Which bowling centers have a pro shop?
A good pro shop is where bowlers get drilled, fitted and tuned up. Here is how common they are, state by state, and what to do if your center does not have one.
By the BowlersMart Lane Finder team · Published October 6, 2026 · Numbers refresh with every directory update (4,263 centers today)
Ask a serious bowler where they got their ball drilled and you will hear about a pro shop: the small counter inside a bowling center where someone measures your hand, drills the finger holes, fits your grips and resurfaces your ball when the hook fades. For a league bowler, a proper fit is one of the best upgrades there is. So how many bowling centers actually have one?
Where pro shops are most common
Share of listed certified centers with a pro shop.
Where they are hardest to find
The ten states with the lowest share of listed centers with a pro shop.
Mid-size centers are the sweet spot
A pro shop needs steady traffic from league bowlers, which is exactly what mid-size houses run on. The smallest rooms often cannot support a shop, and some of the biggest entertainment-first venues skip it in favor of arcades and party space.
| Center size | Listed centers | With a pro shop |
|---|---|---|
| 12 lanes or fewer | 284 | 57% |
| 13 to 24 lanes | 475 | 65% |
| 25 to 40 lanes | 380 | 67% |
| More than 40 lanes | 114 | 61% |
What a good pro shop does for you
- Fitting and drilling. Finger and thumb holes sized and angled for your hand, the difference between a ball you grip and a ball you can release cleanly.
- Choosing the right ball. Help matching coverstock and core to your speed, rev rate and the lane conditions you bowl on.
- Maintenance. Resurfacing, oil extraction and plug work that bring back a ball's hook.
- The small stuff. Thumb tape, inserts, grips, shoe soles and slides, swapped on the spot.
No pro shop at your center?
You still have options. Many bowlers drive to a shop in a nearby town for a fitting and then buy equipment online. BowlersMart has 51 pro shop locations in our directory, most of them inside bowling centers, across Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Ohio, Wisconsin and West Virginia, and ships equipment nationwide. In the Lane Finder, centers with a BowlersMart pro shop get a red map pin and a BowlersMart Pro Shop badge.
Need a drill, a fit or a new ball? Find a BowlersMart pro shop near you, or shop online.
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