1 Find a bowling alley. Go online to find a local bowling alley that suits your needs. Try to find a place that offers bowling lessons or has beginner bowling leagues.

• If you want to go bowling with friends, find a place that’s rated for having a fun environment and maybe some food and snacks as well.

2 Go to the bowling alley you’ve chosen. Talk to the fellow bowlers and staff, and see if you can even join a game. Alternately, you can go to an alley with a group of friends. If you ask a crowd if you can join their game, make sure it isn’t too competitive. You may even make new friends at the alley.

3 Get some bowling shoes. If you’re a beginner, you can just rent shoes at the alley. If you want to kick up your game, you can buy a pair of your own shoes. Street shoes won’t work for bowling because they’ll either make you stick to the floor instead of sliding naturally, or they’ll make you slip too much and injure yourself.^[6]

• If you don’t wear bowling shoes, you can also damage or leave scuff marks on the alley floor. Rent a pair of shoes unless you want to get in trouble before you even start bowling.
• Don’t forget to wear socks or bring socks to the alley. Some alleys sell socks, but they will be expensive.

4 Choose the right ball. Before you can begin to bowl, you need to find a ball that is the right weight for you and which is the right size for your fingers. The balls will be labeled based on their weight, so a ball with “8” written on it will weigh 8 pounds. Here’s how to find a ball of the right size and weight:^[7]

• Weight. A 14-16 lb ball would work for most adults with bigger hands, and a 10-14 lb ball would work for most adults with smaller hands. Generally, it’s better to have a ball that is a little heavier because it will help you gain momentum. A general rule is that a ball should weigh 10% as much as your body, so if you weigh 140 pounds, you should bowl with a 14 lb ball.
• Size of the thumb hole. Your thumb should fit snugly into the single thumb hole. You should be able to take it out of the hole without it snagging or getting stuck, but the hole shouldn’t be so large that you have to squeeze your thumb in the hole to hang on.
• Size of the middle finger holes. Once you’ve inserted your thumb, you should lay your middle and ring finger across the other two holes. If the span is correct, your two fingers should easily and comfortably lay over the two holes so the middle joint lines up with the side of the hole closest to your thumb. Curl your two fingers into the holes to make sure they fit snugly in the hole like your thumb.

5 Find your bowling lane. Once you’ve signed up at the alley and put on your shoes, you will be directed to a bowling lane. If you get to choose your lane, pick a lane that is away from loud or noisy people. But it’s your choice: you may be able to bowl better if you’re surrounded by other bowlers.