Many people who like bowling usually prefer to wear regular shoes instead of bowling shoes due to their unattractive construction. But whenever they go to the bowling alley they are asked to remove their regular shoes and rent bowling shoes to wear if they do not have their own.
It is not because the management of the bowling alley wants to make money from you but it is to ensure your safety as well as the safety of the bowling alley.
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Differences between bowling shoes and regular shoes
Bowling shoes are different from regular shoes not only due to the difference in their looks but their design is also different. Whenever you go to a bowling alley, regardless of its kind, you will be expected to wear bowling shoes because they allow you to slide smoothly on the surface of the bowling approach.
You will be able to control yourself before releasing the bowl as soon as you learn the art of bowling perfectly. You can master the tricks of bowling only by wearing specially designed custom made bowling shoes as they are specially designed for improving your performance in a bowling alley.
Though, some of the regular shoes have a rubber sole to provide them friction so that they do not slide still they cannot perform like the bowling shoes due to the difference in their soles.
Benefits Of Buying Bowling Shoes
People usually like to wear their regular shoes while bowling but to play this game safely and successfully as well as to ensure the safety of the alley it is necessary to wear bowling shoes irrespective of the level of your skill. Bowling shoes will save the approach of the bowling alley as well as allow you to glide while bowling.
- Safety of the Approach: the part of the bowling alley where players walk while releasing the ball is known as the approach. It is important to keep the approach free from damage and debris. A damaged approach can not only affect your score but and also injure you. The sole of regular shoes can bring more dirt and debris and likely to damage the approach more than bowling shoes due to the difference in their soles.
- Ensure a gliding motion: Due to the difference in the soles of regular shoes and bowling shoes, bowling shoes allow you to glide smoothly on any side, right or left while releasing the ball on the alley. Moreover, these shoes do not have any heels, and their soles are soft which makes them non-slippery. Furthermore, the friction level of bowling shoes can be adjusted according to the need of the alley by replacing their sliding pad.
- Ensure safety: To ensure your safety in a bowling alley you should not wear your bowling shoes anywhere else as they are specially designed for this purpose. You can damage your bowling shoes by wearing them on a sticky floor or even on the smallest wrapper of gum. Then it will neither protect you properly nor the approach of the bowling alley.
Reasons To Buy Personal Bowling Shoes
Many people do not like to wear bowling shoes because of their unattractive design but if you visit a bowling alley regularly and want to become a professional bowler then you must buy personal bowling shoes as renting them can be a costly affair for you. But while buying your shoes you will have to consider a few things listed here under.
Things To Consider When Buying Bowling Shoes
Size of the shoes: Though it seems easy to know the size of your shoes as most people usually know it already but things are not as easy as they seem to be. While buying bowing shoes you will have to focus on the narrow or wide width of the shoes instead of the standard width.
Bowling shoes are found in various widths so that you can choose from them. Moreover, the size and shape of your feet can change with time which can affect the size of your bowling shoes. A too tight or too loose shoe can negatively affect your performance on a bowling alley.
Frequency of performing at a bowling alley: You may not like to buy your bowling shoes if you bowl infrequently as renting these shoes can be more affordable for you. But you should buy an affordable pair of bowling shows if you bowl more frequently if not regularly. You do not need to buy high-quality shoes if you are not a regular bowler. Even an affordable pair can serve you for a long as the chances of wear and tear are very low. It will also allow you to save money you will have to spend while renting these shoes.
Level of your bowling skills: Basic bowling shoes can be the right choice for you if you bowl rarely. But if you perform at different bowling alleys then you should buy a pair that can improve your performance. The adjustments allowed by these high-quality shoes will help you in responding more effectively regardless of the bowling alley you are playing on.
Your seriousness about bowling competitions: You can certainly improve your performance on bowling alley by buying your bowling shoes if you regularly bowl in competitions or social events. Even if you are not participating in competitions but visit regularly to bowl then you must buy high-quality shoes for this purpose.
These shoes will serve you for a long even if you use them regularly as they do not wear out as quickly as your regular shoes. However, you can buy athletic style bowling shoes if you bowl in social events as they look like your regular shoes instead of traditional bowling shoes. But if you bowl in competitions then you must buy performance shoes.
Shoes with interchangeable heel pads and sole: The high-quality performance bowling shoes normally used by competitive bowlers can help in improving your performance as they have the feature of interchangeable heel pads and sole. This feature allows the player to adjust their slide according to the traction of the surface of the approach.
Thus, instead of bringing your regular shoes you must buy or hire bowling shoes while bowling at any bowling alley.
