Key points
- If two bowlers on neighbouring lanes are ready at the same time, the one on the right goes first.
- Never cross the foul line: the lane beyond it is oiled and slippery.
- Bowl only with your own ball (or the one you picked at the start), never someone else's without their permission.
- No food or drink on the approach, and no street shoes on the lanes.
- Be ready when it's your turn: bowling is a game of rhythm.
Why does bowling etiquette matter?
Bowling etiquette exists first for safety, then for everyone's concentration. A ball weighing several kilos, an oiled lane and players stepping up side by side: a few simple rules are all it takes to avoid falls, pinched fingers and wasted shots.
These habits aren't just for competitive bowlers. In a leisure centre you share the space with families, groups of friends and sometimes a league bowling on the next lanes. Regular bowlers, especially league players, care a great deal about these rules, and following them is the best way to get a warm welcome. If bowling is still new to you, start with our guide to going bowling for the first time.
Who has priority between two neighbouring lanes?
When two bowlers on neighbouring lanes are ready to bowl at the same time, the bowler on the right has priority. The bowler on the left waits until they have delivered the ball, then takes their turn.
More generally, the rule is never to step onto the approach if a bowler on the lane immediately next to yours is already in position or starting their approach. Waiting two seconds costs nothing; popping up in someone's field of vision mid-approach can make them miss their shot, or even trip.
The right reflex: before stepping onto the approach, glance left and right. If nobody is in position, go ahead. If someone is, stay back, ball in hand, and wait.
Why must you never cross the foul line?
The foul line separates the approach from the lane itself, and crossing it is both a foul and a hazard. Beyond it, the lane is covered with a thin layer of oil that makes it extremely slippery, even in bowling shoes.
During play, a foot that touches or goes past the line at the moment of delivery is a foul: the pins knocked down do not count. If pins are left standing or fall awkwardly, never walk out onto the lane to reset them or to fetch a stuck ball: call the staff or use the assistance button on the console. The detailed foul rules are in our guide to the rules of bowling.
What are the safety rules for handling bowling balls?
The most important rule is never to put your hands between two balls on the ball return. Balls coming back up from the pit arrive with momentum and can crush fingers against a ball that is already sitting there.
- Pick the ball up by its sides, palms flat on either side, never from the top or from behind.
- Wait until it has stopped before picking it up.
- Carry it with both hands between the ball return and the approach.
- Don't roll it along the floor through the players' area to pass it to someone.
- Don't throw it in the air (“lofting”): the ball bounces, damages the lane and can jump into the next lane's gutter.
Another golden rule: don't use someone else's ball without asking. For a regular bowler, their ball is custom-drilled and represents an investment; in a casual group, everyone keeps the ball they chose so as not to lose their bearings.
How should you behave on the approach?
The approach is reserved for the player who is bowling: you don't stand around on it, eat on it or drink on it. A drop of soda or a crumb under a bowling shoe sole is enough to stop you sliding and cause a fall.
- No street shoes on the approach, and no bowling shoes outside or in the toilets: they would bring back water and dust.
- No food or drink beyond the tables and seating area.
- No talc, powder or any product spread on the approach to “slide better”: it's forbidden and dangerous for others.
- Stay in your lane: once you've delivered the ball, walk back on your own lane without straying onto your neighbour's.
What pace of play should you keep?
In bowling, you're ready when your turn comes: ball in hand, shoes laced, conversation on hold. A good pace makes the game more enjoyable for the whole group and makes the most of the lane time you've paid for.
A few habits help:
- Go and get your ball while the previous bowler is finishing their frame.
- Don't stay on the approach watching the ball roll if it's someone else's turn.
- Wait until the machine has finished sweeping and resetting the pins before bowling, otherwise the ball will hit the sweep bar.
- Avoid taking more than a few seconds to focus before you start your approach.
If you bowl in a league, a player held up by your pauses is a player who loses focus. To discover league bowling in Morocco, see the page of the ASBM (Association Sportive du Bowling Marocain, the Moroccan Bowling Sports Association), which runs a weekly league at the Megamall in Rabat.
How should you behave towards other bowlers?
Bowling courtesy boils down to one idea: react to your own shots without disturbing anyone else's. Cheering, applauding a strike, high-fiving a teammate are all part of the game; shouting during a neighbour's approach or banging the console after a bad shot are not.
- No comments while a bowler is in position, even as a joke.
- No unsolicited advice to strangers; with your friends, wait until they've finished their frame.
- Congratulate your opponents too on a great strike or a tricky spare.
- Save the music or video calls for later; the neighbouring lanes don't necessarily share your taste.
- Keep an eye on children: they shouldn't run between the lanes or play with the balls.
In competition, etiquette is formalised in the federations' rulebooks, which provide for penalties for unsportsmanlike conduct, abusive language or abuse of equipment. In casual bowling, it's mostly a matter of common sense and respect.
What should you do if there's a problem on the lane?
If there's a technical problem, call the centre's staff and never try to fix it yourself. That applies when a ball gets stuck on the lane, a pin falls awkwardly, the sweep bar doesn't lift or the score on the screen looks wrong.
Most consoles have a call button or a score-correction button; if not, ask at the front desk. To check a disputed score, our bowling score calculator lets you recount a game frame by frame. And to find a centre near you, browse the list of bowling centres in Morocco.
Frequently asked questions
Who bowls first when two bowlers are ready at the same time?
By convention, the bowler on the lane to the right has priority. The bowler on the left waits until they have delivered the ball before stepping onto the approach.
Can you use someone else's bowling ball?
No, not without their permission. Personal balls are custom-drilled, and in a group everyone keeps the ball they picked at the start of the game.
Can you eat or drink on the bowling lane?
You can eat and drink at the tables and seating area, but never on the approach. A drop or a crumb under your sole can stop you sliding and cause a fall.
What happens if you cross the foul line in bowling?
It's a foul: the pins knocked down on that delivery don't count. Beyond the line, the lane is also oiled and very slippery.
What should you do if the ball gets stuck on the lane?
Never go and fetch it yourself. Call the staff or use the assistance button on the console.
Sources and references
