Bowling shoes ball and pins

Why Do Bowling Alleys Require You To Wear Bowling Shoes?

If you are an enthusiast of the game, you may probably wonder why there is a need to change your shoes when you go to bowling alleys.

You may have the best shoes or sneakers that are lightweight and you may think that the grip of your shoes is on par with other gaming shoes, but you can’t be more wrong. 

Bowling alleys require players to wear bowling shoes not just to have an extra earning or just for uniformity for those who visit the bowling alley, but rather, they have some significant reasons why they are strict about this rule. 

Here are the reasons why you need to wear bowling shoes. 

Bowling Shoes Are Slicker Than Regular Shoes 

The shoes that you need to wear are both made of rubber and leather and yet the shoes are made slicker so you will have the freedom to glide while you are bowling. This gives you the natural, smoother motion when you get ready to throw the ball. The shoes, unlike street shoes, make it easy for you to have control over your movement and will not keep you stuck on any portion of the floor as what could happen if you are wearing the wrong kind of shoes. 

Read  Bowling Ball Polish Alternative - 5 Top Alternatives

The bowling ball is heavy as well, and if you are not wearing the proper shoes while bowling and you tripped while playing, there is a tendency that the ball might fall on your feet and cause such injury. 

The sliding quality of the bowling shoes prevents injury to your foot, ankle, and your knee from occurring. They also make the heel of the shoes with rubber, which prevents you from sliding after throwing the bowling ball. 

Bowling Shoes Protect The Lanes

Imagine someone wearing heeled shoes while bowling. This is a disaster waiting to happen. Not just for the player, but for the floor of the bowling alley. They require bowling shoes in bowling alleys to protect the floor from scratches from other shoe types that may have steel, wood, or other hard materials.

This can cause some scratches on the floor if it is what you will wear while playing the game. 

They make the bowling lanes of polished wood, with a super shiny finish, so it will have a neat and glossy quality. The lanes are kept clean and frequently dusted, and they remove dirt regularly. 

Using street shoes or tennis shoes while playing the game will keep the lanes sprinkled with dirt. Sprayed with rocks, grass, and other grime. Even grease that is sticking on the street shoes can be transferred to the bowling alley.

It Is More Proper To Wear Bowling Shoes

Imagine what it would look like if players are allowed to use their shoes in the bowling alley, the alley will surely look ugly with a scratched surface, and it will not be pleasant to use while bowling. 

Read  Are Heavier Bowling Balls Better? (Answered And Useful Guide)

Repairs and polishing the bowling alley are difficult and costly if frequently required. Hence, the demand for players to use a bowling shoe.

Using bowling shoes will look good on you, even if you are just starting in the game. You will look more professional, and you can enjoy the experience just like players who are more used to playing the game. It will also let you move freely, knowing you are wearing the proper gear. 

Disadvantages Of Wearing Bowling Shoes From The Bowling Alley 

The Shoes May Have Been Worn By Hundreds Of People Before You 

This may seem unhygienic to some people, even with socks on, so they would rather buy their own shoes instead of renting bowling shoes from the bowling alley. 

The Shoe Doesn’t Fit Well

This is the issue with some people who can’t find the right fit of bowling shoes when they go to bowling alleys. They will keep using different shoes while bowling, and their feet will feel sore and tired after every game. 

The best way for them is to purchase their bowling shoes outside, especially if they are regular players of the game.

This will ensure them of well-fitting bowling shoes with padded insoles and linings, they can have the designs they like, and they are sure that no one else has used them. 

The Design Of Bowling Shoes Is Obsolete

Some people who are regular players of the game whine about the old design, where some shoes even look old and cheap. They are not keen on wearing such shoes as they don’t feel comfortable wearing them. There are bowling shoes out in the market that are more colorful and have tasteful designs. 

Read  At What Skill Level Should I Be Trying To Curve a Bowling Ball?

Good Bowling Shoes Cost Too Much

Some players feel that they are paying more for shoes that look old and shoes that they don’t feel comfortable wearing.

Some are summing up the cost, and it can rack up the expenses, especially if they are regular clients of bowling alleys.

They are also not happy wearing shoes that look worn out, and some are even ill-fitting. 

Players Will Not Get Used To Different Shoes

It is helpful for players to get their own bowling shoes instead of renting out their shoes from the bowling alley. It doesn’t fit them really well, and the need to pick a new shoe to wear every time they visit is just uncomfortable for wearers.

There is no consistency with the shoes they are using, and they cannot compare it to having their own shoes where they can practice their bowling stroke, and their movement plus balance can improve while wearing it. 

Some Bowling Shoe Smell

Since other bowling shoes have been used many times by many people, it is not remote to have these shoes acquire some smell because of the sweat of the people who wear them.

These shoes may not be sanitized as often or do not have the time for drying, since they will be used continuously by different customers.

Shoes that are used by different people must have an alternative so that when the other sets of bowling shoes are being used, the other sets will be out for drying, cleaning, or sanitizing. 

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *