I cheated on my pro shop guy

[Bowlingfan92]

I have been wanting a ball that hooks better but couldn't afford new but my pro shop I always get my stuff from doesn't sell used and charges 50 for drilling, 15 for slug and 15 for inserts. Well I went bowling at the only other house in our town because my normal house had a full house league that night. We'll long story short they had a small, dimple pro shop that sells used balls and for $50 I got a almost mint Columbia 300 disorder,plugged, drilled, inserts and slug. I felt bad when I showed up to practice and needed thumb hole beveled and he asked me where I got it and who drilled it and then continued to talk down about the ball. I felt better though when that night at league I bowled avg 20 pins more each game. Question is how would you have reacted or taken the deal yourself? I feel like I got a good deal and all guess I just kind of feel bad for going to someone else.

[Bowlingfan92]

I have been wanting a ball that hooks better but couldn't afford new but my pro shop I always get my stuff from doesn't sell used and charges 50 for drilling, 15 for slug and 15 for inserts. Well I went bowling at the only other house in our town because my normal house had a full house league that night. Well long story short they had a small, simple pro shop that sells used balls and for $50 I got a almost mint Columbia 300 disorder,plugged, drilled, inserts and slug. I felt bad when I showed up to practice and needed thumb hole beveled and he asked me where I got it and who drilled it and then continued to talk down about the ball. I felt better though when that night at league I bowled avg 20 pins more each game. Question is how would you have reacted or taken the deal yourself? I feel like I got a good deal and all guess I just kind of feel bad for going to someone else.

[Tony]

I would probably have purchased the ball with that kind of deal , however I would not have brought the ball into the other guys shop to have it worked on, no way no how. I would have returned to the guy I got it from for the adjustment.

For the record I do have two different pro shops that I regularly deal with and the ball I buy from guy A gets serviced and adjusted by guy A and the balls from guy B only are touched by guy B. It can be inconvenient when guy A is in the house I usually bowl at and a ball from the B shop needs work but that's life.

[2handedsniper]

so i don;t use holes i used to beg for a discount but the pro shop operator did not believe me

[JasonNJ]

Don't feel bad about saving money and $15 for slug and $15 for inserts is very expensive. Honestly, I don't go to my local pro shop guy any more. He is a nice enough guy but depending on if he is drilling my stuff or some of the workers, I find the drilling to be inconsistent. So I only buy online now and I have the online retailer drill my stuff. I sent a ball into our sponsor here BowlingBall.com and they copied my span and made a mold of my thumb and every ball I've gotten from them has been perfect. Buddiesproshop.com and BowlerX.com I think have the same service where you can ship them a ball and they will copy all the measurements off of it. Bowlingball.com and Buddies will pay for the shipping too as long as you purchase a new ball. Also they both charge $50 for drilling with slug and inserts included.

[ep1977]

I've never met a PSO that doesn't find something wrong with any ball drilled by someone else. You did what you had to and it seems like the other Pro Shop earned your repeat future business.

[Timmyb]

I've switched shops three times in the past 2 years. With the exception of a nagging nerve in my thumb, which we are working on, I should be sticking with this guy. These guys know the game, and usually don't have hard feelings when someone leaves.

[Blomer]

I've been going to a guy since I started bowling. Probably about 30 minutes away. Recently a shop opene din the house I bowl at. I bought two balls from him so far. But this guy is a Radical staffer and pushes Brunswick balls and their sub companies. The other guy I originally went to, I don't how at that house to often so no big deal. Had good experiences from both. I'm not stuck on either guy.

[Bowlingfan92]

I agree with you Tony and wouldn't have done so but the original driller wouldn't be available til Monday and I was bowling league that night., I offered to pay him though but he wouldn't take it.
I would probably have purchased the ball with that kind of deal , however I would not have brought the ball into the other guys shop to have it worked on, no way no how. I would have returned to the guy I got it from for the adjustment.

For the record I do have two different pro shops that I regularly deal with and the ball I buy from guy A gets serviced and adjusted by guy A and the balls from guy B only are touched by guy B. It can be inconvenient when guy A is in the house I usually bowl at and a ball from the B shop needs work but that's life.

[got_a_300]

I keep one of these right here Bevel Knife (http://www.vertexbowling.com/Bevel-Knife-v-bk.htm) in my bag at all times
so if I need to bevel the top of the thumb or even the finger holes
I don't have to ask anyone to do it for me.

[LOUVIT]

my pso also sells nice used stuff for 40 or 50

[1VegasBowler]

I've been going to a guy since I started bowling. Probably about 30 minutes away. Recently a shop opene din the house I bowl at. I bought two balls from him so far. But this guy is a Radical staffer and pushes Brunswick balls and their sub companies. The other guy I originally went to, I don't how at that house to often so no big deal. Had good experiences from both. I'm not stuck on either guy.

My PSO is a Brunswick staffer (I am too), but he doesn't push the Brunswick family.

[foreverincamo]

I've yet to cheat on my PSO, but if you bring in a ball drilled elsewhere, he never talks badly about them. He wants you to be happy with what you're throwing. He will point out obviously poor drilling.

[Tony]

I agree with you Tony and wouldn't have done so but the original driller wouldn't be available til Monday and I was bowling league that night., I offered to pay him though but he wouldn't take it.

Offering to pay him was a good idea, in the same situation I would probably throw another ball for league, but I have several balls so not having one particular one for a night is not that big of a deal.
Either way it's done and nothing can be done to change it, so no good can come from worrying about it.

[Bowlingfan92]

Well I have decided to never go back to the "cheaper" pro shop guy as he is becoming harder and harder to contact and I ordered a bag and have not heard anything back. I have came to understand that there is a reason why my main pro shop guy is worth paying the extra for. RELIABLE,ACCOUNTABLE, TRUSTFUL

[1VegasBowler]

Well I have decided to never go back to the "cheaper" pro shop guy as he is becoming harder and harder to contact and I ordered a bag and have not heard anything back. I have came to understand that there is a reason why my main pro shop guy is worth paying the extra for. RELIABLE,ACCOUNTABLE, TRUSTFUL

As the old saying goes...You only get what you pay for.

[okfoz]

I cheated on my PSO too. My son bowls at one house, where my old Ball driller has drilled all of my balls, and my son's balls. I have been happy with him for the past 2 years. But recently I was at a demo day for Columbia, DV8 Hammer and something else at a different house and I really really liked a demo ball (I would have just bought THAT ball) So I had them order the ball and drill it for me.

I liked the drill so much I brought back my other 5 balls and had them re-drill those too... Long story short, my first ball driller never sized me, I would mention it, he would look at my span on my current ball and really not much else. The Drilling pattern, grip sizes were all the same as what I had 25 years ago, and he never really took the time to look at the finger hole pitch, or anything like that. The new ball driller took the time to see how flexible my hand was, and he recommended changing the pitch of my fingers slightly, I think 1/4" on m ring finger. I liked it enough to have everything else drilled to my new spec.

Do I feel bad? Kinda, I really like the other guy, he is a great great coach, In literally 2 weeks I improved by 20 pins on average. But as a ball driller, he gets layouts, but I am a bit disappointed with the finger pitch thing, he should have caught that IMHO.

John