Bowling vs Golf: Which is More Difficult?

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Bowling vs golf is a debate that is not quite as common as debates among mainstream sports (boxing, football, soccer, bowling). However, it is a question worth visiting and shedding light on especially if you're keen on taking up on or the other, or are just curios to know which is more challenging.

In this guide, we explore the different aspects of comparison between bowling and golf to help you arrive at a conclusion regarding which of the two is better for you.

Table Of Contents

Ease of Learning

As someone who has tried both bowling and golf, I could personally attest that bowling is the easier sport to learn of the two.

To put things into a rather simple perspective, the objective of bowling is to roll a heavy ball down the lane to knock down a set of pins found at the end of the lane. In golf, the objective is to swing a metallic rod to hit a tiny ball in an attempt to have the ball go into a hole that is thousands of yards across a field of well-maintained grass (and a few patches of sand or even the occasional small body of water).

Based on the oversimplified description above, which of the two do you think is easier to pick up? I am of the opinion that bowling is clearly the victor when it comes to ease of learning.

Physical Fitness

A high level of physical fitness is required to compete in the higher levels of competitive play in any sport or physical activity.

However, if we are simply talking about the average level of physical fitness required for an average individual, then an argument can be made in favor of one sport over the other.

In bowling, you do not need to have a six-pack or be capable of bench pressing 225 pounds. As long as you have a functional swinging arm and a bit of muscular endurance, then you can bowl freely as an average player.

In golf, having a great physique and a high degree of cardiovascular endurance are likewise not major requirements. However, it can be argued that, in the absence of a caddy and a golf cart (or golf buggy), an average golfer would have to lug around a rather heavy set of golf clubs across considerably great distances.

Based on this aspect alone, I believe that bowling is the more convenient and accessible sport when it comes to physical fitness.

Mental Fitness

Something that has fortunately been given greater focus and priority in the field of sports is mental fitness. This not only speaks of the mentality and motivation of an athlete but also of the mindset and discipline involved.

For this particular aspect, both bowling and golf require a tremendous amount of mental fitness, particularly when it comes to understanding the flow or pace of the game. I would even slightly argue that bowling and golf are cerebral in nature and that they are closer to golf than they are to the likes of football or boxing.

Locations and Destinations

Depending on how you understand this aspect, either sport can be the clear victor under this category.

If you are a fan of familiar environments, enclosed areas, and glossy surfaces, then bowling in bowling alleys should be the better option of the two.

However, if you prefer the outdoors, taking in the fresh air, appreciating mother nature, and experiencing different locations and sceneries, then golf clearly beats bowling by a mile.

If you were to ask me, I would say it depends on my mood. So I would leave this category as a tie between both sports.

Weather and Conditions of Play

In connection with where golf and bowling are played, weather plays a significant role in just one of the sports being discussed - golf.

As opposed to bowling, which is done indoors, golfers and golf courses subject themselves to elements of nature such as rain, heat, snow, and other weather conditions.

As a result of this, bowling is clearly more advantageous in terms of weather. Even if it rains cats and dogs outside, as long as there is still power or electricity in the bowling alley, the game does not have to stop.

Skill

learning how to bowl

As a continuation to ease of learning, the broader category of skill must also be discussed to weigh in on which sport would be better.

We can give general classifications to both bowlers and golfers: beginners, intermediate players, and advanced players.

I may not be an expert at golf, but based on my experience and the experiences shared by friends and colleagues, both bowling and golf have clear distinctions in terms of skill levels and experience levels. In other words, in the same way that intermediate-level bowlers can handily defeat beginners in bowling, intermediate-level golfers can also do the same to beginner golfers.

As such, skill levels are easily distinguishable between each sport. Therefore, I would personally mark this as a tie between bowling and golf. 

Age

How young do you have to be to be able to play bowling or golf? Conversely, how old can you be to be still able to play bowling or golf?

Let me answer the first question. There is no minimum age requirement for being able to play bowling and golf. If you have kids, you can start them off with miniature bowling or golf play sets (typically made out of hard plastics).

Related: At What Age Can a Kid Start Bowling?

For teenagers, perhaps they can proceed to bowling alleys with an option to have bumpers installed, which are devices that cover the span of the bowling lane that serve as a blockade or cover to prevent the ball from entering the channel or the gutter.

For teenagers who want to try golf, maybe they could start off at mini-golf courses and golf ranges to work on fundamentals and swing mechanics.

The second question, however, is a bit trickier to answer. Both bowling and golf require a certain degree of balance and coordination, and none of which would be present if a person has reached a particular stage of life where the muscles and bones do not cooperate as much as they used to. In this regard, I would have to say that both bowling and golf activities would have to be stopped (or significantly reduced) once an average individual reaches the age of 70.

Ultimately, I believe that this category should end up as a tie between both sports because people can start as young as they want and players usually end at around the same ballpark age for both bowling and golf.

Costs

In terms of costs, bowling is the clear winner. Let me explain why.

On average, a bowling alley would charge you around $4 per game. This is a full game of 10 rounds (or frames).

On the other hand, golf costs approximately $35 per game. This is a full game (or round) of 18 holes.

On these figures alone, it is clear that bowling is the more affordable sport. To make things more interesting, let us dig a little deeper.

A basic bowling ball (plastic or polyurethane) could cost up to $75. A bowling ball designed for hook shots (reactive resin) and higher-level play could be in the area of $300 to $600. See our guide on how much bowling balls cost for more detail.

A standard set of golf clubs could be obtained for around $150. However, a premium quality golf set could have an asking price in the $800 to $1,200 range.

This further proves that bowling is the more affordable sport of the two.

Time

In terms of time, bowling is the clear winner, assuming you prefer engaging in physical activities that require a shorter amount of time to accomplish.

On average, a typical bowling session (with a few friends) would last around an hour. If we were to only account for individual play, then a game could end within 15 minutes.

Golf, on the other hand, can run for a handful of hours. The average playing time for a standard round (or game) of golf is 3 - 5 hours, which is essentially equivalent to half a day.

If you want relatively quick sessions of sports or physical activity, then bowling is the right sport for you. If you have the luxury of time to spend playing extended hours, then golf would be the better option.

Safety

Both bowling and golf rely on repetition and a dominant side or arm. This can lead to muscular imbalances and injuries caused by fatigue or overuse.

Therefore, even if both sports can be deemed low-impact, I would still have to say that improper fundamentals and mechanics can lead to long-term injuries that could impact the way you play.

Under this aspect, both sports are tied.

Conclusion

Based on the discussion points above, there are both crucial distinctions and interesting commonalities between bowling and golf. So, in a bout of bowling vs golf, I would argue that golf is the more challenging sport of the two.

Bowling vs golf is a debate that is not quite as common as debates among mainstream sports (boxing, football, soccer, bowling). However, it is a question worth visiting and shedding light on especially if you're keen on taking up on or the other, or are just curios to know which is more challenging.

In this guide, we explore the different aspects of comparison between bowling and golf to help you arrive at a conclusion regarding which of the two is better for you.

Table Of Contents

Ease of Learning

As someone who has tried both bowling and golf, I could personally attest that bowling is the easier sport to learn of the two.

To put things into a rather simple perspective, the objective of bowling is to roll a heavy ball down the lane to knock down a set of pins found at the end of the lane. In golf, the objective is to swing a metallic rod to hit a tiny ball in an attempt to have the ball go into a hole that is thousands of yards across a field of well-maintained grass (and a few patches of sand or even the occasional small body of water).

Based on the oversimplified description above, which of the two do you think is easier to pick up? I am of the opinion that bowling is clearly the victor when it comes to ease of learning.

Physical Fitness

A high level of physical fitness is required to compete in the higher levels of competitive play in any sport or physical activity.

However, if we are simply talking about the average level of physical fitness required for an average individual, then an argument can be made in favor of one sport over the other.

In bowling, you do not need to have a six-pack or be capable of bench pressing 225 pounds. As long as you have a functional swinging arm and a bit of muscular endurance, then you can bowl freely as an average player.

In golf, having a great physique and a high degree of cardiovascular endurance are likewise not major requirements. However, it can be argued that, in the absence of a caddy and a golf cart (or golf buggy), an average golfer would have to lug around a rather heavy set of golf clubs across considerably great distances.

Based on this aspect alone, I believe that bowling is the more convenient and accessible sport when it comes to physical fitness.

Mental Fitness

Something that has fortunately been given greater focus and priority in the field of sports is mental fitness. This not only speaks of the mentality and motivation of an athlete but also of the mindset and discipline involved.

For this particular aspect, both bowling and golf require a tremendous amount of mental fitness, particularly when it comes to understanding the flow or pace of the game. I would even slightly argue that bowling and golf are cerebral in nature and that they are closer to golf than they are to the likes of football or boxing.

Locations and Destinations

Depending on how you understand this aspect, either sport can be the clear victor under this category.

If you are a fan of familiar environments, enclosed areas, and glossy surfaces, then bowling in bowling alleys should be the better option of the two.

However, if you prefer the outdoors, taking in the fresh air, appreciating mother nature, and experiencing different locations and sceneries, then golf clearly beats bowling by a mile.

If you were to ask me, I would say it depends on my mood. So I would leave this category as a tie between both sports.

Weather and Conditions of Play

In connection with where golf and bowling are played, weather plays a significant role in just one of the sports being discussed - golf.

As opposed to bowling, which is done indoors, golfers and golf courses subject themselves to elements of nature such as rain, heat, snow, and other weather conditions.

As a result of this, bowling is clearly more advantageous in terms of weather. Even if it rains cats and dogs outside, as long as there is still power or electricity in the bowling alley, the game does not have to stop.

Skill

learning how to bowl

As a continuation to ease of learning, the broader category of skill must also be discussed to weigh in on which sport would be better.

We can give general classifications to both bowlers and golfers: beginners, intermediate players, and advanced players.

I may not be an expert at golf, but based on my experience and the experiences shared by friends and colleagues, both bowling and golf have clear distinctions in terms of skill levels and experience levels. In other words, in the same way that intermediate-level bowlers can handily defeat beginners in bowling, intermediate-level golfers can also do the same to beginner golfers.

As such, skill levels are easily distinguishable between each sport. Therefore, I would personally mark this as a tie between bowling and golf. 

Age

How young do you have to be to be able to play bowling or golf? Conversely, how old can you be to be still able to play bowling or golf?

Let me answer the first question. There is no minimum age requirement for being able to play bowling and golf. If you have kids, you can start them off with miniature bowling or golf play sets (typically made out of hard plastics).

Related: At What Age Can a Kid Start Bowling?

For teenagers, perhaps they can proceed to bowling alleys with an option to have bumpers installed, which are devices that cover the span of the bowling lane that serve as a blockade or cover to prevent the ball from entering the channel or the gutter.

For teenagers who want to try golf, maybe they could start off at mini-golf courses and golf ranges to work on fundamentals and swing mechanics.

The second question, however, is a bit trickier to answer. Both bowling and golf require a certain degree of balance and coordination, and none of which would be present if a person has reached a particular stage of life where the muscles and bones do not cooperate as much as they used to. In this regard, I would have to say that both bowling and golf activities would have to be stopped (or significantly reduced) once an average individual reaches the age of 70.

Ultimately, I believe that this category should end up as a tie between both sports because people can start as young as they want and players usually end at around the same ballpark age for both bowling and golf.

Costs

In terms of costs, bowling is the clear winner. Let me explain why.

On average, a bowling alley would charge you around $4 per game. This is a full game of 10 rounds (or frames).

On the other hand, golf costs approximately $35 per game. This is a full game (or round) of 18 holes.

On these figures alone, it is clear that bowling is the more affordable sport. To make things more interesting, let us dig a little deeper.

A basic bowling ball (plastic or polyurethane) could cost up to $75. A bowling ball designed for hook shots (reactive resin) and higher-level play could be in the area of $300 to $600. See our guide on how much bowling balls cost for more detail.

A standard set of golf clubs could be obtained for around $150. However, a premium quality golf set could have an asking price in the $800 to $1,200 range.

This further proves that bowling is the more affordable sport of the two.

Time

In terms of time, bowling is the clear winner, assuming you prefer engaging in physical activities that require a shorter amount of time to accomplish.

On average, a typical bowling session (with a few friends) would last around an hour. If we were to only account for individual play, then a game could end within 15 minutes.

Golf, on the other hand, can run for a handful of hours. The average playing time for a standard round (or game) of golf is 3 - 5 hours, which is essentially equivalent to half a day.

If you want relatively quick sessions of sports or physical activity, then bowling is the right sport for you. If you have the luxury of time to spend playing extended hours, then golf would be the better option.

Safety

Both bowling and golf rely on repetition and a dominant side or arm. This can lead to muscular imbalances and injuries caused by fatigue or overuse.

Therefore, even if both sports can be deemed low-impact, I would still have to say that improper fundamentals and mechanics can lead to long-term injuries that could impact the way you play.

Under this aspect, both sports are tied.

Conclusion

Based on the discussion points above, there are both crucial distinctions and interesting commonalities between bowling and golf. So, in a bout of bowling vs golf, I would argue that golf is the more challenging sport of the two.

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