I’m so old that I remember you could get a lane for a buck or two. They were plain old “bowling alleys,” not fancy “bowling centers” with all sorts of tech gimmicks. You got a sheet of paper to score your game and had to know how to do it. No fancy pin-counting electronic screens and gadgets. Balls came in any color you wanted...as long as they were black.
We substituted for one season as bowling partners with friends years ago. I always used the balls that the alley provided, but did invest in my own shoes. I remember that one time, one of the other ladies in the league got a new ball fitted for her that had a “birthday cake” scent built into it. She passed it to all the ladies urging us to smell it. What a funny thing! Whoda thunk it?