What makes bowling shoes left or right-handed?

Bowling shoes are "handed" by the type of sole that is on the sliding shoe. Since (most) left-handed bowlers slide with their right foot, the right shoe is soled with some type of leather or buckskin to aid in sliding. The left shoe will usually be rubber-soled with a leather or a textured rubber toe piece. This toe piece is added for extra traction when "pushing off" on the next-to-last step. Right-handed shoes are basically mirror images of the left-handed shoes. Most bowling shoes come in this configuration; however, some manufacturers produce their low-end bowling shoes in ambidextrous versions -- both shoes have some type of sliding sole, so they can be used by either left or right-handers. House shoes are typically this way.  more