Beginners And New Bowlers Should Own Bowling Shoes

By: bowlingball.com, Originally Posted: 3/12/16; Updated: 11/5/23

Beginners and new bowlers should own bowling shoes.

It makes good sense to own your own pair of bowling shoes so you encounter a consistent sliding motion every time you bowl.

By using rental shoes, you never get the same comfortable feel on your feet compared to owning your own pair of shoes.

There are a variety of bowling shoes available in today’s market. Some shoes are inexpensive and comfortable, come in a variety of styles and colors, and pay for themselves over time.

If you only bowl once per month on average, in one year you will have saved money buying a pair of shoes versus renting them from a local bowling center.

The cleanliness factor is also important, especially now a days. Owning your own bowling shoes will give you sliding stability as well as comfort compared to house rental shoes.

When you consider comfort and affordability when wearing your own bowling shoes, you can select an athletic type shoe with soft uppers so you feel like you are wearing “sneakers” while bowling.  A style like the Path Lite Seamless Mesh or HPX from Pyramid are excellent options.

“Sneakers” do not provide the smooth sliding sole and heel combination necessary to help you slide consistently on slippery approaches.

If you advance in the game and wish to upgrade your shoes, then the fun begins. There are many fashionable and comfortable shoes for bowling available in today’s market.

Some pairs of custom shoes provide interchangeable sliding soles and traction heels for varying approach surfaces and approach friction factors.

Some shoes provide built up heels to help you get your weight to transfer onto your sliding soles easily and smoothly.

One level heels and soles are typically the staple of athletic type bowling shoes.



The most important factor other than attaining a good slide consistently is to not wobble while you walk. Lateral stability is certainly no guarantee when using house rental shoes.

Avoiding a loss of balance as you walk to the foul line and swing your bowling ball is critical for accuracy and ball control purposes.

Be sure to check out various types of bowling shoes before you purchase a pair.

If you have any questions about bowling shoe options, check with your local pro shop professional and discuss the differences in shoe construction to find the best choice for your game.