In early August, I wrote a post about Magz and me going bowling for the first time in more than a decade. In it, I mentioned that a lot of bowling alleys have started transitioning to string pins instead of traditional pinsetters. The reasoning for this movement has to do with the complexity and costs of maintaining pinsetter machines, which have a lot of moving parts. String pins are very divisive among bowlers.

Since they’re technically approved for some competitions by the United States Bowling Congress (USBC), a lot of people are fine with them, while others are casual bowlers and don’t mind the break from traditional. However, the opposite opinion is that string pins destroy the sport of bowling and what makes it fun. The biggest issue is the reduction in pin action because the strings limit how far the pins can move. This has been proven to result in lower scores and fewer strikes. I’m vehemently opposed to string pin bowling; however, a few weeks ago, we accidentally went string pin bowling, and the more I think about it, the more awful it was.

So, how did this even happen if we were so committed to not going string pin bowling? Rewind back to the last time we went bowling with traditional pins. The old-school alley we go to was having some issues with its pinsetter on the lane we were on, and we had to pause three times for things to be reset. After the first two pauses, we resumed bowling; however, after the third one, we called it and left. We were already in the seventh frame of the third game, so we were fine with ending things early. That experience was disappointing, though, and left us unsure if we wanted to play at the same alley again until we were confident things were fixed. This was also the second time we encountered issues at this alley, as once before, all but two lanes were closed until parts arrived.

Fast-forward to early September on a day I was off work. We wanted to go bowling but didn’t want to risk having issues at our usual alley. Instead, we went to our local bowling alley, the one we first tried a few years ago but didn’t like the vibes. This time, we gave it a go because I saw that they do a Tuesday matinee special at only $2 per game. It seemed like it was worth the gamble…it was not. There was nothing on the website, and you couldn’t tell until you started bowling that they used string pins. It wasn’t until we got our shoes on and I threw my first ball that I realized things were off.

What’s It Like String Bowling?

The actual strings holding up the pins were not the first indicator that we were string pin bowling. It was the lack of noise. This goes along with the reduction of pin action, but there was a noticeable noise level drop compared to traditional bowling. When you are traditionally bowling, physics allows the pins to go in all directions, and you hear the resulting crash of the ball and pins hitting each other. It’s an iconic sound that everyone can recognize. String bowling is muted and feels as though all your senses are dulled a bit.

The lack of pin action has a massive impact on results and your score. I’m by no means a great bowler and struggle with consistency, but I can average around 150 over a three-game set. It usually takes me a couple of frames to find my mechanics, but once I do, I can repeat things quite well. I immediately noticed how much more difficult it is to get a strike. When you’re traditionally bowling and in a groove, you can see the strikes happen before the ball hits the pins. You know when the ball is going to hit the pocket and has the right hook. Likewise, you are confident in converting a spare when you throw the ball correctly because you know how the pins should fall. String bowling changes all of that. Hitting the pocket with the right velocity doesn’t always result in a strike. Converting a five- or six-pin spare is much more difficult because you don’t know if the pins are going to crash the way you’re used to. My first two games were awful, and I know I didn’t break 100 points. I began figuring things out a bit in the third game, but I think I only finished with 120 points. I felt like I was questioning everything I was doing the entire time and never felt comfortable.

Others Notice How Awkward Things Are

We went bowling on a Tuesday afternoon when school was back in session, so those bowling in the lanes nearest to us looked to be retirees. They had their own balls and shoes and clearly took it seriously. I don’t know where they were from, but they gave the impression that this was their first time bowling at this alley. And based on the conversations we could overhear, it may have been their first time string bowling. They were expressing the same sentiments that we were: struggling with the lack of pin action and a general disappointment in the strings. In general, they didn’t seem to be having fun.

I Don’t Like This Version of Bowling

I think part of the problem with string pin bowling is that it is rarely the only change that happens at bowling alleys. For example, this bowling alley didn’t have any of the vibes that normally come with bowling. I’m pretty certain that the lanes were synthetic, which probably isn’t a big deal on its own, but it contributed to a less-than-desirable environment. Research shows that synthetic lanes have less friction than wood lanes, so your ball doesn’t hook like you expect it to. Less active lanes and reduced pin action lead to an experience that is less fun.

This alley also had new computers and a new score tracker. It tracked a lot of data, such as the number of balls each of us had thrown, the number of strikes and spares, and more. However, one thing it didn’t track was the ball’s velocity, which would have been useful information. To me, if you’re going to show data, include all of it. Don’t leave off some of the most useful information. I did really like that you could raise and lower the bumpers from the computer instead of having to physically do it. The computers would also remember which bowler needed them so that each person could have an experience that matches their ability and skill level.

This bowling alley also had weird seating. Instead of being around a table or in a u-shape where people could see each other and talk, the seats were in diagonal rows so that you were never looking at the person beside you. But you also weren’t looking directly at the lane to see how others were doing. I’m sure a lot of bowlers would never notice this, but this seating arrangement takes away from the fellowship and conversation that takes place between throws. To me, bowling is as much a social engagement as it is a sport, and removing one aspect of it takes away some of its soul.

Finally, the atmosphere was way off. I hate cool-tone led lighting and believe it has no place in society outside of workshops and box stores. This bowling alley was all cool tones. The synthetic lanes looked like Nordic pine instead of varnished oak, the lights were bright white, and everything had a blue tint to it. It was entirely modern, and I did not enjoy it. It didn’t feel like a place where I could enjoyably spend a couple of hours, and I don’t see it ever becoming a “third” place for me. I loved that the alley had a pro shop and had a wall full of 300 games and 800 series, but none of that was enough to overcome the soullessness that it modern, string bowling.

In the weeks between then and now, we haven’t gone bowling. At first, I thought this alley could be a fallback option if we can’t go bowling at an alley with pinsetters. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized that I really hated the experience and think I’d rather drive 30 minutes to bowl in a more enjoyable setting than string bowl again. And if all the local alleys switch to string pins, I may make the decision to stop bowling altogether. It probably seems like a weird stand to take, and there’s nothing morally wrong with string bowling, but I don’t like that string bowling is another example of the soul getting sucked out of modern society in the name of efficiency and profit.

If you’re a fan of bowling, have you been string bowling yet? If so, what was your experience with it? Did you hate it? If not, I’d like to hear how you were able to overcome some of the issues I mentioned above.