new ball search.

[bdpeters]

now that I am ready to upgrade from my old Brunswick Galaxie to a little better reactive resin ball I have been shopping around for something affordable. I am torn between buying from a local shop or purchasing online . Buying online has me a bit worried because of getting a good fit. I thought about buying online and then taking the ball to the pro shop and having it drilled as apposed to purchasing at the shop with the drilling included in the price. I would like to get an idea about what shops in other states charge for drilling so that I can compare. Right now money is a big issue and I am not sure I am able to afford the pro shop prices but then again it may be pretty much the same if I bought online and needed to pay for drilling. Another option would be to buy online from possible Bowling Ball .com and pay for the basic drilling and use their sizing chart to get a close fit. Please keep in mind that I still consider myself a novice. Another option would be to buy a used ball or new in box locally from a local private party. I have seen some deals that sound pretty good on a local online classified ad’s. then there would be the cost of getting a ball plugged and redrillied if it was not new .
what on average is everyone paying for drilling?
Has anyone used an online companies basic drilling option? If so what is the best way to measure the hand and fingers for a good fit? I made a copy of the chart from bowling ball .com but am unsure where to start the measurements at on the hand for the span and the best place to measure the finger width. I could not see much in the way of instructions. My current ball does not have the greatest fit so I hesitate to use those measurements.
Any help or personal experience would be appreciated.

Bri

[PSBA10]

Although I have never used an online store for drilling services, I suspect they are not much better than using the drilling on a house ball. The most important aspect of the game is consistency. A properly fit and drilled ball is the foundation of consistency. A good pro-shop should have some demo balls that you can throw to see how they react for your style. Also, the info the pro-shop can get from the oil lines on the demo balls you just used will give them everything needed to properly drill the ball based on your individual PAP. I don't know how an online service can match that.

[bdpeters]

Has anyone had any experience with the Dyno-Thane Barrage? There is a new in box un drilled barrage for $20 on a local classified AD.

I appreciate your comment PSBA10. I was kind of leaning that direction. I am pretty much clueless on PAP and such.

Bri

[The Mayor]

That would certainly be a step up from your Galaxie.

http://www.bowlingballvault.com/companies/8-dynothane/436-barrage-

[bdpeters]

NIce information Mayor. handy site

Thanks
Bri

[Stormed1]

The Barrage will be a step up from your Galaxie but it was designed for "dry" lanes. You might want to check with your local pro shop for a "used" ball. Most pro shops have them and at reasonable prices

[Drano]

Well just about any reactive ball will be better than what you have now.

Pro shops have decent entry level reactive balls for 100-140$, my pro shop charges $50 for drilling if you bring in a ball from somewhere else, ie the internet.

IMO you should just go into the pro shop. Not only will you be guaranteed a good fit, but he can help you better choose a ball for your game. There's also a good chance that they'll have some higher-end used balls for a low price. My pro shop sells some high performance balls with 10-20 games on them for 100-130$ out the door... a good option.

[bdpeters]

Thank you all for the info. thats why I like this site. lots of good folks with good info and very friendly to the novice.

Bri