Welcome to the 1998 holiday season! This is a perfect time to consider gifts for the bowlers in your family. Bowling manufacturers have been busy lately, introducing new products and inundating the market with fantastic gift ideas.
One of the more popular items this year has been the four-ball bowling bag on wheels. Several companies currently offer this type of bag; it is a perfect gift for the avid bowler. Bags with wheels are also available in one-, two-, and three-ball options.
Interchangeable-sole shoes also have been all the rage this year for the more serious bowler. There are a few different models available, with the Linds and Dexter models most popular to date.
High performance bowling balls are better today than they have ever been. The hottest selling models have been the TiBOSS series by Columbia, the 3D Offset series by Faball, the Zone series by Brunswick, and the El Niño by Storm Products. These balls are available in various designs and weights and are geared for various lane conditions and bowler styles.
Many local pro shops will offer bowling packages designed for the beginner and intermediate bowlers. These come complete with a ball, bag, and shoe combination and offer a great savings over buying each individually. Most will offer a choice of colors and models to suit any need.
Other popular stocking stuffers include fully stocked accessory kits, various hand and wrist supports, towels, rosin bags, apparel, and ball maintenance products.
For information about these and other popular gift ideas, call your local International Bowling Pro Shop and Instructors Association (IBPSIA) pro shop. The folks there can provide all the information you will need this holiday season.
Scott Bailey operates The Strike Zone Professional Bowling Store in Vienna, Virginia.