| Event: | Bowling |
| Games: | 1981 |
| Venue: | Celebrity Bowl |
| Location: | Philippines |
| Dates: | 8–12 December |
| Prev: | 1979 |
| Next: | 1983 |
The Bowling at the 1981 SEA Games was held between 08 December to 12 December at Celebrity Bowl, Manila, Philippines.
| Individual |  Olie Ongtawco | 1.270 pts |  Ronnie Ng | 1.261 | Paeng Nepomuceno | 1.253 | |
| Double | Paeng Nepomuceno Ed Bermudez | 2.431 pts | Olie Ongtawco Rene Reyes | 2.412 |  Herry Hendrawan Hendro Pratomo | 2.341 | |
| Trio | Philippines Paeng Nepomuceno Ed Bermudez Olie Ongtawco | 3.564 pts | Indonesia Harapan Matondang Abidin Saleh Indra Gondokusumo | 3.446 |  Thailand Kassem Minalai Montri Cheeratana Suphote Peernasophon | 3.438 | |
| Five | Thailand | 5.875 pts | Philippines | 5.794 | Indonesia | 5.480 | |
| Master's | Suphote Peernasophon | 1.179 pts | Ronnie Ng | 1.134 | Del Galera | 1.133 | |
| Individual | Porntip Singha | 1.179 pts | Bong Coo | 1.134 | Lanny Budiaman | 1.133 | |
| Double | Bong Coo Rita de la Rosa | 2.312 pts | Arianne Cerdeña Rose de Leon | 2.282 |  Rita Goh Lily Chan | 2.276 | |
| Trio | Philippines Bong Coo Rose de Leon Rita de la Rosa | 3.524 pts | Indonesia Lanny Budiaman Inge Syarif Lita Muaya | 3.364 | Thailand Porntip Singha Orawan Nithinavakorn Luyong Kunaksorn | 3.286 | |
| Five | Thailand | 5.518 pts | Philippines | 5.417 | Malaysia | 5.320 | |