# Is bowling on a roll lately? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 29, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267 "2021-06-29T18:32:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Steve\_McQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Steve\_McQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_McQwark)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/1 "2021-06-29T18:32:43Z")
I recently got back into the online dating world and I’m noticing a lot of women saying in their profiles that they like bowling. I’ve bowled in the past and had fun so I’m making no value judgements about the game, I’m just curious if the number of mentions I’ve seen is just a coincidence or if a bowling fad is in progress. I’m terminally unhip, so I’m turning to the much cooler denizens of the SDMB to help me with the answer to my question: Fad or not? ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/2 "2021-06-29T20:41:12Z")
I have no idea, I’m not in the online dating world. I would hope that anyone bowling in these “troubling times” would be using their own ball and shoes. Looking back, I can’t believe we used to go and share shoes, don’t care what was in that cleaning spray, stick our fingers into the nasty holes in a bowling ball, and then eat wings. ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/3 "2021-06-29T20:50:54Z")
My family just bought a summer family pass to a local bowling alley. We bought our own shoes before our first time going, because, yeah, I can’t believe we used to put on community shoes. We still use community balls. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/4 "2021-06-29T22:03:37Z")
A friend of someone I know opened a bowling alley during the winter straddling 2019 & 2020. Bad timing, for sure, but looks like they’re back open again. ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/5 "2021-06-29T22:55:58Z")
What if “bowling” is a dating euphemism for something really twisted…like golf. ---
**Author:** ![Bootb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e19b73/32.png) [@Bootb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootb)\ **Post date:** [June 29, 2021, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/6 "2021-06-29T23:30:18Z")
At least golf is segregated into its own land areas–so the children don’t have to see it. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_McQwark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4da419/32.png) [@Steve\_McQwark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_McQwark)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/7 "2021-06-30T00:28:19Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I can’t believe we used to put on community shoes. We still use community balls. Wait, you’re queasy about sharing shoes but you think an orgy is safe? > [@jnglmassiv](#): > > A friend of someone I know opened a bowling alley during the winter straddling 2019 & 2020. Bad timing, for sure, but looks like they’re back open again. From what I’ve seen in the dating profiles, a bowling alley that was situated far enough north that you could see the Northern Lights would be very successful. If you added a room where people could do yoga while they learned to play an instrument or learned a second language, you’d be rolling in the dough. > [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > What if “bowling” is a dating euphemism for something really twisted…like golf. If it is, I’m too square to ever figure it out. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_stainless_steel_rat/32/5727_2.png) [@The\_Stainless\_Steel\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Stainless_Steel_Rat)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/8 "2021-06-30T01:43:12Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > What if “bowling” is a dating euphemism for something really twisted…like golf. > [@Steve\_McQwark](#): > > If it is, I’m too square to ever figure it out. Look up Bowling Ball in the Urban Dictionary…if you dare. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 1:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/9 "2021-06-30T01:47:21Z")
Clicking the checkbox for Bowling under “Activities I Enjoy” doesn’t mean the person actively does it, just that they enjoy it if/when they do play. ---
**Author:** ![SmartAleq](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smartaleq/32/163_2.png) [@SmartAleq](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SmartAleq)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/10 "2021-06-30T03:13:51Z")
Why not? It’s a convivial sport where social distancing is possible, where an adult can get an adult beverage, where conversation is possible, where there are other people around, it’s not expensive and it’s a great way to see how your date handles competition which can tell you a LOT about their overall personality. If you have a well maintained alley nearby that’s a very low stakes, low stress activity that’s available during any weather. It’s pretty popular in the PNW for parties–get a lane for every few adults and one with gutter rails for the kiddos and go to town. Heck, you don’t even need to know how to keep score, the new alleys have it all computerized and it figures it all out for you. There are worse dates. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2021, 4:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-bowling-on-a-roll-lately/945267/11 "2021-06-30T04:31:32Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > We bought our own shoes before our first time going, because, yeah, I can’t believe we used to put on community shoes. Same with ice skating in the mid-1970s when I used to rent skates before I bought my own pair.