Some people do not like to socialize, but they still want to be physically active and enjoy their favorite sports. Among a few games that can be played even if other players are not available or you want to play it yourself is none other than ten-pin bowling.
Many mysteries surround the topic of bowling on your own because of famous pieces of literature and the overall mindset of a large percentage of bowlers who believe that bowling in leagues with team players is the only way to enjoy and give back to the sport. But that is not true.
You might be wondering, is bowling by yourself ok? And how do I bowl on my own? Well, those are the questions that I am here to answer.
In this article, I will explain what bowling alone means, how it works, societal views on bowling alone, the impact of the popular work of Author Robert Putnam in his book Bowling Alone, and the advantages that come with it bowling on your own. So, make sure you read this article till the end.
Does Anyone Bowl Alone?
This question has been asked by loads of bowling enthusiasts, including you, and I have the same answer for everyone, yes! Almost every bowler who treats the sport seriously bowls on their own.
There is no shame in bowling alone. Sometimes you might not have friends available to bowl with; at other times, you might just not be feeling like socializing and want to knock 10-pins, so definitely, there is no problem if you bowl alone.
Whether you are a professional or a casual bowler who has just started playing the sport and has recently gotten more interested in it, you should definitely bowl by yourself; it will give you time to get better and fix your mistakes.
How long does it take to bowl a game by yourself?
So, you are thinking of relieving stress and bowling on your own, but you are unaware of how long it will take; Well, it depends upon what type of drill you are performing. For example, you might be playing a game of ten-pin bowling on your own. Since there are ten frames with two shots in each frame, you will have to spare around 15-20 minutes or so for one game.
If you intend to perform some practice drills to improve your accuracy or make your posture and footwork better or learn to throw the ball harder at the pins, then you are spending more time at the bowling alley.
As long as you are having fun and learning more on your own, bowling alone is not a problem. In fact, at times, bowling alone can be much more productive than bowling with teammates or other people, especially if you are on a tight schedule.
This is simply because bowling with others means that each person brings their own ten frames, and the overall time required to play one game of ten-pin bowling would increase. So, if you are thinking of practicing, then playing on your own will be one of the best ways to bowl, in my opinion.
Is it Weird to Bowl Alone?
So many people ask why it is weird to bowl alone because of the social stigma associated with performing sports activities and other activities alone. According to the media and everyday folk worldwide, including many bowlers, it is considered inappropriate or against social etiquette to play ten-pin bowling on your own.
It is thought to reduce the overall social interaction between people globally and be considered weird because bowling is primarily viewed as an activity that is only pleasing if done with friends or competing against others in a league or tournament.
But that is not true at all. Bowling alone is not weird. You can ask many professional bowlers, and they will give you the same answer saying that most of the skills they have today learned only because they practiced on their own because it is perfectly normal.
Like any other game, if you want to succeed on an international level in the art of bowling, you are going to have to practice. You will have to learn from your mistakes and slowly pace yourself as you make it to the big stage.
So, it is apparent that you will play on your own, knock a few pins, then move towards consistent spares and strikes. That is how progress works. So, even though it is popularly considered weird to bowl alone, there is nothing terrible about it, and you should do it.
What is the term bowling alone mean?
The concept of Bowling Alone theory was derived from the popular authorial work of social philosopher Robert Putnam in his book Bowling Alone: The Collapse and Revival of the American Community. According to Putnam, more and more people are moving towards bowling independently, nodding towards the fact that all the sports and collaborative activities that the American society was built upon were being disregarded.
He said that since people are bowling alone and not with their teammates, the value of the social capital in the United States of America is decreasing drastically. Thus, the very base of the social success of America is crippling.
Many celebrities and even Bill Clinton praised this idea that Robert Putnam brought forth in the mid-90s. After that, people started using Putnam’s work to justify their agendas and how the general public affected the United States’ social culture.
But ever since then, people have delved into this topic deeply and found that bowling alone particularly is not as bad as it seems to be described. In fact, bowling authorities encourage people to play independently as it will only help the bowling sport grow.
And since bowling alone will make you a better player, you will contribute to the sport more and build better relations with the bowling community, playing your part in the country’s social capital. So, you should bowl alone without any hesitation, as it will be beneficial in the long run.
Benefits of Bowling Alone
Well, thinking of bowling alone, Lucky for you, I have made a list of all the fantastic benefits and advantages you can get by bowling on your own in the alley. So, let us take a look at them and see what we have to gain from them.
Practice on your own
When you go to the bowling alley alone, you can practice on your own. You can perform drills, do exercises, spend your time the way you want, and ultimately get better at the sport itself, and that is what is great about it.
Learn about your shortcomings
If you bowl alone, you will be more focused on what you are not that great at and what you are good at. For example, if your posture is not good, you will learn about it and work on it. If your throw accuracy is not good, you can work on that. You can get better on your own terms.
Mental Satisfaction
Usually, when you are bowling with professionals and intermediate bowlers, you are hesitant if you are a beginner. When you are on your own, you have all the mental satisfaction that you need to relieve pressure and tension once you are in your bowling lane, and that is what I love about bowling on your own.
Having fun
If you are someone who enjoys bowling, it does not matter whether you are doing it against many competitors or simply against your friends and buddies or even on your own. As long as you are having fun, playing on your own will be pretty enjoyable if you love the sport dearly.
Getting Alone time
One thing that people nowadays get very little of is alone time. Getting time off from others and spending time on yourself is incredibly necessary. Especially if you want to be happy in life, you should do what you love on your own at times. And if bowling is what you love, then that is what you should do in your alone time.
Short time requirement
One of the best benefits of bowling on your own is the short time requirement. As I said before, when you are bowling with others, it requires more time for each frame and game to complete. But when you are on your own, you can bowl and knock all the pins, complete your frames, and get all done being happy in quite a short amount of time.
Conclusion
Bowling is a beautiful sport that does not need to be too complicated or restricted with all these rules and issues. That is why I believe bowling on your own should always be encouraged and considered a good choice.
Socializing is an essential part of a person’s life, and bowling can help you find many great people to socialize with. So, make sure you practice and get better on your own so you can get to the big leagues. I hope you learned a lot from this article and that you will implement this knowledge in your upcoming games!
