Bowling is a fun activity for people of all ages and a perfect recreational activity for families.
Rolling the ball down the alley is easy but challenging.
If you are thinking of starting bowling as a hobby, you are probably wondering about the cost of bowling as a hobby.
So, How Expensive Is Bowling as A Hobby?
Bowling can be both cheap and expensive. How expensive bowling is as a hobby depends on how much you bowl and how serious you are in taking it as a hobby. The hobby does not have to be costly if you just want to play occasionally and have fun. It can be as cheap as $30 by just buying the bowling shoes or as expensive as thousands of dollars annually if you decide to purchase the high-end balls, practice weekly, and bowl in multiple leagues.
Three Bowling Expenses For Beginners
Compared to other sports such as football, dance, ballet, or swimming, bowling as a hobby is relatively cheaper.
You can play the game with rented equipment and do not need any special uniforms.
Bowling can even be cheaper if you purchase your shoes.
However, it can be relatively expensive if you want to take bowling seriously and compete in leagues.
Some of the bowling expenditures that determine the cost of bowling include;
1. Bowling Shoes
The bowling shoe is essential for bowling because you can slide with them and protect the polished wood floor on the bowling lanes.
When approaching the lane to release the ball towards the pins, it is essential to move smoothly to make your throw as well controlled as possible.
When starting bowling, you can either buy or rent bowling shoes.
You can find cheap shoes for about $35 and work relatively well.
However, you can consider renting the shoe during the bowling session until you are sure you want to pursue bowling in the long run.
2. Renting Bowling Lanes
The next factor that determines the cost of bowling is the price of renting lanes at a bowling alley.
This will, however, depend on how frequently or seriously you are bowling.
If you are just looking to bowl casually and are only looking to mess around and have some fun but not bowl continuously for an hour, paying the bowling lane per game may be better.
This might go for $1 to $4 per game.
However, if you are more serious about bowling, you should opt for the cheaper hourly deals. You can find deals that go for $20 for one hour every two weeks.
This will go for about $40 per month, which is still relatively cheap.
3. Bowling ball
While you can pay for complementary deals that include a bowling ball, you need to purchase a ball if you are serious about the hobby.
A beginner bowling ball goes for about $100. The drilling cost for the ball to fit your hand costs an extra $20 to $50.
The more serious and advanced bowlers may have a quality strike ball and spare balls.
The spare balls usually are plastic balls that cost around $50 or cheaper if you find the special deals.
Generally, while getting a bowling ball is not a must, having your ball can increase your score.
4. Additional Bowling Gear
If you have your bowling ball, you will require a bag to carry your balls in. the bag might be costly, particularly for numerous ball pouches.
You might also require a glove and towel for bowling, tape for fingers, and many other things.
This miscellaneous stuff may be a one-time purchase for $50 to $100.
What Is the Cost of Bowling in A-League?
A bowling league entry fee is as low as $10 weekly to as high as $17 every week.
This will include playing three games each week but doesn’t include renting shoes.
Traditionally, a bowling league goes for 30 to 36 weeks, but shorter leagues run for 12 to 16 weeks.
The best team gets the prize funds at the end of the season.
However, the prize funds are normally only big enough for the first two teams to recover their entry fees; hence it’s not a way of making money.
So, while you might enjoy the prospect of reimbursing your hobby funding, you must be one of the best teams at the end of the season.
Why Is Bowling Expensive?
While you can still enjoy bowling at a relatively lower price, some factors make bowling an expensive hobby.
Some of the reasons why bowling is expensive include;
1. Lesser Amount Of Bowlers Than Before
Bowling is not a famous sport like it was about twenty years ago.
Today, there are fewer pro bowlers worldwide and lesser individuals going to the bowling alleys.
Hence, the bowling centers tend to charge more than other sport centers as they want to keep the alleys.
Profit margin sufficiently high to keep the business running. Generally, lesser traffic means more expensive costs.
2. Bowling Alleys Are A Luxury
Bowling is a relatively luxurious hobby and sport.
While bowling alleys are standard and basically meant for young bowlers and professionals, most bowling centers are found in luxury entertainment centers.
You will often find dates having fun throwing balls while drinking and eating around.
Everything around is more luxurious and high quality, making bowling expensive.
3. Extra Equipment
Bowling is a relatively expensive hobby due to the extra equipment you need.
If you are serious and thinking of going professional, you will need to get comfortable and loose attire, specialized bowling balls, high-end bowling shoes, wrist gloves, etc.
On the other hand, if you just want to play casually, you will still need to pay for a pair of bowling shoes, a ball, and other equipment, which will add up to a high cost.
4. League Cost
You might see it as a great idea for you to join a bowling league, and it is if you are a remarkable gamer.
However, you’re mistaken if you see it as a cheap way of playing with more experienced bowlers.
While you can pay for just about $10 per night of participating in the league, the additional cost, such as food and extra equipment, can add up to $30 to $40.
Three Ways To Bowl Cheaply
Bowling is a relatively expensive hobby. However, there are ways you can ma the sport a bit cheaper.
1. Bowl At Night
To start, you can consider visiting the bowling centers at night when they offer discounts and promotions at a lower price.
At this time, you can take advantage of the all-you-can-bowl deals or per-game deal prices.
2. Buy Used
You can also save money on bowling by purchasing used but high-quality bowling shoes.
You can easily find such second-hand shoes from pro bowling shops or yard sales to avoid spending a lot on in-house bowling shoes.
3. Play With In House Bowling Balls
For most bowling centers, playing with house balls can be complementary.
However, if you still want to have your own bowling ball, you can find a used but good bowling ball to purchase either from pro bowling shops or online platforms.
This way, you can lower your bowling costs for an overall great experience.
Bottom Line
Bowling as a hobby can be expensive. However, there are ways of saving money, such as purchasing your bowling shoes to avoid the cost of renting every time you go bowling.
You can also consider taking advantage of coupon deals and cheap summer deals.
Some of the bowling centers sometimes offer unlimited bowling for a particular price.
Ultimately, if you want to improve and compete with the best, look into purchasing your shoes and ball.
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How expensive is bowling as a hobby?