Okay, here’s my blog post about the difference between left-handed and right-handed bowling shoes, written from my personal experience:
So, I’ve been bowling for a while now, just casually with friends, you know? And I always used those rental shoes at the alley. Never really thought much about it. But then I started getting a little more serious, joining a fun league, and I figured it was time to get my own gear.
I went down to the pro shop, ready to grab some shiny new shoes, and the guy there asked me, “Right-handed or left-handed?” I was like, “Huh? Shoes are different?” Turns out, yeah, they are!
I’m right-handed, so I always just assumed bowling shoes were…well, shoes. But the pro shop guy explained it all. See, it’s all about the slide. When you bowl, you slide on your non-dominant foot. So, for me, a righty, I slide on my left foot.
He showed me a pair of right-handed shoes. The left shoe had a smooth, slick sole, usually made of something like microfiber. That’s the sliding shoe. The right shoe, though, had a rubber sole, more like a regular sneaker. That’s the braking shoe, to give you grip.
- Sliding Shoe (Left for right-handers, Right for left-handers): Smooth sole for a controlled slide.
- Braking Shoe (Right for right-handers, Left for left-handers): Rubber sole for grip and stopping.
I tried on both a right handed pair, I practiced sliding with them. I tried to mimick the motion of bowling and found out I was naturally sliding with the left foot! That makes a lot of sense.
Then, just for kicks, I tried on a pair of left-handed shoes. The soles were reversed! The smooth sole was on the right shoe, and the rubber sole was on the left. It felt totally weird trying to slide on my right foot. I almost tripped just walking around the shop!
My Big Takeaway
It’s a simple thing, but it makes a huge difference. Having the right shoes, with the correct sliding and braking soles, helps with your balance, your approach, and your overall consistency. If I’d been trying to bowl seriously with the wrong shoes, I probably would have been all over the place!
So, my advice? If you’re even slightly serious about bowling, get yourself the right shoes. Don’t just grab any old pair. Make sure you get shoes designed for your dominant hand. It’ll make a world of difference, trust me!
