Throwing something heavy at a pear-shaped red-and-white target is a lot of fun, which is why bowling is so popular and working as a mall Santa Claus is so dangerous. Stay on the nice list with today's Groupon: for $25, you get $50 worth of bowling games and shoe rentals at 300 Pasadena in Pasadena.

Upscale bowling, casual dining, and a local hangout roll into one at 300 Pasadena, where boulder-launching revelers can rock the pins on 32 sleek, mood-lit lanes in the main concourse area. Video screens spanning floor to ceiling tower over plush tableside seating, flashing video tutorials on removing stuck fingers from bowling balls without resorting to chainsaws and dynamite. Club 300’s private suite surrounds VIPs with seven private lanes, kaleidoscopic lighting, and comfortable leather seating, making it an ideal place to host special gatherings or corporate events. Click here for the center's shoe rental and game rates.

Although not included in today's Groupon, bowlers may tap servers to deliver sustenance conjured by a seasoned executive chef, who deftly prepares a menu of hearthstone oven breads, hand-tossed pizzas with whole-milk mozzarella, and applewood-smoked-bacon burgers. Players troubled by their inability to pick up a split or replace a rival's ball with a spherical cactus can find respite amid a pair of full-service bars.