Bowling a flexible sport

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.