Online or Pro Shop Where do you go?

[billf]

Balls with the pro. Tape is usually from the alley. Cleaners, polishes, etc. I get on-line as I buy them by the quart. The pro I use is 50 miles away so going there for little stuff would be insane and the local pro is somewhat of a joke.

[Davec13]

Little items at the pro shop, big items online.

[GeoLes]

I agree 50/50 both have better deals on other items than the other. Plus nice to go in the pro shop see hands on

For me it is a bit of a dilema. My local bowling centers lack a full-time proshop. So I purchase misc items "catch as catch can." They are usually there for the big league night, which is usually Tuesday and Thurdsay night. My league is Monday night, and I am usualy too busy to get over there to shop if they were open, which they are not. (God fobid I should need a quick ball adjustment before league play starts).

Weekends would be great when I go for quick practice, but sadly they are nto avaiable then. Maybe because most of the kids and the "non-bowliers" are there, or it is not worth their time to keep lights on when the "serious bowlers" are not there. It's a shame that centers do such a dis-service.

There are a couple of very nice bowlling centers a distance away with full time pro shops. On the occasional long trip, I enjoy shopping and discovering things, I need, but did not know existed before. I can ask questions and get informed answers too.

So in retrospect, i would say as long as I know what I am looking for, I prefer to get it onlne.

[billf]

I always buy a Powerball ticket from the bowling alley. All the employees know that if I hit it big I'm building a bowling alley. The current owner is a good guy so I will let him in on it, basically give him half the alley and I get to run the pro shop. The pro shop would be open any hours the alley is open and would have 2-4 lanes in it for coaching and trying balls, etc. It's a dream but it's my dream lol
Beats the hell out of my current profession.

[jimlc2001]

Bowling Balls, shoes and most little stuff from the pro shop. The shoes because I prefer trying them on before purchasing. A lot of the stuff I buy from them is because of convenience and I like making friends with the shop owner.

[MisterSinister]

I go to a pro shop just so I can talk about my game with the guy. I can talk about the PBA tour as well, and our children, can't do that wih an online shop.

[ryno108]

Proshop for balls, bowlingball.com for anything else as my nearest proshop is over an hour away.