When you buy a new bowling ball...

[mc_runner]

Span is always the same, but if my old ball has slightly worn fingertip inserts for example, it has a little bit different feel.

I actually went to a different driller for the LT-48 I won, and he supposedly used the same span/measurements but it was just... bad. Very different feel, thumb needed to be widened TWICE, etc... so I'll be going back to my regular guy.

[RobLV1]

At the very least the thumb hole on every ball is slightly different unless you are using IT system. It is impossible to bevel a hole and use a sander and get exactly the same feel from ball to ball. I guarantee you that you could blind fold me and bring my balls over one by one and I could stick my hand in it and tell you which ball it was site unseen. Span same, pitches same, grips same but the thumb is always slightly different.

Personally I don't use a removeable thumb slug, and the 19 bowling balls I currently own feel exactly the same. Each has one piece of white tape because I like the way it feels, and I can call my ball driller, order a ball, tell him the layout that I want, and throw it with no adjustments at all. He is now the 4th driller that I have used exclusively over the past 15 years, and every one of them could do the same. When I first moved to Vegas, I used a driller in California who I would call to place an order and he would ship the ball to me drilled perfectly. Again, if your driller can't duplicate your drilling exactly, it's time to find a new driller.

[Amyers]

Personally I don't use a removeable thumb slug, and the 19 bowling balls I currently own feel exactly the same. Each has one piece of white tape because I like the way it feels, and I can call my ball driller, order a ball, tell him the layout that I want, and throw it with no adjustments at all. He is now the 4th driller that I have used exclusively over the past 15 years, and every one of them could do the same. When I first moved to Vegas, I used a driller in California who I would call to place an order and he would ship the ball to me drilled perfectly. Again, if your driller can't duplicate your drilling exactly, it's time to find a new driller.

Well I'll give you that you are more experienced than I with getting more bowling balls. I haven't owned 19 in my entire life. You may also have access to better drillers in Las Vegas than I do in WV. I have had four balls drilled or re-drilled in the last 12 months and I can tell the difference between each one and I do have varying amounts of tape in each. I will ask around at my league I know some of the others use different proshops and see if they see the same thing.

[Sourtower]

I always like to throw a few practice games with any new bowling ball I get. If anything it's just for me to get comfortable with throwing it. Plus I'll understand where the ball fits in comparison to my other bowling balls, and when the oil breaks down I'll know which ball is begging to be thrown next. I also name my bowling balls. Sounds dumb but everyone has their own thing lol...

Zero Gravity - Zoey
Deadly Aim - Amy
Black Widow Legend - Lea
Black Widow Assassin - Sassy

[dnhoffman]

I can see him huffing and puffing, pulling two 6-ball Storm rollers into the bowling alley. Then comes the retinue: publicist, ball tech, lane coach, personal trainer, massage therapist, chaplain and drink girl.

Don't forget the Sherpa needed to carry that THS arsenal up the mountain.

[Mudpuppy]

I always like to throw a few practice games with any new bowling ball I get. If anything it's just for me to get comfortable with throwing it. Plus I'll understand where the ball fits in comparison to my other bowling balls, and when the oil breaks down I'll know which ball is begging to be thrown next. I also name my bowling balls. Sounds dumb but everyone has their own thing lol...

Zero Gravity - Zoey
Deadly Aim - Amy
Black Widow Legend - Lea
Black Widow Assassin - Sassy

My problem with this for me anyways is the open bowling oil is vastly different than THS oil for the league. So I can practice 1,000 games and it doesn't show me anything. The league shot is so different. In open bowling it is random oil from 30 kids 8 years old banging 6 # balls off a bumper or no oil or 10 rec bowlers throwing straight house balls inconsistently all over the lane. MWhite's theory of riding the wall of oil with a resin ball does not apply.

[Mike White]

My problem with this for me anyways is the open bowling oil is vastly different than THS oil for the league. So I can practice 1,000 games and it doesn't show me anything. The league shot is so different. In open bowling it is random oil from 30 kids 8 years old banging 6 # balls off a bumper or no oil or 10 rec bowlers throwing straight house balls inconsistently all over the lane. MWhite's theory of riding the wall of oil with a resin ball does not apply.

Yeah those bumper bowlers sure can destroy your stencil.

They don't remove the wall of oil, they move oil out into the area that you need to be dry.

[Aslan]

If you always use the same driller, you shouldn't have any difference in the feel of a new ball. If you do use the same driller all the time and feel slight differences from ball to ball, it's time to find a new driller IMHO.

But what if you and your ball driller are on the outs? Like, maybe he showed up at your tournament and jinxed you into throwing a gutter ball...first open frame in 13 frames...???

Totally hypothetical question of course.

[Aslan]

I also name my bowling balls.

Zero Gravity - Zoey
Deadly Aim - Amy
Black Widow Legend - Lea
Black Widow Assassin - Sassy

Thats creepy.

Not sure "how" creepy...probably somewhere between having a doll collection and hanging out on elementary school playgrounds. Somewhere in that "range".

If I were to name my bowling balls they'd be:

- God DAMMit!!
- Great I dropped it.
- Well, you're useless..
- Why did I even buy you?
and
- Really? Right again?

[Mike White]

But what if you and your ball driller are on the outs? Like, maybe he showed up at your tournament and jinxed you into throwing a gutter ball...first open frame in 13 frames...???

Totally hypothetical question of course.

And hypothetically you miss winning the tournament (your division) by about 140 pins, yet you focus on that one shot.