I don't remember the last time bowling worked in my game, if it ever really did. Maybe when it first came out.
I actually just tried to send my Sims bowling the other day and it was such a failure. It was a group of three who had just shown up at the place and got straight to playing. Only one of them took a single turn before one of the others just up and left. Then the same one who had already gone had it queued to go again for some reason, but just stood there frozen, and eventually the remaining member went upstairs to sit at the bar and chat with other Sims. ?