Almost everyone knows that when you go to a bowling alley, you have to use a number of bowling accessories in Hampton, VA. You’ll need to rent or bring your own bowling ball, and you’ll be expected to put on a pair of those ultra-fashionable bowling shoes. Most places provide the shoes when you pay for a game, and some serious bowlers bring their own, but regardless, you aren’t allowed to wear “street shoes” while you bowl.

But have you ever wondered why, exactly, bowling alleys require you to wear bowling shoes? What purpose do they serve and why are some bowling alleys so strict about these rules?

How bowling shoes affect your movement

Bowling shoes are typically made out of leather and rubber. The soles of the shoes act much like the bowling lanes themselves: they are both made to be super slick.

Wearing slick shoes helps you slide while you’re bowling. This is important because it enables you to achieve a smoother motion. If you’re sticking to the floor while you go to throw your bowling ball, you might not have as much control as you normally would. Bowling shoes can also help prevent injuries in bowlers because they allow for the proper bodily movement after a ball is rolled down a lane. If you were to stick instead of slide, you could injure your knee, ankle or foot.

While the soles of bowling shoes are super slick, the heels of the shoes are typically made of rubber, which helps you stop sliding after you throw your ball. Without these stopping mechanisms, bowlers might just keep sliding until they fall!

Bowling shoes protect the lanes

Bowling shoes also provide your bowling alley in Hampton, VA with a benefit: they help keep the bowling lanes pristine. These lanes are typically made of polished wood, which gives them their super-shiny and ultra-slick appearance. If everyone was allowed to bowl wearing the shoes they came from outside in, the lanes would soon be coated in dirt, grass, rocks, water, salt and other debris.

Street shoe dirt and debris can muddy up the lanes and make them less slick, which would affect your game and require additional cleanup time on the part of the bowling alley staff. Some of this debris could even scratch the surface of the lanes, which is very difficult to repair over and over. This could mean you have to pay more to bowl in order to account for the cost of cleanup.

Should you get your own bowling shoes?

When you go bowling, you may turn up your nose at the thought of sharing an old pair of pre-used shoes, but you shouldn’t worry. A reputable bowling alley in Hampton, VA will make sure all bowling shoes are thoroughly cleaned after each use.

However, if you bowl often, you might want to consider purchasing your own pair of bowling shoes. This would allow you to find a pair you truly feel comfortable in. You might also be able to get specialized accessories, such as interchangeable soles or right- or left-handed bowling shoes that take your game to the next level.

To learn more about bowling, have some fun with friends or purchase high-quality bowling accessories in Hampton, VA, come visit Sparetimes! Our full-service bowling center has everything you need to bowl a great game and have a good time.

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