Pro Shop pet peeves

[The KingPin]

So if you work or go to a pro shop, what pet peeves do you have?

For me I have gone in with a 150 average and never a 600 series and had a pro shop employee talk me down. Like saying they only sell balls for advanced players who score high. I mean I wanted to get better that is why I was looking for a better ball. But its like since I am not on any high score sheet I was not going to find a ball there.

Or maybe you get that customer who knows everything and makes you feel like you know nothing.

Not saying this happens everywhere, but what has happened to you? Or what pet peeves do you have? If you have shot 2 300 games, and you mention it to your pro shop attendant and they say "well I have 5" Does that bug you? Or help? meaning do you ask well what equipment and such do you use?

Share your thoughts and stories

[JerseyJim]

Lately, I've been lucky enough to have ball drillers ask about the reaction that I'm expecting. They look at my old equipment and ask about how the ball reacts in certain conditions. They would suggest certain drillings for me.

[Iceman]

During the last summer 2008, I went to a different pro shop since my driller was at Nationals because I didn't want to wait. lol. Anyway, I went to a guy that many said was great at listening and knowing what I would need to get.

I called and scheduled an appointment - 2 days later, I'm packing all my equipment (6 balls) and headed to the house. He told me to get loose and he would be back in about 10 minutes to watch a few frames. He watched a few from each ball, asked me which ball I liked the most and which I hated the most.

He then drew some white lines and had me throw a few more with each liked/hated balls. He never asked me to throw any of the others. He then measure each ball I used (2 of them) and said their completely different drillings for you - they are too long, pitch is 1/4 reverse, etc.

He said I'll fix them for you. He didn't tell me how, he just did it. Didn't charge me either. I went back 2 hours later and he had them changed. I then rolled a few more, it did feel better on my hand, but it was harder to come out of. He said that would take a little time. So he told me to take the 2 balls and go bowl some games and come back in about 2 weeks.

I went for 1 week and bowled, talk about not having a clue what I was doing wrong, the span was SOOO short 5/8 shorter actually, and the pitch was 1/4 forward. Talk about the difference that made. I did bowl 9 games with them, only shot 520 (highest) 502 (lowest) couldn't get my 10 pins worth crap.

I went back to the shop the Friday morning and told him about it. He was kind of busy at that time, but stopped to listen, and then told me, I should stick with it for a few months to get the feel for it. This is how the Pro's are drilling: shorter and for rev's. I said even though I'm going to a stroker, he said your not a stroker, your a cranker with low revs. WTH I said? I just left. Headed back to the other pro shop I was going to - showed him - he laughed and said "have you learned your lesson?" I said yes, he fixed them back to the way they were (but we did change the 1/4 reverse thumb to 1/8 reverse thumb to help me not drop the ball as easily). The good thing about it all, I learned exactly what I wanted and liked - and I ended up buying 7 more balls with him over 3 months. I ended up getting the Ebonite Gamebreaker, Columbia Resurgence, Green Vibe, Black Window Venom, a 15 lb gamebreaker, another No Mercy Beatn 15 lb and a Lane 1 Buzzsaw (which I used for 2 games then went onto house racks) No backend - but I never missed a 10 pin with it. Was light color blue - but damn color, picked up and showed all the dirt.

This was an expensive lesson learned, but I know more about my equipment now and how I like the drillings more than ever.

[mike-boogie]

my pro shop guy has helped me with technique and has actually not discouraged me from throwing with two fingers. He has worked with me matching drill pattern to my technique, never discouraging me

[Maine Man]

Nothing worse than people coming into the shop, spending an hour picking my brain for advice on bowling equipment, drilling techniques, etc. only to end the conversation when I suggest a ball by saying "I can get that online for $10 less", and then they walk out. Arrrgghhhhh!!!

[gparks]

king pin once again super topic! i recently switched pro shops first the bad (old shop) then the wonderful new shop got back to bowling i went with a used ebay ball went in and got it re spaned and resurfaced he did good then a month later went in and got a new ball and shoes told him i wanted an agressive ball i got a full roller drilled brunswick wizard totally didnt work not only did he argue with me about it he shanked my spare balls drill then said all im looking for was free work done lol he is a busy driller so i guess i didnt spend enough cash for him to bother with now the good... a new shop opened up wnet to the opening and bought a used ball from them span/drill worked perfect the shop has three pba card holders and they are super not only always there just to talk bowling bowl ing i went in to buy a jigsaw ,he said hey try this ball out a 20 game used virtual gravity not only not charged me for it i still have it and said roll it a few weeks if i didnt like it bring it back!! well the ball i s just what i was looking for im gonna buy it for 60 clams one of them is a silver usbc coach and is gonna give me free lessons to boot so i have found my shop all they want is for folks to bowl better i went in there to spend 200 bucks and walked out with a loaner ball.almost didnt mention me and several other people i bowl with have been trying to get pba exp league at our main house they dont want to do one told the shop about it a month later he got it done this summer its coming i asked him he did it , he said the house didnt know how to program the oiler for it he offered to do it so done deal two words to describe them holy sh,@ !!

[Stormed1]

At least the way i feel the most important person to need the pro shops advise is the lower average bowler. Most of your higher average bowlers come in and already know what ball and layout they want. With them for the mst part your only responsability is to do a good job drilling their ball. If i don't agree with their choice of ball/ layoutor fit. i will offer my suggestions and reasoning for them. But it is still the customers decission. As for the lower average bowler far too many times they come in and want the top end assymetrical ball because they saw so and so throw the ball and its awesome. This is where te pro shops expertise comes into play. As the coverstock is still 70 % of your balls reaction and most manufacturers have a mid priced ball with the same cover i will suggest that ball over the top end and explain that the top end ball is more sensative to release variations.
My 2 favorite peeves as far as customers go are like Maine Man the guy that takes up an hour of your time for suggestions etc and then buys it somewhere else. And number two is when that customer or a simiar comes in with an internet ball and then complains about the cost of drilling it.

[fairgq1]

I have been working in the proshop in Roy,Utah for about 3 years now and I have seen and heard everything that all the other posts have said. Stormed1 hit it right on the head, the lower ave. bowler needs the most help. What I found is that they do not ask questions because they are embaressed or they do not want to look stupid, so I figured out how to help them, when they are in the shop looking I talk to them about how they did last week and how they are doing this week they open right up and you get what you need to help them. I work on Tuesdays and Thursdays and guess which 2 days are the busiest, and now I get all the referals from the Storm/Roto plant in Brigham City.
My only pet peave is the online ball brought in to get drilled and they cry cause you charge them so much for an outside drill

Allen