New ball driller and new ball

[vdubtx]

Long post alert!!

This past summer I had some work done on a few balls to get my inserts replaced and had a Storm Hy-Road pearl I had traded for drilled up. I mention to my driller that I am having some pain on my ring finger pad and it bruises after a few games. He suggests a slight pitch change on that finger. So I go with his recommendation for the change.

The Hy-Road that I had the pitch changed on really opened my eyes as to the shop I was bringing my business. For some reason the last few balls I had drilled by them, the Vise IT thumb was not able to be used right away. The thumb insert was not able to go all the way in to the hole and be secured without it essentially getting stuck in the hole. They would have to work out the hole sanding each one for awhile to allow the IT thumb to get in and out easily. My thinking is the bit they use is worn out. I may be a bit nit-picky here, but I have essentially lost patience and confidence in this shop with how they can't get the ball ready to roll right off the press.

Fast forward to a few weeks ago. I go to a guy that bowls on my Tuesday competitive league and I know he has his own shop. I reach out to him and go to this shop to get some advice on my finger and the pitch change that I just had completed on aforementioned ball.

He rechecks my grip and says the problem is not my pitch, but my spans are too long. The longer span is causing my fingers to pull too far and that is what is causing the bruising. He suggests shortening my span by 4/16th's on one and 5/16th's on other finger. I was shocked. Granted I have not really had my hand fit to a ball in a very long time. Likely 20 years, which is probably my fault for not insisting on it myself through the years.

I was going to get a new ball soon anyway, and had been looking for an assymetric solid to add to my arsenal. So, I got a Storm Sure Lock with the new span drilled up on it.

I have to say the ball is so comfortable. It does feel different for sure, but it feels great. And, the ball was able to be used right off the press. No issue with thumb hole whatsoever.

Now I need to get all my balls changed out to the new measurements and span.

[fokai73]

wow 1/4th and 5/16th too long.... good you had it checked.

With such a bad (long) fit and have 375 rpm's, averaging 220's, is darn good man.

[1VegasBowler]

All ball drillers are not created equally. lol

While that statement might be funny, it's also sad.

A friend that I bowl with on Wednesday night has an Ultimate Nirvana and the True Nirvana. Both bought from the same pro shop, but 2 different drillers and 2 different results, with one fitting better than the other.

In the near future he wants me to take him to my driller because he can't trust those who did those balls.

My PSO is also my coach and a Brunswick Pro Staffer, but I've NEVER seen him push Brunswick products over the others, where I have seen other PSO's do just the opposite.

In either case, it's sad to see that kind of thing.

[chip82901]

I haven't had a ball punched out for me from my local pro shop in almost 10 years. He just does what HE wants to do, not what I want. I've given him what layout I want to use before, and it's been so far off it's not even funny. I started taking my business to Utah, had a couple drilled by Clay Rees at All Star West Jordan, and he's done great, but lately I have been taking my stuff to Max Shellabarger at Hill AFB. Max has gotten me spot on. He and Clay are both good friends and talk amongst each other and use the same drilling techniques. With me being 2-handed, they've both taken into account my axis tilt/rotation, as well as rev rate and ball speed, when drilling and laying out my equipment. A good PSO is hard to find around these parts. Once you find one, keep going back.

[fokai73]

$25 drill (free shipping) online for the last 8 years or so. $40 to $60 drill locally, the difference....

You get what you pay for? nope, not this time. For $25 for the last 8 or so years, NO MISTAKES!! NONE! And they never seen me in person too! I checked span and pitches, and lines are hit.

Locally, the PSO's I had a great relationship with either stopped drilling, or left town. I tried to see other local PSO's and others outside too and they've messed up my stuff. Some not my much, some way off.

But to compare $25 no mistakes for the last 8 years or so, vs. $45 to my last amount I paid, $58 and middle finger an 1/8 long, it's not hard a hard choice to make. Luckily, I won that ball and didn't pay $230... Btw, I buy clearance balls lol they work as well as the "next big thing"...

[bowl1820]

The thumb insert was not able to go all the way in to the hole and be secured without it essentially getting stuck in the hole. They would have to work out the hole sanding each one for awhile to allow the IT thumb to get in and out easily. My thinking is the bit they use is worn out.

They shouldn't have to hog the hole out to get it in, either the bit worn or bit/jig is wobbling.

He suggests shortening my span by 4/16th's on one and 5/16th's on other finger. I was shocked. Granted I have not really had my hand fit to a ball in a very long time. Likely 20 years, which is probably my fault for not insisting on it myself through the years.

Yep been there done that, I had to have my span shorted quite a bit too. Let it go too long without a check and it got me all messed up on my release.

[Amyers]

Long post alert!!

He rechecks my grip and says the problem is not my pitch, but my spans are too long. The longer span is causing my fingers to pull too far and that is what is causing the bruising. He suggests shortening my span by 4/16th's on one and 5/16th's on other finger. I was shocked. Granted I have not really had my hand fit to a ball in a very long time. Likely 20 years, which is probably my fault for not insisting on it myself through the years.

.

It probably isn't that your grip has changed that much as it has the mindset of drillers have changed. It used to be you stretched the span as much as possible to generate maximum lift now days shorter spans are the norm with comfort and repeatability at a premium.