Bowling a flexible sport

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

For businesspeople, choosing a suitable sport is sometimes difficult due to tight work schedules.

And this is making indoor 10-pin bowling, which can be played from early morning until late in the evening, increasingly popular.

"I started bowling in 2002, as I could go to the bowling center almost any time I wanted," said Rulita, a senior executive of a public relations firm in Jakarta.

"I usually go there at 8 p.m. to bowl and relax with my colleagues."

Rulita used to enjoy swimming, playing golf, and tennis, but says now she doesn't have the time or the energy.

A portfolio manager at financial firm, Mahendra Wardana, said he had also been a golfer before a bowler.

"But golf took too much time from me at the weekend I as I had to get up early in the morning and got home at 3 p.m., which is not healthy for my family life."

Mahendra said he went to Jaya Ancol Bowl from his office in Kuningan, South Jakarta, after work to play for 40 minutes.

"There, I can play with my colleagues," he said.

"If I am bored with Jaya Ancol, I can go to Plaza Senayan or Plaza Indonesia with my family to bowl."

It is not difficult to bowl and beginners have a lot of choices as to where to go. Most centers charge about Rp 25,000 (US$2.50) for one game and a pair of shoes.

As of last year, more than 40 bowling alleys existed in Jakarta, Bandung, Surabaya, Solo, Medan and Padang.

In Jakarta, bowling centers include Jaya Ancol, Kebayoran Bowling Center, Millenium Bowling Alley in Plaza Senayan, Grand Bowling in Supermal Karawaci (Tangerang), Pasaraya Bowling Alley in Pasaraya Grande, PIN Bowling Alley in Pondok Indah, Galeria Kodel Kosmik Bowling in Megamall Pluit and Sudirman Bowling Alley.

While bowling starts off cheap, it can become more costly as one gets better, with many keen bowlers shelling out between Rp 1 million and Rp 2 million for specialized balls. A fancy pair of bowling shoes, meanwhile, could set you back Rp 500,000.

"It is good to have your own ball as you and the ball will understand each other," Rulita, who practices three times a week, said.

"You only need to buy a new ball when, for example, your power has improved, therefore the existing balls is no longer useful."

Rulita, who used to play with an 11-pound ball, now uses a 13-pounder.

Mahendra said that based on his experience, golf was more expensive than bowling.

"A set of golf sticks could cost me as much as Rp 3.5 million," he said.

Membership meanwhile, cuts the price for those who play frequently. Rulita says she pays a membership fee of Rp 80,000 every six months to her Cakra club and Rp 60,000 to the Indonesian Bowling Association (PBI) to be a member.

"The benefit of joining a club is that your score is recorded over one season, and you become eligible for the grand final competition," she said.

In a club, bowlers did not only compete but also socialized with others, she said.

"This is the uniqueness of bowling as you can make friends with young and old at the same time because you play in the same venue and use the same lanes," she said.

Mahendra, who is a member of Jaya Ancol Bowling Club, said joining a club meant bowlers could progress through a grade system, which helped their game.

"Bowling has a good structure. If we are beginners we play against beginners. If our play improves, we go up a grade. However all players with different grades always play in the same venue," he said.