by Melissa Gilbert

Created on: August 25, 2009

Growing up around bowling was part of my life. It has always been the one sport I have enjoyed ever since I was a kid and to this day, I still enjoy the game very much. Bowling has changed when it comes to technology.

In the early days of my bowling, I had to learn how to keep score. I think it is a very good thing for everyone whom loves to bowl to learn how to keep score. I was not fast at math, but I knew how to keep score. When it came to strikes and spares, it was easier to keep track of the math. If I wanted to be quick with my math, I would bring a calculator. I am not fast on my feet with math even if it is basic math.

In the last ten years or so, Bowling alleys have started putting in computers to do the scoring for you. On one hand, it is good but yet on the other hand, it may not be that good. The good part about it is that the bowlers can now concentrate on bowling instead of scoring, but knowing how to score is very important in case it makes a mistake. Computers can still make mistakes and I have seen it happen. When that happens though, someone would have to go and edit the score to make it right. The mistakes usually are what the pin count is. The computer usually has certain keys that you have to hit in order to take care of that.

What I have found with the inclusion of these computer that it takes up less space than before. Some of the bowling alleys have it where it is really close to the approach area and some may have it located a bit back, but still close. If you have ever been in one of those older alley that once had to stand where you kept score, you would see the area where it once stood. They have since removed them and in that spot, is filled with the title where it once was. In most cases, you can tell where it once was as the tiles look different than the rest of the area. In some of the newer alleys, they have a seating area in that area. Not all alleys are created equally.

The reason I also think it is a bad thing to having the automatic scoring system is because, it makes you lazy in the sense that you won't be pushing yourself to learn how to keep score. It won't be as important as it was when I first started learning how to keep score as a kid. I still think that it still is very important to learn to keep score. It makes us think and by knowing how to keep score can come in handy. What if it goes down or if the scoring system broke down, you can still bowl regardless of the system is up or not. The technology when it comes to bowling has changed over the years and the quality of the technology will surely keep on improving. There is always room for improvements.

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