In any sport, equipment is an important part of a successful and enjoyable game. In tenpin bowling, the most important equipment is the bowling ball.

All bowling centres provide "house balls". These balls varies in weight from as low as 6 pounds for the kids to as much as 16 pounds for the stronger ones. Unfortunately, not all bowling balls fit the thumbs and fingers of an aspiring bowler.

If you intend to take up tenpin bowling in a more serious manner, it is suggested that you purchase your very own bowling ball. All bowling centres have Proshops. Don't be misled by their name, it does not really mean that these shops are meant for Pros!

You can walk into any of the proshops and the proprietor will be most glad to recommend you a good bowling ball to start you off. There are several types of bowling balls available in the market these days. They are:

1. Polyester - The cover stock is made of polyester. This type of ball is usually good for beginners because they do not "hook" too much and it is easier to handle. Experienced bowlers also use polyester bowling ball for "sparing" because their direction of ball rolling down the lane is more predictable.
2. Urethane - The cover stock is made of urethane which is a special substance that will allow good friction on the surface of the lanes. With good friction, the ball will travel down the lane for more "hook" so that when it reaches the pins, the ball will provide better impact on the pins. This type of ball is commonly used in today's lane conditions.
3. Reactive Urethane - This is the latest cover stock that has revolutionized the bowling ball industry and increased bowlers averages tremendously over the past five to six years. The word "reactive" means the ball will "literally" grip the lane surface when it travels down the lane and will therefore provide the most "hook". When the ball hits the pins, it also will create bigger impact and provide better chance of knocking down all the pins.

In addition to the three types of popular cover stock found in bowling balls, some balls come in "two-piece" and some in "three-piece". What do we mean by that - two-piece simply means that there are two differently-shaped objects inside the bowling ball while the three piece means there are three pieces!

To understand the purpose of the number of pieces and its shape will literally require you to attend a course or seminar on how to drill bowling balls and operate a proshop! Perhaps in time to come, when you have progressed in skills and have reached a very high standard of bowling, then you may be able to understand the difference.

Price of bowling balls varies from RM250 to as much as RM700. A word of advice, although you think you can handle a heavier ball, it does not necessarily means that you must. Generally, you should be using a ball with a weight of about 10% of your body weight. Please consult the proshop for an ideal ball weight.

Special bowling shoes are necessary for tenpin bowling. You cannot wear your favourite "Rebok" or "Adidas" sports shoe for bowling at a centre near you.

Even when you first played the game, you will have to rent the "house shoe" for a fee. Having the right kind of bowling shoes for the different types of approaches are as important as having the right bowling ball to suit a particular lane condition.

Bowling shoes come in different types. Some are soft like a sports shoe. Some are shaped like your leader shoe, although the soles are very different from normal type of shoes. The third type allows you to change the sole of the "sliding foot". This is most used by the more skilful bowler. By changing the sole, you can control the slide and have better balance during the delivery. This will allow you to be more accurate in your shots.

Price of bowling shoes varies from RM150 to as much as RM750.

Now that you have a bowling ball and a pair of shoes, you will need a bag to store them. For those who do not have the budget to outlay a big sum, you may still be able to find bags bargain at any shopping centres for ordinary travelling bags. But because of the weight of bowling balls, bags that are not made for bowling ball storage will definitely fall into pieces.

There are bags which has a strap and can be carried by the shoulder. It usually has room for one ball and a pair of shoe. Some bags have wheels that will allow easy mobility. If you have more than one ball, it is advised that you buy a bag that can house two balls. These generally come with wheels and many zipped compartments for storing of accessories. Price varies from RM100 to RM400.

There are many types of accessories for an aspiring bowler. They are:

1. Hand Guard - This is useful for those who have a weak wrist. They help you to provide the necessary strength to roll the ball with greater speed.
2. Hand Gloves - Gloves are useful for those who sweat in their hands. Using gloves will prevent the ball slipping from your hands.
3. Tape Inserts - There are two types of tape inserts. When you enter an air-conditioned bowling centre and it is very cold, your thumb and fingers tend to contract which will make your thumb and fingers smaller. When you first had the holes of your bowling ball drilled, it usually fits well. When the holes becomes loose, you put tapes to tighten the fit and this will help you to better control your delivery. Smooth tapes are used on the back-side of your thumb hole and rough tapes are used on the front-side of your thumb hole. Tapes can also be used on the finger holes.
4. Ball Cleaner - This is a special liquid for cleaning your bowling balls. It is useful to have and extremely important if you want to keep your bowling ball in good condition. Do not use a "Scotch" pad to clean your bowling ball, it may scratch the surface of the ball.
5. A towel - Some sweat a lot when they bowl, so a towel is handy to wipe the sweat. Sweat that drips on the approach can prove disasterous. Some use the tower to wipe and clean the bowling ball after several throws. This is useful, especially to wipe the oil that sticks to your ball or in some cases, the dirt that sticks to your ball.

Visit your nearest proshop to check the list of accessories available.