newb here, what kind of question to ask a pro shop to determine if they are good

[teabone]

hi everyone,

just started bowling a week ago with my first (new to me) spin ball (a storm barb wire 15lbs). i got it drilled at a proshop i just happend to be at. i asked for a neutral pattern/location since i have no idea what i am doing. haha.

in any case, that place is too far and so i want to find something more local. however, there are so many in my area i dont know how to determine who's good/bad. to me, this is as bad as finding a mechanic/plumber/doctor etc.

are there any question i can ask them to determine if they know their stuff? i dont want to spend money on a ball and wind up getting it improperly drilled or mickey mouse'd. i cant ask anyone i know b/c all of my buddies are newbs too.

btw, ive gone almost 7 days in a row now to the local alley... and i thought i would save money by bowling instead of golfing!!

[JMH]

Hang around during league times and listen... Don't be afraid to ask others input. The pro shop operator should have observed you bowling before drilling your ball IMO.

[The Mayor]

In my opinion, the best pro shop operators are ones who don't try to talk lots of technical jargon over the top of their customer's head. Usually the ones that do that don't really care about you and your bowling. You'll be able to tell if the shop is busy and if there are higher caliber bowlers that are regulars there. If that's the case, then most likely they are good. When you go to get a ball drilled, if they don't ask to watch you throw the ball first, leave. See if there are any local tournament flyers and call the person running them and ask who they recommend. You'll know when you meet the driller if they're right for you.

[BowlingObsessed]

Something I look for is a willingness to work with you and listen to what you're trying to tell them. Basically a proshop operator who doesn't look at you as just somebody they're trying to sell something to.

[DanielMareina]

As a pro shop person, I would suggest a few things. First thing I do when I go to a bowling center is look at the high score board on the wall. That will give you an idea about the center and the pro shop. I also prefer to ask the pro shop guy if he checks for a positive axis point before drilling. It is really important to have a good idea of what your axis point is to make the drilling layout correct. Some guys watch you bowl a couple times and can guess around where your axis point is, but I much prefer people that are willing to take the extra 2 minutes to find the axis point exactly. Finding previous customers doesn't work as well as you think. Lots of clients of mine and other local pro shops think that their drilling is great. 85% or so of people all have the exact same layout for pitches. Really easy to have a grip feel great if you have a standard hand. Good luck with the pro shop person search.
I hope you find someone that is nice enough to talk you through the process, and unlike the person that posted a couple people before, telling you the technical info while drilling isn't a bad thing. If they are doing it to confuse you, that isn't good. I prefer to give my customers the most info that I can, and let them know that I am not just guessing what to do.