Bowling is one of those recreational pastimes that everyone has done at one point or another, but only a rare few have turned it into a lifestyle. What makes it so that certain people get the bowling “bug” and others don’t? Well, we suppose it’s like anything else – when you find that you have a natural talent for the game, you want to practice more and more! Some people find that it’s a perfect way to socialize and make friends while also giving them a chance to get a little exercise and keep themselves limber. For others, it’s just a nice way to relax after work. And for a rare few, it’s a game of passion that can turn into an actual profession.

If you have a bowling enthusiast in your family or friend circle, don’t forget to include their favorite activity in your consideration when buying them gifts. Whether you’re shopping for their birthday, Christmas, or any other occasion, the gift will mean more if it incorporates their love of the game. How do you do that? Well, read on, and we’ll talk about some of our favorite gift ideas for the bowler in your life!

Simple Monogrammed Beer Mug

Perhaps professional bowlers take exception to this statement, but we’re going to make it anyway: Beer and bowling go together like peanut butter and jelly. We frankly can’t imagine spending an evening at the lanes without a couple of cold ones to go along with the fun. What other game can you think of that actually has something called a “beer frame” included in the festivities? If the bowler in your life is anything like the bowlers we know, they’ll have a special appreciation for beer. Why not celebrate that by getting them a Simple Monogrammed Beer Mug? After all, a cold brew just tastes better when you drink it out of a customized glass!

Bowling Bag

Brunswick, Storm, and Athletico are a few of the top bowling bag brands in the country, and if you want to get the bowler in your life a great gift, you could definitely do worse than one of these. After all, it is difficult and unwieldy to carry a bowling ball around! Any bowler who has his own balls will need a bag or two to transport them to the lanes and back. We would offer this word of caution before you go shopping: Some of the higher-end purse manufacturers (like Prada) sell products they call “bowling bags.” These have little or nothing to do with the actual sport of bowling, and they are seldom large enough to carry a ball. Stick to sports bags and you won’t make a potentially-embarrassing mistake!

Custom Cornhole Boards

Is there a backyard equivalent to bowling? Well, we suppose there are sports such as lawn bowling, but they aren’t very popular. No, we were thinking of something a bit more fun for the entire family. Something like…cornhole! Yes, cornhole has in many ways replaced bowling as the activity of choice for families across America, and the good news is that you don’t have to go out to the local lanes to play a round. Indeed, you don’t even have to trade out your shoes! If you have an avid bowler in your life, chances are they will (or already do) love the game of cornhole. You can fan the flames of that love with a custom set of boards that they’ll surely cherish.

Gloves and Wrist Support

Experienced bowlers can sometimes run into trouble when it comes to their wrists and hands. By using proper wrist support products, they can strengthen their grip and improve their game. Fortunately, these support products don’t cost a lot of money, so you can easily fit them into your budget. Also, even if the bowler in your life already has a few of these, there is always room for more! In this way, you don’t have to worry as much about buying duplicate gifts, which is always something you have to consider when purchasing for someone who is WAY into a particular niche hobby. These gloves and supports come in a wide variety of styles and colors, so shop until you find something you think they’ll like. Some of the best brands include Storm, Brunswick, and KR Strikeforce.

Fancy Initials Notebook

A serious bowler doesn’t just go out haphazardly and play the game. He or she takes practice seriously, always looking for opportunities to improve. This means keeping detailed records, and there’s no better way to do that than with good old-fashioned pen and paper. Sure, there are digital apps out there now that can help a bowler keep track of their scores, but there’s something special about recording it all in a notebook. Especially if that notebook comes personalized with the bowler’s initials! If you’d like to get the bowler in your life something nice that they aren’t expecting, this notebook is an excellent idea.

A Bowling Ball

How else could we end this list than with the best present a bowler could ever receive: His own personal bowling ball! Take heed, though: You can’t just buy the first bowling ball you see in your local sporting goods store. Buying a ball should be done thoughtfully and with great consideration. Here are a few things to think about as you shop: The size and weight of the ball, the color, the customization you etch into the ball, and the skill level of the bowler on your shopping list. Read reviews and talk to experts to find out the difference between various balls, and you’ll have a much better chance of buying something that your recipient can appreciate. Motiv, Storm, and Ebonite are among the top manufacturers in the industry.