Beginner Bowler FAQ 1

bowlingball.com continues to share questions with our readers that we receive relating to articles posted on our site. This beginner bowler FAQ 1 article features a random question sent to us by a new bowler visiting our community. We will address this question and provide the first in a series of articles to be known as beginner bowler FAQ 1.
We hope our response helps new bowlers learn a little about the game.
We cannot possibly keep our response to any question short and direct in content without likely omitting some information. Therefore, we invite you to share your thoughts by making a comment under any posted article and help us pass along useful ideas.
Here is the question for this article presented by a beginner bowler:

Q. How can I break in my new bowling shoes so I am ready for my first league night?
A. Breaking in a new pair of shoes will help you slide consistently and can help prevent possible accidents on the approaches. Here are a few tips:
1. Wear your shoes inside your home and walk in them long enough to break in any stiffness in the uppers portion of both bowling shoes. Loose shoes may cause your feet to "hydroplane" when trying to develop consistent footwork on the approaches.
2. When you arrive at the bowling center, take several practice slides on the various areas of the approach near the foul line. Practice slides on various areas of the approach will prevent unwanted sliding surprises during competition.
3. Warm up slowly and make sure your initial practice approaches are taken with slow footwork. Release your bowling ball at a slow speed. Try not to release your ball at full speed if your new shoes have not been tested for smooth and even sliding on the approach.
4. Avoid excessive journeys to the concourse area of the bowling center where you might pick up debris or liquid on the bottoms of your shoes. We recommend wearing shoe protectors that slip over the shoes when walking around the bowling center.
5. If you cannot slide smoothly after making a few practice slides, use a very small bit of sliding powder. Pat a tiny bit of powder on the heel and the sole of the sliding shoe. Make a couple of test slides before walking briskly to the foul line and attempting a full slide. Make sure you have added just enough slide powder to help you achieve a proper slide but avoid getting powder onto the settee floor or onto the approach so as to not adversely effect the slide capabilities of other bowlers.
6. You may have to apply additional pats of powder on the bottom of your shoes if you continue to stick on the approach surface. Use good judgment in applying shoe slide powder and you will develop good habits and slide techniques for the future.
7. Be aware that some bowling shoes are available with interchangeable slide heels and soles. These shoe models provide various heels for gripping the approach and various sliding soles to adjust to the friction factors of various approaches.
Humidity changes can affect sliding on approaches. Approach finishes can wear away on the edges of wooden approaches making sliding smoothly very difficult. Synthetic approaches can be sticky in some areas near the foul line and slick in other areas. Caution should be taken to check out the sliding areas before bowling. Many experienced bowlers use shoes with changeable heels and slide soles to compensate for both synthetic and wooden approach surfaces.
We thank the bowler who shared this question for this article. Feel free to offer your comments; they are most welcomed. Be sure to check the "Improve Your Game" link in "BowlVersity" on the home page of our site for future posts. Thank you.
Rich Carrubba
bowlingball.com