Senior Bowling Tips, Advice, and Help

For senior bowlers, we have some tips to help make your game more enjoyable.

So, you are a senior and are thinking about heading back to the old bowling alley. This is great. There are more and more seniors getting back into bowling than ever before. Bowling allows you to get together with old friends, bond with family members, or even teach a child about bowling.

Even if you have been out of the sport for some time you may consider getting together with some friends and heading to an alley near you to enjoy a good game. You are never too old to have fun and winning has no age. You may be a senior bowler, but age is not a disadvantage to being able to bowl if you can adjust your game to your personal abilities. Like everything that exists in nature, the older we get the more difficult some things become. Bowling can be taken up and enjoyed even at 70 or 80 years of age, the oldest known league bowler passed away at 105 years old.

Bowling used to hold the title of “the sport of everyone” and the reason was everyone can play at their level and enjoy themselves. Bowling is a sport of individual accomplishment and competitiveness. Bowling can be used as a gambling, socializing, exercise tool and also a way of stress relief. Just like any sport winning at any level is fun.

There are many seniors bowling all over the world that participate in bowling for personal entertainment, charity work and also camaraderie. Most people overlook the therapeutic and psychological benefits of bowling. You are probably no match for the professionals in the scoring column and that's nothing to be ashamed of, normally being able to bowl pretty regularly can provide a major source of enjoyment for seniors, not the chase of high scores. Don't underestimate your ability to bowl well however. High scoring bowlers in senior status may continue to be skillful and are probably still competing in winning leagues and tournaments.

Just becuase your a senior doesn't mean you can't head out to the alley.

When we are good at something we want to show off our skill and for most, age can become a bitter little pill to swallow. Some methods we learned years ago often don't really work for us now that we have aged. These tips and advice are directed to the support and needs of senior bowlers but may also apply to other players of the sport.

It is very important to be comfortable when bowling. Read over our tips on how to fit the perfect bowling shoe. If you wear special shoes when not bowling, there is no reason to not have the same support when bowling. Remember to dress comfortably to the bowling alley as well. Loose fitting clothes with short sleeves are probably the best choice.

Choose the proper ball weight by keeping in mind that the ball that you used twenty years ago may not work for you anymore. You may also want to have a new ball made at some point, but using an alley ball would be recommended until you establish the ball weight that works best for you after several trips out bowling. Remember, you will probably be bowling more than one game, so chose a ball that is still going to feel good during game number three. A one pound difference in the ball you chose can make a huge difference. Even when I was younger if I used a ball too heavy I would get wrist and elbow pain. There is no reason to suffer for a good time. Do keep in mind that a ball which is too light can cause your swing to be flat and create poor direction or loss of hitting power.

Proper ball fit is one of the best tools of getting higher scores and enjoying a good game of bowling. Seniors usually will bowl with house or with custom balls that were drilled many years ago. In either case, it probably is an improperly fitting ball. Proper grip is necessary and particularly important to seniors. The recommended grip for a senior is the conventional grip. Another method of improving the strength of your grip is by drilling an extra hole. It's not unusual and it helps more than you think. If things aren't going well using an alley ball, purchase your own ball (new or used) and have it properly fitted.

All seniors should use wrist supports to strengthen your grip. Some seniors will find that they don't have the wrist strength to hold the ball through the swing. Most will notice this after coming back to bowling after a long time. Make sure when you have your ball fitted you are wearing your wrist support during the process.

As a senior you may want to use a back or knee support when possible just to ensure that you do not suffer from and older ailment during your newfound sport. Physical ailments or handicaps can be faced and overcome by anyone who wants to bowl. The inability to flex as much as you used to at the foul line during release is very common. You may even try a little more bend from the waist but in stance only, not during your whole approach. Just remember to keep your arm swing straight and swing toward the target pin. Your natural tendency will probably be to pull the ball and turn your body when your knees are bent try to keep your body straight when you arrive at the foul line.

To be prepared physically to bowl is as important as throwing the ball. Stretching exercises will help you to loosen the joints and muscles. Stretching tendons and ligaments are very important first steps that you don’t want to forget. Stretching and bending before a game will have an impact on your overall performance, and prevent an unwanted injury. With this basic help and suggestions you too can bowl again with our help.

When bowling, if your site has gone bad, learn to use the arrows on the lane as a guide. Keep in mind most seniors roll the ball slower than younger bowlers, so you may have to make adjustments if your ball hooks.

Don’t underestimate yourself or your abilities - we are as young as we feel. As a senior you should be enjoying the years of your life when true friendships prevail and overcome any physical ailments that we all suffer from. It is true that with age comes reduced strength and stamina, but don’t let that discourage you. The most important thing is to be safe and have fun bowling.

If you find yourself really wanting to get back into bowling and want to improve your game, Bowling For Dummies has many tips for seniors that will help you improve your game and leave the younger bowlers wondering how you did it! This guide has tips for bowlers of all ages, and is the best guide available today.

Good luck on your bowling and good times!