Bowling Careers and Jobs

If you are good enough, you can make a career out of bowling.

If you are tired of going to your 9 to 5 job five days a week, and you are good enough, you might be able to actually make a career out of bowling. If you love bowling, and are really willing to put the practice time in, read on to see how you can actually make bowling your job! A bowling career is possible.

If you think that bowling is a worn out sport then you should reconsider. It may be old, in fact one of the oldest sports, but it has been experiencing a surge of popularity in the last decade because bowling is a sport that offers something for everybody. On one hand, it provides countless hours of entertainment for families everywhere. It is a perfect way in which to spend quality family time. For teenagers, bowling alley's are a much healthier and safer alternative to loafing around malls, and bowling dates make for a great evening of fun. For adults and youths alike, bowling leagues are an organized way to encourage those participating to work together as well as increase their individual skills. And on the extreme end, the intensity in professional bowling can easily rival that of professional golf any day of the week.

For those that enjoy bowling and really show they have a lot of skills, they might consider bowling as a career. This isn’t as farfetched as it sounds. The Professional Bowlers Association (PBA) currently has over 4000 members representing 13 countries. Top earners on the tour can earn near a half million dollars. And the PBA is not just for younger men. There is a Women’s Series as well as a Senior Tour. So it is never too late to consider a career in bowling. Man, woman, old or young, with the right skill you could have a job bowling.
So what does it take to get a career in bowling? Well, it’s not as easy as applying for a job. Bowling is a sport just like Football and Baseball. Even though there are more members in the PBA then there are in the NFL, MLB, or NBA, becoming an exempt PBA bowler is going to take a lot of work.

Anyone with enough skills can actually make a job out of bowling!

First, make sure you master your bowling skills. We recommend learning everything Bowling For Dummies will teach you. This is the best guide available when it comes to mastering all the bowling techniques you are going to need to make a career out of bowling. Then you must practice at least 4 days a week, preferably more. Make sure you hone your skills.

Be sure you are in a bowling league or two. Learn to bowl under pressure, and make those pressure bowling shots. Make sure you join serious, highly competitive bowling leagues. There are a lot of leagues that some refer to as “drinking leagues where we bowl”. These leagues are great fun and can you can make some great friends there, but if you are looking at bowling as a career you will want to find leagues that everyone is there to win.

If you are averaging near a 200 score, you might want to consider joining an amateur bowling tounament, such as the Amateur Bowling Tour (ABT). You can actually begin making some great money on this tour if you have the skills. The ABT has tournaments all over the country, so there is probably a competition near you. You can actually make a decent living and career just staying on the ABT if you desire.

The ABT and PBA are two great ways you can make money bowling.

If you are ready to step up to the pros, the PBA is where it is at. The PBA holds regional tournaments, and this is your opportunity to get involved. Consider becoming a member of the PBA. There is an annual fee, but there are some nice perks like discounts on practices, reduced entry fee in tournaments, and you even will get a gold ring if you bowl a 300 in a PBA recognized tournament.

How do you qualify to become a PBA member? There are three ways to qualify to become a member of the PBA. The first is to average 200 or better in PBA recognized events over 36 games. The second way to qualify is to average 190 or better in a USBC certified league over 36 games. The final way to qualify for PBA membership is to win a cash prize at a PBA regional event.

To really make bowling a career in the PBA, you need to become exempt. Becoming a PBA exempt bowler means you do not need to qualify for a tournament, you are automatically eligible. There are several different ways to become exempt on the PBA tour, such as winning a tournament, finish as season in the top 40 in points standings, and a few other ways. It is only once you earn this exemption that you can really count on making a really good living.

Once you are exempt, you can count on playing in the PBA Masters, where the prize money really goes up. If you reach this level, you will be considered one of the best bowlers in the game.

With some skills and a lot of practice, you can have a bowling career.

After reading about all this, if you are looking at bowling as a professional career then you do not need to worry as the prospects are fairly good if you have the bowling skills. The prize money at PBA Regional tournaments are based on how many entries they get. The smallest cash spot for such events is $400. The value for first place changes depending on the tournament. If you take part in a Standard Senior Tour event you could be looking at a minimum of $8000 for coming first. There is a lot of money in this sport, be it in the PBA or the ABT.

You just need to practice and take it seriously. Making a career out of bowling is not for everyone. However, everyone who goes to the alley is guaranteed a good time. All you have to do is bowl.

Good luck in making a career out of bowling.