| "Bowling Alley", "Bowling Center", "The Bowl" | | | | Bowling Center Layout |
| and "House" are used interchangeably to | | | | |
| describe the building where bowling takes | | | | Most bowling alleys will have a desk (where |
| place. Bowling alleys are usually comprised | | | | you buy games), a bar, game room, at least |
| of many lanes (as many as 100 or more), but | | | | one meeting room, a room to handle |
| can be comprised of only a few lanes. Some | | | | babysitting, and, of course, lanes! A lot of |
| people have a lane in their home, while I | | | | houses have a pro shop also. |
| wouldn't consider this a bowling alley, per | | | | |
| se; it is in the most literal sense one. A | | | | The desk is usually situated somewhere near |
| single lane is sometimes referred to as a | | | | the center of the house and the bar is |
| bowling alley. For the purposes of this | | | | usually not far from it. For most bowlers |
| article, a bowling alley or house will refer | | | | that's all you need to know about a bowling |
| to a place where there are multiple lanes and | | | | alley right there! Drinking and bowling go |
| games are purchased. | | | | hand and hand for a lot of bowlers (not me, |
| | | | though). It's no mistake that the bar is |
| Where Are Bowling Alleys? | | | | centralized in the bowling alley. The game |
| | | | room is usually centralized in the bowling |
| They are everywhere. Lately it seems that a | | | | alley also, and most of the time contains |
| lot more houses are closing due to property | | | | pool tables, video games, and pinball |
| and maintenance prices getting to expensive, | | | | machines. |
| or lack of use. Looking in your local | | | | |
| telephone book, you should be able to find | | | | Meeting rooms can be anywhere in the bowling |
| quite a few houses in your area. Bowling is a | | | | alley, and will seat anywhere from 25 - 100s |
| very popular sport and therefore there are a | | | | of people. The meeting rooms are used for |
| lot of bowling alleys in most areas. If you | | | | league meetings, receptions, birthday |
| can't find one where you live, check the | | | | parties, etc…. Most of the time, one of |
| nearest city or big town, there's bound to be | | | | the rooms will have toys and things in it for |
| one within driving distance of where you | | | | kids. This room is generally used for |
| live. | | | | babysitting the children of the bowlers. Most |
| | | | bowling alleys offer free babysitting for |
| Recently a large bowling stadium was | | | | children up to age 7 or 8 for league bowlers. |
| constructed in Reno, NV (United States). If | | | | This comes in very handy when you are |
| you want to see a really large house, that is | | | | bowling. |
| the place to go. If you get a chance to bowl | | | | |
| there it is really quite the thing! I have | | | | Pro shops are very popular in bowling alleys. |
| bowled there on several occasions and have | | | | Inside of the pro shop you can find just |
| really enjoyed it. The PBA (Pro Bowlers | | | | about anything that you need for bowling from |
| Association) has tournaments there as well as | | | | balls and bags to shoes, brushes, and powder |
| the USBC. A few of the tournaments that I | | | | or resin. You can even get advice from a |
| know of that bowl there are the PBA, USBC | | | | "pro". Most of the pro shops are either owned |
| Nationals, USBC Mixed, and the High Roller. | | | | by a professional bowler or have a |
| This stadium was built expressly for the | | | | professional on staff. Be careful though, not |
| purpose of handling large bowling | | | | all of the people working in the pro shop are |
| tournaments, and is not allowed to have | | | | pros, and not all of them necessarily have |
| leagues in it. It also has a very large Pro | | | | your best interest at heart. There is a lot |
| Shop (place to buy bowling stuff), that even | | | | of stuff to be bought and if you are getting |
| has a bowling lane in it so that you can see | | | | equipment, be sure that you are speaking to |
| everything! They will video tape your game | | | | somebody who knows your game. Buying |
| and help you to figure out what you need to | | | | equipment for bowling is not as simple as |
| improve. It is quite impressive. | | | | getting a ball and shoes. |
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