You can walk into almost any bowling alley today and find a pro shop ready to sell you any type of equipment you may need to take your game to the next level. My writing about the bowling industry has taken a bit of a turn towards the rising cost of participating in the sport. One of the biggest costs facing the avid bowler is the cost of bowling equipment.

The state of the game today, like many sports, has been greatly affected by technology. If you don’t have the best equipment, you are at a disadvantage against your competition. This has a cost. It’s not uncommon for bowling balls to cost more than $200. Most avid bowlers have 3 or more bowling balls in their arsenal. A bowling bag for three bowling balls can set you back over $100, and top-of-the-line shoes are in the triple digits, too. With these three bowling essentials, you’re looking at an investment of $800.

There are a few ways that you can reduce costs. Of course, there are some lower performance bowling balls that you can buy. It is suggested that you speak with a trainer or pro shop operator who can analyze your game to determine the best way to select your arsenal.

In my opinion, buy everything on the internet except the new bowling balls. You can also buy the bowling ball online, but the reason I don’t is twofold. First, when you receive the bowling ball in the mail, you still have to pierce it. From what I’ve seen, this usually costs around $50. So when you’ve paid for the ball online, shipping and drilling, you can probably get it cheaper at the pro shop. May cost more with inserts, thumb slugs, etc. Second, you can buy the bowling ball on the internet and have it drilled, but unless you have great knowledge on how to design the equipment. I personally am very picky about my equipment and want to be there while it is being drilled.

Another great way to find some of this equipment at a reasonable cost is through Craigslist. Be warned, any search I’ve tried usually comes up with most of the stuff that’s been in someone’s attic since the 1970s, but you might find a diamond in the rough from time to time.

Buying new bowling equipment is one of my favorite things. I hope these ideals help you save as much money as I did, allowing me to buy even more new gear!