I joined a bowling league!

I'm officially old.

I didn’t expect a bowling league to become the highlight of my week.

Tuesday has become my favorite day of the week.

Again.

Longtime Money Talks readers might remember I wrote those exact words in 2023. Back then, Tuesday nights belonged to Wallstreet Trapper. Unless duty called, I was locked in to “Trappin Tuesday’s” every week, soaking up lessons on earning, spending, saving, investing and building wealth.

Three years later, Tuesday is still my favorite day.

Only now, it’s because of a bowling league.

Yeah, I didn’t see that one coming, either.

I’m officially old. Not because I joined a bowling league. Plenty of people bowl their entire lives. I’m officially old because of how excited I am about it.

Every Tuesday, I catch myself looking forward to league night. I’ve already turned down Tuesday invitations because I’m not giving up bowling.

I didn’t dip my toe in the water, either.

I paid $168 up front for the entire 12-week league instead of week by week.

Then I spent another $169.06 on a new bowling ball and another $42.78 on a two-ball bag, ball cleaner and a towel.

Let me translate that for anyone who knows me only as a guy who writes about investing:

I spent almost $400 to become slightly better at throwing a 13-pound ball at 10 pins.

The $168 also came with a few perks: two free games each week and discounts on bowling and concessions.

But the best part wasn’t a discount or a free game.

It was knowing that, for 12 weeks, I had a standing commitment to spend a few hours each Tuesday doing something I genuinely enjoyed.

Putting some old man English on it during a game on Aug. 31, 2021.

That’s not something I’ve always made time for.

I searched the 363-column Money Talks archive and found only 10 columns that included the words “relax” or “relaxation.”

Five each.

One was about my root canal in 2025. Another was about turning off the TV.

Apparently, relaxation hasn’t been a recurring theme around here.

That’s part of why I didn’t mind putting money into this experience.

The ball upgrade had been a long time coming. My old ball had been with me since high school.

The league was the part I never expected.

It didn’t take long to remember why I’d always loved bowling.

Some of my favorite memories with my grandfather were made in bowling alleys.

We weren’t chasing perfect games.

We were just chasing one more game.

I can still hear him.

“Just roll the ball.”

“Put it on the second arrow.”

I carried those moments — and those words — with me into my first night.

The league was designed for beginners. It was a chance to learn, improve and spend a few hours each Tuesday night having fun.

Still, I had questions.

Would I be good enough?

Would I embarrass myself?

Would I be accepted?

Turns out, I was worried about the wrong things.

I joined a team with two brothers who have been in the league for years. They knew the lanes, the routine and everyone around them. I was the new guy, but they welcomed me immediately.

My bigger problem? They are both Packers fans.

The younger brother showed up in a Packers shirt in Week 2. So naturally, I responded by wearing a Vikings shirt last week.

“This is going to be a problem,” he said.

I called our unforeseen circumstance a “friendly rivalry.”

“There’s nothing friendly about it,” he said.

All right then. Game on. We’ll see about it in Week 1 of the NFL season when my Vikes host his Packers.

I wasn’t the only new person on the team. The third member of our team was learning bowling from scratch.

Watching him learn the game has been one of the best parts of this experience. Each week, he’s picking up something new and getting better. By Week 3, he broke 100 for the first time.

Getting sized for a bowling ball on July 9, 2026. | Photos by Parker Mayberry

That same week, my new ball arrived.

I wasn’t learning how to bowl from scratch. I was learning how to bowl differently.

My old ball was beat up, covered in dents and scratches and had nowhere near the movement of a modern bowling ball.

But I knew that ball.

I knew where to stand. I knew how fast to throw it. I knew what it would do when it left my hand. I bowled a 180 with it while out with Parker on July 9.

The new ball was a different story.

It had more torque. More spin. More potential.

And for a while, none of that mattered because I had no idea how to control it. The first time I brought it out for league night, I felt like I had forgotten how to bowl.

I couldn’t figure out where to stand, how to release it or how much speed to use. The ball was sliding all over the lanes, and I was searching for answers.

Then one of the cheeseheads gave me a lesson I didn’t even know I needed.

He explained how the lanes are oiled: more oil in the middle, less on the outside. That changes how the ball reacts as it travels down the lane.

I made a few adjustments. I increased my ball speed and kept my placement on the right side of the lane a little longer, putting it on that second arrow just like Grandpa taught me.

And slowly, the ball started doing what I wanted it to do.

The strikes started coming.

After opening with a 144, I finished with a 160 and a 141 for a 148.3 average. Two days later, I returned to use my two free games that came with joining the league.

Then I didn’t want to leave.

So I paid $8.97 for another three games. Best eight bucks I’ve spent in a while.

My personal best on July 16, 2026.

In the second game of that extra set, I bowled a personal-best 232.

My cousin Stefan once bowled a 285 and made it look effortless.

I’ve got a long way to go.

But I’m coming for you, Stef!

On the way out last Thursday, I wanted to tell everyone within earshot about my 232.

The people next to me. The people behind the counter. Anyone who would listen.

Just like an old man would.