without any nasty staining! The block colors meant that teams could be easily identified in busy rinks during competitions.

All well and good for the bowlers, but it was in the 1950s that the shirt made an impression outside the confines of the rinks and lanes. With the onset of rockabilly, the youth started to wear these bowling shirts as general casual clothing, and it took off as a cool look, with the possibilities of embroidery of names and logos adding to the fun.

In later years, the mods, who were the arch enemies of the rockers, even started to wear them! They did change the style somewhat, in that they only wore fitted designs as opposed to the original box shape. Always popular in the bowling alleys, the shirt went up and down in popularity outside the rink, but with the rise of internet commerce, the desire to sell to all markets meant a perfect opportunity for the retro shirt to make a comeback.

With its' classic block colors and design, the retro bowling shirt is typical nostalgic Americana, and people love to look back to a bygone age, when everything seemed so much simpler.

In today's world of seemingly endless struggles, the retro bowler's shirt has an important function - it makes people smile! If someone sees you wearing one, they won't point and jeer, they'll smile and say 'cool shirt', and it's this simple fact more than anything that has helped the comeback of the retro bowling shirt.

Public Relations for Bowling Alleys

By Lance Winslow

So often some types of businesses get a bad rap. We all know how the neighborhood water hole can get a bad rap from a fight in the parking lot turned totally bad. But this can happen to a relatively simple family business as well. Take a bowling alley for instance where the late night skateboarders and loitering teenagers turn it into a graffiti menus, parking lot drug sales area and a business associated with troubled youth.

It does not take much for this to happen, soon the leagues are weary and the families stop coming or allowing their children to go bowling and then sales drop. To overcome such potential eventualities it maybe necessary to really work extra hard on creating some excellent community goodwill and promoting a robust public relations campaign.

Perhaps a bowl-a-thon to help a local youth raise money for a bone marrow transplant or raise money for a very popular in town non-profit groups. Bowling alleys can help generate money for youth organizations, by donating 20% of the sales for one night and allow the group to help spread the word, invite more people and generate huge amounts of word of mouth advertising. Public Relations for Bowling Alleys is possible in the community and the opposite of good PR could drive them out of business. Consider this in 2006.

How to Choose the Best Bowling Shoes?

By Clara Havisham

Apart from confidence and skills, a bowler's much important requirement is an ideal pair of bowling shoes. Bowling shoes are the blend of dress and athletic shoes that appeal sneakers in their appearance. This footwear is lightweight and flexible enough to mold according to the performers body posture and provide them a great performance with utmost comfort. So, you should be much aware while shopping for this footwear as there are chances that you may bark up the wrong tree. This article will guide you in shopping for the best pair of bowling shoes available in the market.

Below mentioned are some of the important features of this footwear that are required to provide you good performance and utmost comfort.

According to the Players

Choose the style of bowling shoes by the type of bowler you are. If you are a serious player then go for some expensive and highly performance based footwear. Such performance bowling shoes will be having two types of soles; sliding and breaking soles that provide good grip and sufficient slide to strike the pins. Casual or sneaker style bowling shoes will be a good deal for the novice players that provide you the required comfort and enhanced performance. If you play often, then go for athletic style bowling shoes that aid you in providing requisite support, comfort and performance to enjoy the sport.

Other Things to Consider

Apart from the type of players you should also pay attention to the features of these shoes that aid you in providing good performance as well as comfort. Some of the features are listed below:

* Firstly, fit is the prime factor to be taken into consideration while shopping this footwear. They should not be too tight or too loose enough to lead you to discomfort on the bowling alley during the play. They should be snug fit for free mobility of the foot.
* Secondly, they should feature padded collars, breathable linings and cushioned insoles to provide added comfort to the foot. These features even assure maximum support and stability by maintaining proper movement of the foot.
* Thirdly, they should feature breathable uppers for free ventilation. This will enable air flow inside and outside the footwear keeping your feet stay cool and comfy inside them.
* Finally if you are playing on multiple bowling alleys then it is wise to prefer bowling shoes with interchangeable soles. The interchangeable soles will enable the footwear match your ability and lane conditions.

So here ends the requirements for the selection of a pair of perfect bowling footwear for you. Are your bowling shoes having all these above mentioned requirements? If not, hurry up and shop for the best pair available in the shoe market and excel in your game.

Facts Of Bowling Pin History

By J. Lloyd

The history of bowling dates back thousands of years. It is believed by many that a passion for hitting a bowling pin with an object actually struck humanity sometime in the Stone Age. This passion has never gone away, as evidenced by the worldwide popularity of the sport.

As man evolved, so too did the game and its trademark bowling pin design. Whereas the first pins likely were made of stone or another crude material, the pins of today have come a long way. Modern pins are precise creations typically made of wood. Each one is uniform in design specification down to the thickness of the necks and the height they stand.

The history of bowling marched forward from the Stone Age into actual royal courts. The first mention of the game in written history involves English King Edward III who, in 1366, actually banned the game to force his soldiers to focus more on their archery practice. From Edward's court, the game moved on to the time of King Henry VIII. It was in Henry's time the game became one enjoyed greatly by nobility.

In Colonial America, the game made an appearance and was often associated with gambling. The bowling pin count in this earlier form of the game involved nine pins, rather than the 10 of today.

The game enjoyed widespread popularity that stuck following the invention of the automatic bowling pin spotter in the 1940s. This little creation revolutionized the game and made it much easier for frames to be reset. The game has become so popular, in fact, that bowling pin set ups can now be found in almost every country in the world, with an estimated 95 million fans across the globe.

The standard bowling pin of today has come a long way, as well. Rather than stone or crude wood, a typical American bowling pin is made out of fine maple wood. This type of pin is created using a lathe to form the shape. Once this is done, the wood is coated with plastic and then covered with gloss. The idea is to create a uniform set up that is fairly standard from alley to alley.

The American bowling pin is a pretty strict creation. The standards set by the American Bowling Congress call for very stringent specifications. A standard bowling pin stands precisely 15 inches in height and is not more than 4.75 inches wide at its fattest point. They weigh in at less than four pounds a piece.

Although the standard American bowling pin is what is found in most alleys, there are other options out there in pins. The games played with them are a bit different, but they still revolve around the same concept of bowling to knock them down. Other types of pins used in bowling games include the candlepin, the duckpin and the set up for five-pins.

Bowling is a sport that has been enjoyed by people through the ages. From the days before recorded history to the modern, computerized alleys of today, the heart of the game has always involved a bowling pin in one form or fashion.

Bowling Tips That Everyone Can Benefit From

By Anne Clarke

Of all bowling tips I can share with you, the most important bowling tip of all is: practice! No matter how well you understand the game, no matter how excellent your bowling equipment is, you just are not going to get any better if you do not practice, practice, practice.

Another great bowling tip is to get a coach. It is best to get a trained coach, somebody who has helped others on their road to bowling greatness. Unfortunately, getting such a coach can cost a pretty penny… if you can find one in the first place.

So, if you cannot find somebody trained as a coach, find the next best thing – your mom, dad, friend, or neighbor, etc. Of course, you do, indeed, want someone who is a great bowler. At the very least, you want someone who is very interested in bowling – think of it this way, not all basketball referees are excellent basketball players, but they know what is going on the game.

In other words, even if friend cannot roll a strike every time, he or she can still help dissect your movements. Your friend may still be able to tell you what is wrong. Also, perhaps you know what you are doing wrong, and you end up overcorrecting yourself – your coach (even if it is just a friend) is going to be able to tell you that you have overcorrected or to tell you other information that you just cannot see or feel for yourself.

Besides these two major bowling tips – practice and don’t go at it alone – there are tons of bowling tips to adhere to. Very few bowling tips apply to all bowlers like these first two do. Someone who always gets a gutter balls is going to need different bowling tips that someone who cannot time his or her approach. Similarly, an amateur bowler is going to be helped by completely different bowling tips than a professional.

Nonetheless, here are a few more bowling tips:

· Stop using the house balls at the bowling alley – get yourself a custom bowling ball, or at least a bowling ball that fits your hand well. You are going to be able to use a different weight ball than you normally would, simply because it fits your hand better. Why not go heavier?

· Get your own bowling shoes – while this bowling tip is not quite as important as the abovementioned one, it can still help. Most certainly, you are going to feel better when you are wearing your own bowling shoes.

· When you have a question, ask it – never assume that you have learned all there is to know. Even the best bowlers, the professionals, can stand to take some advice. Never stop learning.

· Stretch – no, bowling is not a contact sport, but that most certainly does not mean that bowlers do not get injured. Stretching can help you prevent injuries. Also, making sure that you have a ball that properly fits will keep you safer, too. You may also decide to wear a wrist support.

· Keep that throwing are nice and loose.

· Think – bowling is not all in the wrist, it is in the head. Really think about your movements and y our delivery. Concentrate on which movements create which spins on the ball, etc.

· Finish close to the foul line – being with six inches of the foul line will help insure that you get the best release possible (of course, you never want to cross it!)

· Watch the professionals – watch them on TV, or watch some great bowlers at your local alley.

· Always keep your eye on the target – this does not necessarily mean you need to keep your eyes on the pins! Rather, look at the markers in the lane.

· Follow through!

I hope that these bowling tips have helped you. And I want to remind you of one of the absolute most important bowling tips of all – have fun! It is not worth bowling if you are no longer having fun. Do not let the pressure to win get in the way of your overall aim to have fun!

Anne Clarke writes numerous articles for websites on gardening, parenting, fashion, and sports. Her background includes teaching and gardening. For more of her articles on bowling, please visit Best Bowling.

Bowling Hand Positions - The Different Hand Positions in Bowling

By Mark D. Williams

How Changing Hand Positions Affects Ball Roll

Bowling Hand Positions. - There are many different hand positions in bowling. I am only going to start out with a few of the basic ones. Cupped, Straight, and Broken are the 3 basic vertical hand positions. The 3 basic horizontal wrist positions which are at 12 o'clock, 10:30, and 9 o'clock. Using different combinations of these changing hand positions in bowling will affect the ball roll. This affect causes the bowling ball to have earlier roll or later roll. It can also cause different angles to the pocket and cause the ball to hook or roll at different spots on the bowling lane. At times it can substitute for bowling ball speed problems. These basic wrist combinations, along with different finger positions in gripping the bowling ball may be all that's needed. Try them before changing bowling lane lines, or even changing bowling equipment, or bowling ball layouts.

1. The Cupped Release - The cupped release is when your wrist is curled so that your fingers and hand are angled upward in a 45 degree angle. This causes the bowling ball to roll sooner. It also gives you an earlier break point. (Note: most crankers or high revolution bowlers like this wrist position).

2. The Straight Release - The straight release is when your wrist is straight. There is no break upward or downward. This release is a starting position. It is a release that should be used most of the time. You should then adjust from this point. This is a medium wrist position. (Note: most straight bowlers or strokers like this wrist position).

3. The Broken Wrist Release - The broken wrist position, or release, is when your hand and fingers are angle down toward the ground; also your wrist is broken. This release position is used when you want to delay the break point or if you want to get the ball down lane before it hooks. It is also used to get through the heads. (Note: the heads are the first part of the bowling lane). It can also substitute for ball speed or for drier lane conditions. I have seen famous professional like Norm Duke and Brian Voss use this release a lot.

4. The 12 o'clock Release - With the 12 o'clock, or 10 degree, release as you hold your ball your thumb comes straight up with no (or very little) side turn. Your hand and thumb will be at the 12 o'clock position as it is released. This release will give the bowling ball a lot of end over end roll. It causes the bowling ball to delay its break point. This release is used on dryer lanes and to help get the ball down the lane before it hooks. (Note: this is also called a 10 degree axis rotation).

5. The 10:30 Release - With the 10:30, or 45 degree, release as you hold your bowling ball your hand is turned horizontal and your thumb is pointed at 10:30 on a clock, or at a 45 degree angle. This release is the most common. It also should be used as a starting point. This release gives the bowling ball a slight inward turn toward the 7 pin. (Note: this is also called a 45 degree axis rotation).

6. The 9 o'clock Release - With the 9 o'clock, or 90 degree, release as you hold the bowling ball your hand is turned horizontally to the side facing 9 o'clock. This release causes the ball to have a lot of spin. It sometimes causes what we call a spinner. This means the bowling ball is spinning like a top. It also has very little ball to lane surface contact. This means the bowling ball will not have much hook or drive as it rolls down the bowling lane. When it hits the bowling pins it may hit dead with not much action. (Note: this is also called the 90 degree axis rotation).

Bowling Ball Spinner - You've Got to Have One to Step Up

By Wendy Pan

Pay attention here comes the science bit. Ever wondered why you languish in the middle order of your local bowling league? Ever wondered what the secret is behind the top guys or do you think it's just that they are more skilled than you? Truth is they've thought more about the game than you. They've invested money, time and thought into that process of ball rolling down the lane to the pocket and they have their own bowling ball spinner at home.

Those bowlers with a big score percentage jump on you never take the lane conditions as a given. They know what each lane, what each part of each lane is like, down in the grain. They know when it was last cleaned and when it was last polished and they have a bowling ball spinner that enables them to match their bowling ball to the lane for maximum control and minimum deviation from the path they send their bowl down. No wonder they hit the pocket 8 or 9 times out of 10 compared to your 5 or 6.

How many times have you asked yourself or your teammates, "how are the lane conditions?" Then, when you get the answer, pretty slow, fast, oily or whatever you just get your 'lucky' ball out and try to adjust your swing to the condition of your lane. Well the serious bowlers know that the interaction of the Bowling ball with the lane surface is the factor that will make the difference between winning and losing tonight.

The surface of your bowling ball, along with lane conditions will determine your strike rate and can drastically affect the outcome of your game and your league standings. A personal bowling ball spinner, or one for your team can enhance the performance of your bowling ball. simply by allowing you to resurface your ball through sanding, polishing or cleaning. Get the edge on the competition and order your bowling ball spinner today!

A bowling ball spinner will come with directions for matching your ball to the lane. Your bowling ball spinner will also come with various types of sander and polish so that you can customize your own and your team balls. This will eliminate the ball to lane interaction as a variable that can throw your ball off line from the pocket. The only thing you have to do then is calculate the force, the spin, and all the other variables that go into the multiple strike game.

Think of your bowling ball as a finely tuned athlete in need of tender loving care and good rub down after each match. Get a bowling ball spinner if you want to step up to the next level.

Basic Bowling

By Mark J Montgomery

This is an article you will want to read if you have an interest in the sport of bowling. Many people regard bowling as a recreational activity and it certainly is that. However, what many people do not realize is that bowling requires skills and agility. While the vast majority of people bowl for leisure there are many of those who also consider it a competitive sport. This is why there are so many selections in bowling shoes, bowling balls, and bowling accessories. There are some who even consider many of the bowling shoes available to be a fashion statement. My own daughter thought I was really cool when she found out I owned a pair of bowling shoes. She told me I should wear them to just knock around in.

As for the skills and agility required; Most people realize the objective of the game is to roll a ball that weighs anywhere from 8 - 16 pounds down a 42" wide by 16' / 10-3/16" long wooden or synthetic path, also known as a lane, and knock over 10 standing pins. While this seems simple enough, the combined and timed activities required to accomplish this task perfectly are very challenging. 13 strikes in a row (a strike is knocking down all pins on one roll of the ball) is a perfect game when done from 1st frame through the 10th. The total score of performing this perfection is 300. Doing this is about equal to the task of a hole in one in golf. It is not an impossible task to bowl a perfect game of 300 but it is very difficult. Lets take a look at the basic skills involved.

Approach - You must have a smooth and timed approach. Too quick to the line and the ball trails causing you to foul or drop the ball before you are ready to release. Too slow on the approach and the ball can jerk out of your hand in an uncontrolled release and you have lost control over the path of the ball down the lane.

Swing - The timing of the swing of your arm must be in relation to the approach. If your swing is not in time with your approach the entire process becomes very cumbersome. Too far back on your swing and the ball may roll uncontrollably down the lane. Not far enough back on your swing and there is no power in the ball and it leaves pins standing.

Knowledge of the lane conditions - Is the lane dry or oily? Dry lanes can cause your ball to grip the lane more quickly and put more curve on the roll than you want. Consequently, an oily lane can keep your ball from curving enough.

Equipment Knowledge - Are you using a hard ball or a soft ball? If your lane is oily it might be better for you to use a soft ball for more lane grip. If the lane is dry you might need to use a harder ball that would naturally have less tendency to adhere to the friction of the drier lane.

There are many other factors that go into the sport of bowling but once these basic skills have been mastered, you can advance to the next level in bowling. One of the areas you can find great bowling shoes, bowling balls, and bowling accessories is at the website known as http://bowlingshoesandballs.com

Mark Montgomery is an avid bowler and has bowled since being introduced to the sport of bowling in a junior high school P.E. class. Mark has continued his love for the sport of bowling throughout his life and enjoys teaching others the fun and competitiveness of the game! Mark recently put up a website where others can find the greatest selection of bowling shoes, bowling balls, and bowling accessories at http://bowlingshoesandballs.com

3 Tips for Bowling a Better Game

By Jimmy Talcom

I am going to share with you some great tips for bowling a better game. You will start to feel more like a professional and stop feeling like a beginner. There is only so much that you can learn on your own before you feel like you don’t know where to go next. The tips that I am sharing with you will help you get past that beginner feeling and get you on track to bowling the best game possible.

Tips for Bowling – Tip 1

The first tip for bowling that I am going to share with you has to deal with is how you swing the ball. This way that you swing is very important in the game of bowling. You need to make sure that you keep your arm loose. Keep your grip relaxed in the ball making sure that you are not squeezing your fingers, especially the thumb. In order to get the best grip you ball needs to be fit to your hand. This is done so that the holes are not too big causing you to squeeze your fingers and muscle the swing. You can use inserts if you find this to be a problem.

Tips for Bowling – Tip 2

The next tip that I want to give to you is to finish up close to the foul line. You should be around six inches from the foul line after each delivery. This will allow the ball to make contact with the lane a little further down the lane conserving energy for the pins. If you find that you are too far behind the foul line at the end of your delivery, adjust your starting point so that you are closer at the end of delivery. This should improve your game quiet a bit.

Tips for Bowling – Tip 3

The last tip I want to share is that bowling is very much a mental game. You need to always be thinking about your delivery. If you make a good shot, try to plant your process in your mind so that you can do that over and over. Always think about making that perfect delivery everywhere: even off the lanes. Image the steps you take to get that next strike. Always be thinking about your game.

I hope that these tips will help improve your bowling game. Make sure that when you are on the lanes that you watch other players bowl. Look at what they do and how they are bowling if they have a good game.

Did you know that there are 3 common mistakes that all bowlers make? Find out what they are and how you can avoid them here.